Fishing Season: Year Round

Feather River - CA

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

64

Joe Garza's Tip of the Week

Recently I've seen a lot of poor river etiquette from both boat anglers and bank anglers. For boats drifting downstream, watch for bank anglers. If you see a bank angler, determine how they are fishing (dry, indicator tightline, swing). Pull up your lines as you get close to the bank angler, do not fish where they are fishing. wait until you are a little ways downstream to start fishing again. If the bank angler is fishing dry's, indicator, or tightline try to move far outside of the line they are fishing. This is so you don't run the boat over the fish and spook them. If the bank angler is swinging try to move your boat close to the bank angler (without running into them), so you don't spook the fish they are swinging to. Bank anglers, when you see a boat approaching hold your position in the water, don't walk out further out into the river or cast in front of the boat. Let the boat pass and start fishing again.

Directions open in app

Map of Feather River

Water Flow Data

Tidal Conditions

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

J.A.G. Fly Fishing

5-Day Outlook as of 11/16/25

The Lower Feather River continues to see Steelhead move upstream. Several fresh pods of salmon pushed upstream earlier this week, with the Steelhead still sitting behind them. Caddis (#14/16), Baetis (#18/16), Worms (#12), and eggs 8mm continue to be the best producers. The salmon run is tappering off, but fresh steelhead are moving in daily. The Alvin swing is going to be on fire this year!

Techniques & Tips as of 11/16/25

Indicator Nymphing, Tight Line/High Stick Nymphing, Single Hand Swing, Spey/Switch, Dry Fly.

Local Species Available Year Round

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    Steelhead

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    Striper

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    Salmon

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    Shad

Joe Garza's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Shaky Worm Red 12
Hickey's Tungsten Bead Auto Emerger N/A 18
Higa's S.O.S. Olive, Black 18
Meg A Egg Sucking Leech Pink, Orange 8
Fox Poopah Cinnamon 12, 14
E.C. Caddis Tan, Olive 12, 14
Vitso's Psycho Spawn Chartreuse, Pink 14
Prince Nymph N/A 14, 16
Hale Bopp Leech Olive, Black 8
Sac Fry N/A 12, 14

Shaky Worm

This trout fishing worm pattern will make you a believer.

2.49

Item #0K7T

Buy Now

Joe Garza's Recommended Gear

Description: About Feather River

This tailwater fishery flows out of Oroville Dam, the tallest earthen dam in the country. The river is best known for its Steelhead and Salmon fishing. Holding both hatchery and wild Steelhead/Salmon, there are also opportunities for Striped Bass or Shad during certain times of the year. Just below the dam, water is diverted to the Forebay and Thermalito Afterbay for water storage, hydro-electric power, and flood control for the local area. This causes the Lower Feather River to be broken into two different sections, known as the low-flow area and the high-flow area. The low flow starts at the Feather River hatchery and ends approximately 5.5 miles downstream at the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet. The high flow starts at the Afterbay outlet and ends approximately 8.5 miles downstream at the Gridley boat launch. With 14 miles of river to fish, there are many options for both drift boat trips and walk and wade trips. The Lower Feather River offers a variety of methods to search for hard-fighting steelhead throughout the year. Those methods include indicator nymphing, tight line/high stick nymphing, single hand swing, and spey/switch. The best times to fish for Steelhead on the Lower Feather River is during the Fall run (September through December), and the Spring run (February through May).

Nearest Airport:

Sacramento International Airport

Hatches:

Eggs, Caddis, Baetis, Worms, Chironomids, PMD's, Little Yellow Stones.

Best Time to Fish:

7am to 12pm

Best Stretch:

High Flow

Best Access:

Thermalito Outlet