Feather River Salmon

[Tony Buzolich]

After catching my first salmon last week while striper fishing I got to wondering how many are actually moving into the river systems. Last month while striper fishing another buddy of mine hooked and released one over on the SAC. So, maybe things aren't as bad as they seem for the coming season.

Today I headed up to Oroville to take my wife to lunch at our favorite Chinese restaurant Wong Tong Lo's. This is the oldest Chinese restaurant in California and everything there is great.

After lunch we headed over to the hatchery to see if any fish were showing up. Sure enough, there was already one coming up the ladder. We got down to the observation platform and watched several more come and roll to the surface in the main flow below the dam. Not a lot yet but it's early in the run. Hopefully the numbers will continue to grow and this will be a sign of better things to come.

For those of you who haven't heard there will be a salmon season on the Feather this year starting July 31, and going through the month of August.
TONY

[leemar]

Hey Tony I used to fish the Feather when it was open until the end of August for Salmon but I thought they changed it to July 15th. I am a fly fisherman and had some great times there. Did they change the regs and why?
Thanks...Lee

[Tony Buzolich]

Leemar, the season information I got from the Sacramento Bee. As for changes and why? you'd have to contact F&G for that.

But, as for now there will be an inland season on the SAC, the Feather, and the American. On the Feather it will open July 31, 2010 from the Thermlito outlet downstream for one month. No salmon fishing in the low-flow. On the American the season will open Oct. 30th from Ancil Hoffman park on down, also for one month.

[bclem81]

FYI the fishing will start 1000 ft below thermalito.

[wjorg]

Ive seen both old boots and bright fish in the low flow. Havent seen any poachers yet, thankfully...

[oregonsteel]

Ive seen both old boots and bright fish in the low flow. Have seen any poachers yet, thankfully...



Wow, back when I lived in the area, by the gazebo, in the big deep hole where water from the hatcery entered the river, there would be various spin fisherman fishing for salmon (the hole is off limits to fishing). Would see people walk 100 feet back to their spot carrying a salmon out of the water, carrying it by its gills, then "releasing" it.

If salmon fishing it outlawed in the low flow area, hopefully they will turn the whole low flow into a barbless only area. Sure will be nice not having the salmon fisherman in places lik SH**house riffle.