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A creel survey was conducted along the lower Klamath River (Pacific Ocean to Hwy 96 Bridge in Weitchpec) August 6, 2021 through November 4, 2021 to estimate the recreational fishery effort, catch and harvest of fall Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss). A goal of the creel survey is to help determine the contributions made by Trinity River Hatchery, Iron Gate Hatchery and naturally produced salmonids to the annual recreational harvest in the lower Klamath River. Information provided by the creel survey will help assess the production and harvest goals of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, in addition to providing real-time monitoring needed for in-season recreational harvest management.

In 2021, the fall Chinook Salmon fishery was open to recreational fishing. Results from the 2021 creel survey and subsequent Klamath River Technical Team meeting indicate an estimated harvest of 3,448 (1,149 adult and 2,299 jack) fall Chinook Salmon and 125 (83 adults and 42 half-pounders) steelhead for the lower Klamath River. The 2021 in-river recreational quota was 1,221 adult fall Chinook Salmon for the entire basin, with a lower Klamath River sector quota of 611 adult fall Chinook Salmon. Hatchery-origin fall Chinook Salmon represent an estimated 361 fish (10.47 percent) of the estimated harvest in the lower Klamath River, comprised entirely of Trinity River Hatchery (173 fish) and Iron Gate Hatchery (188) fish. Seasonal summaries and interannual comparisons of angler effort, angler harvest, harvest timing, length frequencies, hatchery compositions and coded-wire tag recoveries are presented.