Tailwater · Mixed · Northern California

Feather River

Feather River venue image
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Regulated tailwater below Oroville Dam, and the Low Flow Channel below the Feather River Hatchery is the reach everyone means when they talk steelhead here.

Species

About as good as it gets

Low and clear — careful approach country. Take your time — read the water before you cast.

75% confidence in this read
Water temperature for steelhead
Ideal
9°C est.ideal 4–13°C
0°14°28°
Why this score · for steelhead
  • Temperature10028% weight
  • Flow8022% weight
  • Clarity9518% weight
  • Feeding Time5013% weight
  • Pressure757% weight
  • Insect activity6312% weight
Conditions
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp
9.0°C
Estimated
Clarity
Clear
Air temp
32°C
Wind
SW 10 km/h
Light breeze
Pressure
1013 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

How to fish it · for steelhead
When
Autumn egg bite behind spawning salmon, into winter steelhead
Where
Regulated tailwater below Oroville Dam, and the Low Flow Channel below the Feather River Hatchery is the reach everyone means when they talk steelhead here.
Why this works
Excellent — water temperature is right today, though time of day could be better.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Black MidgeHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Freshwater ShrimpHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Western Blue-Winged OliveHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Pale Morning DunHatch
2
3
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • CDFW barbless / wild-release and seasonal rules
  • ESA-listed spring-run Chinook: do not target; release unharmed.
Directions
Apple MapsGoogle Maps
About this water

Regulated tailwater below Oroville Dam, and the Low Flow Channel below the Feather River Hatchery is the reach everyone means when they talk steelhead here. It carries ESA-listed Central Valley spring-run Chinook and steelhead right alongside the hatchery fish, so the listed ones get named and let be. The classic autumn play is indicator nymphing and egg patterns behind the spawning salmon, and that rolls into winter steelhead. Flow is run by California DWR, not the Bureau, so the river dances to that tune.

  • Mixed
Seasons & zones
  • Trout1 January → 31 December
Other water nearby · 5