Upper Klamath River

The Klamath River is the second-largest river in California, flowing approximately 250 miles from its headwaters in Oregon to the Pacific Ocean. The Upper Klamath in California (the section from the former Iron Gate Dam site downstream to Happy Camp and beyond) has been profoundly altered by the historic dam removal project that culminated in 2024. Four dams on the Klamath (Iron Gate, Copco 1, Copco 2, and J.C. Boyle) were removed between 2023-2024, reopening over 420 miles of habitat to anadromous salmon and steelhead.

For over a century, these dams blocked migratory fish runs and degraded the river ecosystem. With the dams gone, wild steelhead and Chinook salmon are returning to historic spawning grounds, and the Upper Klamath is emerging as one of the most significant wild steelhead fisheries on the West Coast. The river flows through remote, rugged canyon country with a mix of long swinging runs, deep pools, and fast pocket water ideal for both steelhead and resident trout.

Traditional spey and switch rod techniques are the preferred methods for steelhead, with anglers swinging intruder-style flies, classic wet fly patterns, and modern streamers through tailouts and seams. The river also holds good numbers of "half-pounder" steelhead (immature fish in the 14-18 inch range) that aggressively chase flies and provide outstanding sport on lighter tackle. Resident rainbow and brown trout inhabit the river year-round and respond well to nymphing and dry fly techniques.

Access to the Upper Klamath requires some effort. The river flows through remote country, and reaching productive water often requires jet boat shuttles, drift boat floats, or significant hiking. But the solitude, scenery, and quality of the experience are unmatched. This is a frontier fishery, and anglers who explore it now are witnessing a rare event: a major river ecosystem being restored.

The Upper Klamath is a large, powerful freestone river with a boulder and cobble bottom. Water clarity varies seasonally, typically 2-5 feet of visibility once runoff subsides. The river never achieves gin-clear conditions, which works in the angler's favor for steelhead fishing. Water temperatures are cool year-round, ranging from the mid-40s in winter to the mid-50s in summer.

The insect community includes caddisflies (prolific), salmonflies in some sections, golden stoneflies, Blue-Winged Olives, and various small mayflies. The river also supports populations of sculpin, lamprey, and juvenile salmon and steelhead as forage. As the river ecosystem recovers from a century of dam impacts, the aquatic insect populations are expected to improve dramatically.

The anadromous fish runs are rebuilding after the dam removals. Biologists predict that steelhead and salmon populations will increase significantly over the coming decade as the river habitat heals and fish recolonize historic spawning grounds.