Pacific coast steelhead

Winter Steelhead in California

Q: When do steelhead run in California?

California Department of Fish and Wildlife describes winter steelhead from Nov 1 to Mar 31; summer steelhead from Apr 1 to Jul 31; fall run (Klamath, Mad, Eel) from Aug 1 to Nov 30. Winter fish arrive ripe in fall and winter and spawn within weeks to months, mostly January through March.

Q: Which California rivers have winter steelhead?

The rivers CDFW names with steelhead in the river between December and April include the Smith River, Klamath River, Trinity River, Mad River, Eel River, Russian River (Dry Creek), American River and Sacramento River. Each one is listed below with its agency timing and the source sentence.

Q: Where is the California steelhead fishing report?

CDFW publishes the Steelhead Report and Restoration Card, Interactive Data Dashboard (annual), the Central Valley Steelhead Monitoring and the Trinity River Hatchery, species raised. All are linked below.

Q: Which California steelhead rivers get hatchery fish?

CDFW records hatchery releases or returns on the Trinity River, Russian River (Dry Creek) and American River.

Q: How high is the Smith River running today?

The rivers table reads the latest discharge and water temperature straight from USGS for 8 California steelhead rivers with a USGS discharge gauge, the Smith River among them, and sets each flow beside the gauge's median for today's date from its full record.

Q: Is the steelhead run the same as the fishing season in California?

No. A run window is when the fish move, and it is biology. Seasons, licences and river closures are set by California Department of Fish and Wildlife and change inside a year; its current regulations are linked beside the rivers table.

Q: What is the difference between winter and summer steelhead in California?

Winter fish come in from the ocean close to spawning, November through April by NOAA Fisheries' account; summer fish enter months earlier and hold in the river before spawning. CDFW describes both runs. The Klamath River, Trinity River, Mad River and 1 more carry steelhead in every month.

California Department of Fish and Wildlife names 8 steelhead rivers, from the Smith River to the Sacramento River, and describes winter steelhead Nov 1 to Mar 31, summer steelhead Apr 1 to Jul 31, fall run (Klamath, Mad, Eel) Aug 1 to Nov 30. 8 of them carry a live USGS gauge, shown against the median for today's date.

Agency named rivers

Live USGS gauges

Fish in the rivers

all year

Rivers and flows

California steelhead rivers, run timing and flow today

Each river below is one California Department of Fish and Wildlife names for steelhead, with the timing it gives and the sentence it came from. Beside it, the latest discharge from the river’s USGS gauge and the median discharge for today’s date across that gauge’s years of record, so a reading of 150% means the river is carrying half again its usual flow for the day. 5 of the gauges also report water temperature.

California steelhead rivers named by California Department of Fish and Wildlife, with the latest USGS discharge and water temperature and the median discharge for today’s date over each gauge’s record.
River	Run timing	Hatchery	Flow now	Median for today	Water temp
Smith RiverNorth Coast California's northernmost big river, with winter fish and a small summer run in its tributaries. Steelhead Restoration and Management Plan for California, CDFG, 1996 USGS gauge 11532500	Winter steelhead, Nov to Mar; Summer steelhead, Apr to Jul	See the note	Loading	Loading	Discharge only at this gauge
Klamath RiverKlamath Carries a large fall run that comes in from late summer through fall, including the small 'half pounder' fish, alongside winter and summer fish. Steelhead Restoration and Management Plan for California, CDFG, 1996 USGS gauge 11530500	fall run late summer through fall	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading
Trinity RiverKlamath (Trinity) The Klamath's largest tributary; steelhead reach Trinity River Hatchery from about the start of November through March. CDFW source USGS gauge 11530000	hatchery arrivals about November 1 through March	Hatchery fish	Loading	Loading	Loading
Mad RiverNorth Coast (Humboldt) A Humboldt County river that CDFW calls an outstanding steelhead fishery, with fall, winter and summer fish. CDFW source USGS gauge 11481000	fall run late summer through fall	See the note	Loading	Loading	Discharge only at this gauge
Eel RiverEel The southern edge of the range of summer steelhead in California; its spring-arriving fish hold over and spawn the next winter. Steelhead Restoration and Management Plan for California, CDFG, 1996 USGS gauge 11477000	fall run late summer through fall; spring-run summer fish hold until winter	See the note	Loading	Loading	Discharge only at this gauge
Russian River (Dry Creek)Russian A winter river where Warm Springs Hatchery raises steelhead for Dry Creek; spawning runs January through mid April. CDFW source USGS gauge 11467000	spawning January through mid April	Hatchery fish	Loading	Loading	Loading
American RiverCentral Valley (Sacramento) A Central Valley river whose steelhead run comes in winter, with Nimbus Hatchery working the fish in January and February. CDFW source USGS gauge 11446500	winter run; hatchery spawning January and February	Hatchery fish	Loading	Loading	Loading
Sacramento RiverCentral Valley (Sacramento) Central Valley steelhead spawn mainly January through March in the Sacramento and its tributaries. Steelhead Restoration and Management Plan for California, CDFG, 1996 USGS gauge 11390500	spawning mainly January through March, late December to April	See the note	Loading	Loading	Loading

Run calendar

When steelhead are in California rivers

The months CDFW gives for each river, laid on a July to June year so a winter run reads as one bar. The statewide winter run is Nov 1 to Mar 31. Rain and water temperature move the weeks inside those months from one year to the next.

