Feather River Fishing Report

The Feather is fully blown out after the heavy rain, with chocolate water, strong current, and debris moving throughout the system. Visibility is near zero, and access is limited. Stripers are still around but buried in the mess, holding tight to whatever clarity they can find. A few are being picked off in slower seams, back eddies, and floodplain edges by soaking frozen bait, but reaction lure bites have been tough. Steelhead effort is minimal with flows this high. You’d have to push way upriver near Oroville to even begin finding fishable water. More storms are on the way, so expect conditions to stay blown out for now.

Bright Chinook are beginning to stack in the Thermalito outlet stretch (Section D), most running 10–20 lbs with a few pushing 25. The bite is building... boats are averaging 1 to 4 fish a day, with Silvertrons and Killerfish plugs (psych clown color) doing the work in the faster seams and holding slots. No sign of dark fish yet. Downriver, anglers are also finding fish around Shanghai Bend.

Flows are stronger than normal for this reach, pushing salmon through in pulses. Section D remains open through Sept. 15, with Section E (Live Oak to Nicolaus Bridge) open until Oct. 31.

Stripers still hitting on jerkbaits near Live Oak. Steelhead are still around below the hatchery, mostly 2–5 pounders on egg patterns and crawlers.

The striper bite is wide open near Verona on the Feather River. Anglers are landing quality fish day and night, with plenty of keepers in the 22–27 inch range and some pushing close to 30.
Jerkbaits are doing most of the damage, especially Berkley Stunna models and S-Wavers. Work it quickly with long pauses, as most fish are crushing baits during slack moments. White Keitechs on green jigheads are also getting hit. Most action is coming tight to the bank or just off current seams. Some stripers haven’t spawned out yet, so the bite should hold for at least another week or so.