Fishing Season: Year Round

Feather River - CA

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

48

Joe Garza's Tip of the Week

Swing has been productive. For single hand swing trim down a 2X 9' fluorocarbon tapered leader to 7.5'. Trim the thick end of the leader down, then retie the perfection loop, and attach to your sink tip. Using a loop knot, attach your fly (#8 Hale bopp in olive or black, or a #14 caddis tan or cinnamon). Cast out accross the riffles and let your flies swing through, anticipating a grab. Once you feel the fish take your fly lift and fight the fish.

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 3/3/26

Fresh steelhead are moving upstream after this last series of storms and increased flows. Fishing is improving daily. Indicator, tight line and swing have all produced fish in recent days, with the weather in a nice holding pattern for the next 2 weeks fishing will continue to improve.

Techniques & Tips as of 3/3/26

Indicator Nymphing, Single Hand Swing, Spey/Switch, Tight Line/High Stick Nymphing, 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:

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

Best Time to Fish:

8am to 1pm

Best Stretch:

Low Flow

Best Access:

Downtown