Smith RiverNorth CoastWinter steelhead, Nov to Mar; Summer steelhead, Apr to Jul
Klamath RiverKlamathfall run late summer through fall
Trinity RiverKlamath (Trinity)hatchery arrivals about November 1 through March
Mad RiverNorth Coast (Humboldt)fall run late summer through fall
Eel RiverEelfall run late summer through fall; spring-run summer fish hold until winter
Russian River (Dry Creek)Russianspawning January through mid April
American RiverCentral Valley (Sacramento)winter run; hatchery spawning January and February
Sacramento RiverCentral Valley (Sacramento)spawning mainly January through March, late December to April

Winter steelhead
Summer steelhead
Fall run (Klamath, Mad, Eel)
Nov, the current month

California steelhead months by river, from California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Fish in the river across all year.

The runs, in CDFW’s words

Winter steelhead, Nov 1 to Mar 31. Winter fish arrive ripe in fall and winter and spawn within weeks to months, mostly January through March. Ocean-maturing steelhead (winter steelhead) typically begin their spawning migration in fall and winter and spawn within a few weeks to a few months from the time they enter fresh water. Steelhead Restoration and Management Plan for California, CDFG, 1996
Summer steelhead, Apr 1 to Jul 31. Summer fish enter in spring and early summer, hold in deep pools and spawn the following late fall and winter; they live only in north coast rivers. Stream-maturing steelhead (summer steelhead) typically enter fresh water in spring, early summer, and possibly fall. Steelhead Restoration and Management Plan for California, CDFG, 1996
Fall run (Klamath, Mad, Eel), Aug 1 to Nov 30. A late summer and fall run in three north coast rivers, including the small 'half pounder' fish. The Klamath, Mad, and Eel rivers support a sizeable fall-run of steelhead which migrate into fresh water from late summer through fall. Steelhead Restoration and Management Plan for California, CDFG, 1996

Winter-run Steelhead return from the ocean at age 4 or 5 years, and travel to their spawning grounds from November to April.
NOAA Fisheries, West Coast Region

A spotted steelhead with a pink cheek leaping straight up against a sheet of falling white water — A steelhead jumping in a holding pond at Coleman National Fish Hatchery in California. Hatchery counts of returning adults are among the most regular public numbers a winter run produces. “Coleman NFH steelhead jumping holding pond”, Laura Mahoney/USFWS, Public domain

Reports

California steelhead reports and counts

Where CDFW publishes the current picture: fishing reports, weir and hatchery counts, and creel surveys, each with how often it is updated.

Steelhead Report and Restoration Card, Interactive Data DashboardCDFW, creel, annualView catch and effort data reported by steelhead anglers via the CDFW Steelhead Report Card.
Central Valley Steelhead MonitoringCDFW, weir countThis pilot project is focused on monitoring adult CV steelhead populations in the Sacramento River and tributaries.
Trinity River Hatchery, species raisedCDFW, hatchery returnSteelhead arrive at the hatchery from about the first of November through March.

A dark clear river pool curving past a gravel bar, snow on the banks and a steep forested slope of fir and moss covered alder behind — The Nestucca River in the Oregon Coast Range in late winter. Coastal rivers like this one carry the winter run from late fall into spring, and they rise and drop fast with each storm. “Nestucca Wild and Scenic River (40678437973)”, BLM Oregon & Washington, Public domain

Elsewhere

Steelhead run timing in other states

Questions about California steelhead

When do steelhead run in California?

Which California rivers have winter steelhead?

Where is the California steelhead fishing report?

Which California steelhead rivers get hatchery fish?

How high is the Smith River running today?

Is the steelhead run the same as the fishing season in California?

What is the difference between winter and summer steelhead in California?

River timing from California Department of Fish and Wildlife pages, each linked beside its river. Flow, water temperature and the daily median from the USGS Water Services. Compiled September 21, 2026.

California salmon run timingThe chinook and coho runs on the same rivers, in the months before the steelhead.California trout stockingThe same species as a freshwater fish, stocked on a schedule.California river levelsEvery USGS gauge in the state against its own record for the date.