Troutline

Feather River

California·Sierra Foothills·39.49° N, 121.56° W

The Low Flow Channel below Oroville Dam is the reason fly anglers care about the Feather River. This roughly 8-mile tailwater section between the Fish Barrier Dam and the Thermalito Afterbay outlet carries cold, clear releases at a mandated minimum of about 600 CFS, supporting a population of wild rainbow trout that average 10-16 inches with some fish reaching 20. The Wild Trout section near the Fish Barrier Dam is catch-and-release only with barbless artificials, and it offers some of the best year-round dry fly and nymph fishing in the Sacramento Valley -- reliable BWO and midge hatches on winter afternoons, caddis and mayflies from April through June, and October Caddis in fall.

The river is wadeable at normal operating flows of 600-900 CFS, though the cobble bottom is notoriously slippery -- studded or felt soles are not optional. Flows can change within hours based on DWR operations, so check before you go. Beyond trout, the Feather supports hatchery steelhead runs from November through March (the Feather River Hatchery at the Fish Barrier Dam produces about 2 million smolts annually), ESA-listed spring-run Chinook that must be released immediately, and strong American shad runs in May and June that are a blast on a 5-weight with small bright flies.

Oroville is the nearest town, about 25 minutes from Chico and 90 minutes from Sacramento. Summer valley temperatures routinely top 100 degrees, so fish early mornings from June through September. The reach-by-reach regulations are complicated and change frequently due to ESA species management -- the Wild Trout section rules differ from the general Low Flow Channel rules, which differ again below the Afterbay outlet. Always check the current DFW booklet before you fish, especially during salmon and steelhead seasons.

Species

SpeciesAbundanceBest SeasonSizeNotes
Rainbow TroutAbundantYear-round10-20"Wild fish dominant in the Low Flow Channel. Strong, healthy fish fed by prolific insect hatches.
Steelhead (winter run)SeasonalNov-Mar4-12 lbsHatchery-origin fish return Nov-Mar. Feather River Hatchery produces ~2 million smolts annually.
Brown TroutUncommonSep-Nov12-22"Present in lower densities than rainbows. Larger average size. Best targeted with streamers in fall and winter.
Chinook Salmon (fall run)SeasonalSep-Dec8-25 lbsMajor run. Spawning in the Low Flow Channel. Specific gear and area restrictions apply.
Chinook Salmon (spring run)RareApr-Sep8-20 lbsESA-listed as threatened. Must be immediately released if caught.
American ShadSeasonalMay-Jun2-5 lbsStrong runs. Excellent on the fly with small bright patterns.
Mountain WhitefishRareYear-round10-14"Occasionally caught in the upper reaches of the Low Flow Channel while nymphing.
Ideal wading flow600–900 CFS
Blow-out>1,200 CFS
Ideal water temp48–60°F

Fall (Sep-Nov) for October Caddis, fall Baetis, and egg patterns behind spawning salmon. Spring (Apr-May) for caddis and mayfly hatches. Winter afternoons for BWOs and midges.

Sections

11 sections on this river

North Fork — Belden to Oroville

WadeRainbow Trout

Remote canyon freestone/tailwater below Belden Dam in the Feather River Canyon. Steep gradient with pocket water, plunge pools, and boulder gardens. Multiple PG&E dams (Rock Creek, Cresta, Poe) create short tailwater sections between impoundments. Highway 70 parallels with pulloffs at Tobin, Storrie, and Pulga.

Best for: Wild rainbow trout (8-14"). Small-stream pocket water nymphing and dry fly. Beautiful remote Sierra canyon. May-Oct when conditions are best.

Middle Fork — Portola to Oroville

WadeBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

Wild and Scenic river flowing through the Lost Sierra from the Portola/Graeagle area through the Scenic zone to Merrimac. The Recreational zone (Clio to Mohawk/Sloat) offers the best access with meadow and canyon sections holding wild rainbow and brown trout averaging 12-16 inches with fish to 22 inches possible. The Scenic and Wild zones below Sloat are increasingly remote and rugged.

Best for: Wild rainbow and brown trout. Dry fly and nymph fishing. Spring (Apr-Jun) and fall (Sep-Nov) peak seasons. Lost Sierra solitude.

West Branch Feather

WadeRainbow Trout

One of four major tributary forks converging at Lake Oroville. Smaller mountain stream with wild and stocked trout in a forested canyon setting. Less well-known than the North and Middle Forks but offers uncrowded fishing.

Best for: Wild and stocked trout. Small-stream fishing. Low pressure.

South Fork Feather

WadeBrown Trout · Rainbow Trout

Mountain stream flowing from below Little Grass Valley Reservoir through steep Sierra terrain to Lake Oroville. The best trout fishing is in the tailwater below the reservoir dam where cold releases support wild rainbows and browns to 14 inches. Picturesque tree-lined pools with productive nymph fishing during June stonefly and mayfly hatches.

