Feather River Report

[yubaman]

A buddy and I did a two day drift on the Feather River last week. One day on Low Flow, one day on High Flow. The weather was great! Over the 2 days we got into a number of half pounders, about 4 small adults and 1 real Feather River fish. The salmon run is small at the present time, as apparently is the Steelhead run. I don't know how it has been the past several weeks, but right now there just do not seem to be many steelhead in the system.

An apparent result of this, is very few guides on the water here right now and only a few bank/ wade fishermen along the drift. The homeless people on the river certainly outnumbered fishermen. Hopefully there is a late run of fish on their way up with these rains we are having?!

[mogaru]

I'm confused......isn't the low flow section on the feather river closed until January 1st? uhmmmmm

[bonish]

I'm confused......isn't the low flow section on the feather river closed until January 1st? uhmmmmm

Not below Hwy 70 bridge.

[Rossflyguy]

I'm confused......isn't the low flow section on the feather river closed until January 1st? uhmmmmm

Regs are on DFW website if you’re not sure.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

A long time ago (40 years?), before people used boats much in the Valley rivers for fishing, many of us used to drive to the lower Feather river to wade fish only for Steelhead.

As I said before the salmon were so thick it looked like Alaska. Scary wading through them.

In November they had a huge run of hatchery Steelhead that averaged 6 pounds.

It was pre-indicator too so people high sticked with gloe bugs and caddis larva combos.


We ran into Mike Mercer, from The Fly Shop, one day and he was using a weighted black rubber legs and doing well.


Because it was one of the last large dams and hatchery to be put in, it was more modern and further north too.

I think the entire Feather river system is special, even it its declined state.

With Almanor and Oroville reservoirs too.

From Gridley down to the mouth it is a good/OK Smallmouth river too.


After a length of time, for some reason? a hatchery program fails to work and the runs decline.

[John H]

Yubaman - Thanks for the report. Salmon are late and light in the valley rivers this year. I was in Oregon in October and most rivers were closed to chinook fishing due to low return forecasts. The coho numbers were apparently good because they were letting you keep one wild coho for the season but you had to catch it on a Wednesday or Saturday. Kind of a crazy regulation but that is what they did. I got one on a Thursday so I had to let it go. Seems like you did well given the conditions on the Feather. The run there has certainly changed since the days Bill is describing but like a lot of our fishing now you can fish what we have and try to feel good about it or don’t fish. I choose to fish.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Today, all over the World, fisheries are down but I think it is still worth going.

Today, to catch fish you need to be a good angler or be with a good angler or be with a guide.


When I was a kid in Sacramento everyone caught fish, even the clueless.

In California in the 1960s the populations of Salmon (Silvers and Kings), Steelhead, American Shad and Stripers was "huge".

Because these larger gamefish populations were huge not many fished LMB like they do today.

______________________________________

Here in Florida, according to the old time good anglers, the inshore brackish water fishing has declined as well.

Our fresh water and offshore are still pretty good.


The easiest way to catch fish here is with live shrimp or live bait fish.

Next is artificial lures with spinning tackle, plastic and hard lures.

The hardest way is fly fishing and I know that some will disagree.


Other than in the Florida Keys you don't see many fly fishers or fly shops.

It is a rare occasion when we see another fly fisher or two fly fishers.


Along the coasts the shop mostly only carry only saltwater gear and bait.

If you go inland the shops only carry fresh water bass and panfish gear and bait.


Our fresh water fishing is still very strong in FL with bass and panfish in almost every pond, canal and lake.


Down around Miami in South Florida we have everything you can imagine in the salt water, brackish and the fresh water.

In the fresh water canals, ponds and lakes we have landlocked Tarpon, Snook, Peacock Bass, LMB and Exotics from South America.


We also have very good offshore fishing in boats 20' and longer with big motors.

Offshore we have Dorado/Mahi Mahi, King Mackerel, Amberjack, Wahoo, Grouper, Snapper, Billfish and more.


Florida is still pretty good and is underrated.



Steve Potter and I just went through a "mild" hurricane but this coming Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday it is only 9 mph.

We fish Monday through Friday only because weekend are insane here. We also look for the wind to be around 10 mph.

We will probably go out Mon, Tues or Wed this next week.