KRIS Shasta River Tour

Fisheries: Introduction

The Shasta River supports several species of fish, including chinook salmon, coho salmon and steelhead and resident rainbow trout. Chinook salmon from the Shasta and other Klamath River tributaries support important commercial and sport fisheries in the ocean off the California and Oregon coasts. Steelhead fishing attracts sportfishers to the Klamath Basin which helps to support the economy of the small towns along the river. Salmon are an important part of the diet and culture of the Indian tribes in the Klamath Basin today, as they have been for thousands of years.

Photo by Pat Higgins

This resident rainbow trout will spend its entire life in freshwater.

Big Springs Creek. The cold water and clean gravel make this site good habitat for spawning and rearing salmon and trout.

Cold water from melting snow, winter rains and underground springs made the Shasta River an ideal area for spawning and rearing of salmon and steelhead. Unfortunately, the water quality has declined in the Shasta River and its tributaries during the last few decades, and fish populations have declined. However, the most recent fall chinook salmon population estimates indicate that restoration efforts are helping reverse this trend

From the KRIS bibliography

For more information about fish in the Klamath River system:

Chapter 4 of the Long Range Plan for the Klamath River Basin Fishery Restoration Program

Shasta River Guided Tour Contents

Fisheries	Introduction / Species & Ranges / Life Cycle / Habitats / Monitoring / Population Trends
Water Quality	Introduction / Water Temperature / Dissolved Oxygen
Geology	Introduction / The Cascade and Klamath Provinces
Hydrology	Introduction
Economics	Introduction
Restoration	Introduction / Fencing Riparian Areas / Replanting Trees In the Riparian Zone / Water Use

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This site was made possible by grants from the California Dept. of Fish and Game
and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

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