Best for: Wild rainbow and brown trout. Tailwater nymphing below Little Grass Valley. June stonefly and mayfly hatches. Mountain stream solitude.

Wild Trout Section

WadeRainbow Trout

Classic tailwater riffles, runs, and glides immediately below the Fish Barrier Dam. Cold, clear water year-round. The most productive section of the Low Flow Channel. Wild Trout Water designation with catch-and-release, artificial lure only regulations.

Best for: Wild rainbow trout year-round. BWO and caddis hatches (Mar-May and Sep-Nov). October Caddis in fall. Winter midging.

Low Flow Channel Middle

WadeSteelhead · Rainbow Trout

River widens and deepens through riffles, deeper pools, and gravel bars. Cottonwood and valley oak line the banks. More room to spread out than the Wild Trout section. Larger average fish in deeper pools.

Best for: Year-round nymphing. Streamers for larger fish in deeper runs. Steelhead staging in fall/winter.

Low Flow Channel Lower

Wade & FloatSteelhead · Rainbow Trout · Shad

Wider, slower water with deeper pools and sandy/gravel runs toward the Thermalito Afterbay outlet. Water temperature increases in summer. Better boat/kayak access.

Best for: Trout and steelhead (Oct-May). Shad (May-Jun). Drift boat fishing expands coverage.

Afterbay to Gridley

FloatSteelhead · Salmon · Stripers · Shad

Full river flow restored below the Thermalito Afterbay outlet. Wide, powerful river with gravel bars, deep runs, and side channels. Primarily a seasonal anadromous fishery. Boyd's Pump boat ramp provides drift boat access.

Best for: Steelhead (Nov-Mar). Fall Chinook salmon (Sep-Dec). Shad (May-Jun). Striped bass (spring).

Gridley to Live Oak

FloatSteelhead · Salmon · Stripers · Shad

Continuing south through the Sacramento Valley agricultural land. Wide river with gravel bars and side channels. Salmon and steelhead staging water.

Best for: Steelhead (Oct-Mar). Fall Chinook salmon (Sep-Dec). Shad and striped bass (spring).

Live Oak to Yuba City

FloatSteelhead · Stripers · Shad

Sacramento Valley river flowing through agricultural land past the Yuba River confluence. Wide, slow water with gravel bars and side channels. Popular for steelhead, shad, and striped bass. Yuba public boat ramp and Feather River Wildlife Area provide access.

Best for: Steelhead (Oct-Mar). Striped bass (Mar-Jun). Shad (Apr-Jun). Drift boat or jet boat fishing.

Yuba City to Verona

FloatSteelhead · Stripers · Shad

Lower Feather River flowing south through the Sacramento Valley to the Sacramento River confluence at Verona. Wide, slow valley river. Nicolaus Bridge and Star Bend are popular access points. Good striped bass and shad water.

Best for: Striped bass (Mar-Jun). Shad (Apr-Jun). Seasonal steelhead. Sacramento River confluence fishing.

Regulations

Current fishing rules and restrictions

Wild Trout section at Fish Barrier Dam is catch-and-release only, artificial barbless hooks. General regulations apply to remainder of Low Flow Channel. Complex salmon and steelhead regulations below.

  • Fish Barrier Dam downstream ~1.5 miles (Wild Trout Section): catch-and-release only, artificial lures with barbless hooks
  • Remainder of Low Flow Channel: 5 trout per day, 10 in possession
  • Spring-run Chinook Salmon: ESA-listed, must be immediately released
  • Hatchery steelhead (adipose fin-clipped) may be retained per DFW regulations
  • Snagging is prohibited at all times
  • Steelhead Report Card required if targeting steelhead

Reach-by-reach regulations change frequently due to ESA species management. Always check the current DFW regulation booklet before fishing.

Source: California DFW Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations. Regulations change annually — verify before fishing.

Access & Logistics

Getting there, fly shops, and lodging

Getting There

Oroville, CA

1.5 hrs from Sacramento, 3 hrs from San Francisco, 25 min from Chico

Fly Shops

Camping & Lodging

Hotels and motels in Oroville. Lake Oroville State Recreation Area campgrounds. Riverbend Park near the river.

Low Flow Channel cobble bottom is extremely slippery -- studded or felt soles recommended. Flows can change within hours based on DWR operations. Summer valley temperatures routinely exceed 100F -- fish early morning.

Fishing data compiled from state wildlife agency regulations, USGS water data, NOAA, and regional fly fishing resources. Regulations change annually — always verify current rules with your state fish & wildlife agency before fishing.

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