March through June are the favorite months for experienced bass anglers. During the spring, they can be found most anywhere as they cruise the lake surface to feed on aquatic insects. As the lake waters are warmed by the summer sun, these fish school up at the mouths of the major tributaries, such as the Stuarts Fork, Swift Creek, and at the Main Stem and East Fork of the Trinity River. The lake also has a population of catfish and kokanee salmon. The Trinity River is world-famous for its fine steelhead and salmon fishing, as well as for trophy brown trout.
Chinook salmon are the most sought-after gamefish in the Trinity River system.
Spring-run salmon begin to enter the river in May and provide trophy fishing through November throughout the river. Steelhead, a sea-going rainbow trout, enters the river in September. Most of these hard-fighting beauties fish range from 3 to 9 pounds, and are famous for their thrilling aerial acrobatics while on the line. In addition to conventional lure and bait fishing, steelhead are mostly sought-after by fly fishermen. Steelhead provide great action through the winter until the river closes to fishing in mid-March.