Freestone · Mixed · Northern California, US

Middle Fork Feather River

Middle Fork Feather River venue image

A major Sierra / Lost Sierra Wild Trout river.

Tomorrow · Not the day for it
Pheasant Tail
Forecast · Tomorrow
Not the day for it
Not much stacked in your favour today. Worth an hour if you are nearby, not worth the special trip.
45% projected
Today's fly
Pheasant Tail
Pheasant Tail
Conditions on the water · Tomorrow
Estimate
Level
Dry recently
No gauge reading
Water temp10.8°C
ClarityUnfishable
Weather12°C
WindN 10 km/h
Pressure1015 hPa
Rain · recent0.0 mm
Rain · ahead14.8 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

Water temperature for Brown Trout
Ideal
11°C est.ideal 1016°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Brown Trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Good — water temperature is right today, though time of day could be better.
Likely species
Hatch timeline · tomorrowPeak at 12pm

12pm(now) Mahogany Dun

Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 63%
Peak emergence window4 food groups active

Peak activity at 12pm — Mahogany Dun (Mahogany Dun, Peak emergence window)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

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Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence

Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.

Through the year
0–3 scale · September highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
Brown DunHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2
Mahogany DunHatch
2
2

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

Ranked for today
Brown Trout fly box
SD
Sex Dungeon
2-6 · Pattern
Proven pattern for this period
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • CDFW Wild Trout designation; verify exact reach boundaries and current rules.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Other water nearby · 5
Gallery · 1
  1. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

A major Sierra / Lost Sierra Wild Trout river. Wild rainbows and browns, long pocket-water reaches, meadow sections in places, and access that ranges from roadside pulloffs to a genuine hike into the canyon.

  • Mixed
Water quality · US Clean Water Act
  • Aquatic lifeImpaired
What this classification means

EPA ATTAINS assessment unit 'Feather River, Middle Fork (Sierra Valley to Lake Oroville, Butte and Plumas Counties)' (CAR5183305020020610143011), 2024 Integrated Report. Aquatic Life use: Not Supporting. Listed impairment causes: Oxygen Depletion, Metals Other Than Mercury. This is a Clean Water Act assessment-unit classification (the US analogue of WFD), not a live reading.

Status is for the Clean Water Act assessment unit covering this reach.

EPA ATTAINS (Clean Water Act) · CAR5183305020020610143011

The full read · show the working · for Brown Trout · confidence 75%
How the 76 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature100 × 28%28.0
Flow60 × 22%13.2
Clarity95 × 18%17.1
Feeding Time45 × 13%5.9
Pressure80 × 7%5.6
Insect activity52 × 12%6.2
Conditions total= 76
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitymodelled from regional profilemodelled
What would change the calculation
The dawn and dusk windows score higher than the midday lull.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout Last Saturday in April15 November
Related guides
Booking & contacts