BY CHUCK WOLF
OROVILLE – Things are starting to look pretty good as the salmon season ramps up with decent numbers now being reported on the Feather River from Yuba City to the Outlet Hole. There are still some slow days, but the guides are reporting an increasing number of limits, private anglers are posting some pretty fish and bank anglers are posting some equally impressive catches. There are still two months of fishing in the upper zone and by mid-September, there should be plenty of fish in the system.
The Outlet Hole remains one of the more productive sections of the river. The flows are still high, all the outlet gates remain open, and bank access is limited, but if you can get a spot on the water, the odds are fair that you’ll at least connect with a fish. The Oroville bank side is very tight. Anglers who brave the possibility of a citation are fishing the apron and the back eddy there is holding fish. Flows are too high for spinners, but bead anglers are doing ok. The eddy just below the low flow section is also holding fish and boats that can find softer water are taking fish at the bottom in about 18 feet of water using Brad’s Killer Fish in mixed colors fished with 6-8 ounces of lead on a dropper rig. Smaller profile baits appear to be more productive than the larger profiles used later in the season. The horseshoe is also tight. The high water has made access difficult, but the point above and the cove below the heavy flow section have been producing. Some anglers will drift beads, but spinners like Silvertron double blades and Mepps Flying C’s have been most productive.
The Gridley side of the flow is holding fish, but the high water is making it hard for the boats to hold position, and most are using both a trolling motor and a kicker to keep on their spot. The most productive water is tight and many of the boats are having to bottom bounce the race track. Bankers fishing beads along the apron are having a hard time staying in the slot even using 3-4 oz. of lead. The beach below the apron is very tight and the water is up to the weeds but there is some hard bottom, and if you’re willing to get wet, you can wade. There have been some decent numbers taken including a 30-plus pounder that was weighed bankside. Beads drifted through the flow with a 2-3 oz. weight should put you in the zone. Many of the fish have been taken close to the beach but snags are already heavy, and you should be prepared to lose a lot of gear. Boats fishing the slot below the parking lot can anchor and there are fish moving up and over the riffles. Many of the guides are running a bit downriver to find areas of slack water, but most of the spots can only hold a boat or two and fish numbers are still low.
Shanghai Falls has also been very productive and the guides fishing that section have been doing well. Guides Pete Franco and Rustic Rob Reimers are both working a mix of Killer Fish and Silvertrons and have been picking up some decent numbers. Spots below are showing some signs of improvement, but numbers are still relatively low.
Action for this point in the season is as good as can be expected. While the numbers are not yet impressive, the continued pulse of fish has kept the serious anglers on the water. The early season is good, right now, the crowds are light, boat traffic is moderate, and fish counts are decent.
