It’s a fishing day

Feather River (Oroville) fishing conditions · California

Now until 4 pmChinook salmon

The bite peaks at 68.

Log a trip here
Right now: 63 for chinook salmon, marginal · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Chinook salmon, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 63Mon
  2. 63
  3. 63
  4. 633 am
  5. 68
  6. 68
  7. 686 am
  8. 68
  9. 68
  10. 689 am
  11. 68
  12. 68
  13. 6812 pm
  14. 68
  15. 68
  16. 683 pm
  17. 60
  18. 58
  19. 586 pm
  20. 58
  21. 58
  22. 589 pm
  23. 58
  24. 58
  25. 58Tue
  26. 58
  27. 58
  28. 583 am
  29. 58
  30. 58
  31. 586 am
  32. 58
  33. 58
  34. 589 am
  35. 58
  36. 60
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Chinook salmon range 42–58°

Wind
5 mph

From the southeast

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:27 am

Sky
Clear

No rain expected

Air
59°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Rising

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are California regulations for these waters.

Chinook Salmon

Chinook salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

68MarginalNow until 4 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Chinook salmon bite in 42–58° water, best near 50°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 15–150 ft down.

Keep

no harvest

Open. Keep fish within the limits. California: salmon may be taken only on the river reaches and dates listed in the special regulations; every other inland water is closed to salmon. Klamath, Trinity and Central Valley seasons are set each spring and can close in-season, and a North Coast Salmon Report Card is required on the Klamath, Trinity and Smith.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on chinook salmon

Steelhead

Steelhead

Oncorhynchus mykiss

68MarginalNow until 4 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Steelhead bite in 40–55° water, best near 48°.

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 2–60 ft down.

Keep

2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. California: a steelhead is any rainbow trout over 16" in anadromous water. Hatchery fish only (adipose fin clipped); wild (intact-fin) steelhead must be released. 2 hatchery trout or steelhead a day where open, 4 in possession. Seasons and gear are set reach by reach, and a Steelhead Report Card is required.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California

Season here: Oct–Apr. More on steelhead

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer30.07 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:27 am
  • Sunset today6:12 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Major solunarSunday 11:50 pm–1:50 am
  • Minor solunarToday 7:40 am–8:40 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:10 pm–2:10 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. California CDFW has the state’s fishing pages.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

A major Sacramento tributary below Oroville Dam, with hatchery-supported chinook and steelhead. This spot is the Thermalito Afterbay Outlet reach, where salmon may be kept in season. Upstream, the low-flow channel through Oroville is steelhead-only. Shad run in spring and stripers in the lower river.

Thermalito Afterbay Outlet to Live Oak: 2 hatchery steelhead a day all year; 2 chinook a day Jul 16–Oct 31. The low-flow channel upstream is closed to salmon, and the river from the Fish Barrier Dam to the Table Mountain bicycle bridge is closed to all fishing. Steelhead Report Card required.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Sacramento River (Red Bluff)56 mi · CaliforniaBest tomorrow 8 am–11 am
74Worth the trip
Folsom Lake58 mi · CaliforniaBest today 3 am–3 pm
86Go
Clear Lake67 mi · CaliforniaBest today 8 am to tomorrow 11 am
68Marginal
Lake Berryessa68 mi · CaliforniaBest today 12 pm–6 pm
68Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Feather River (Oroville)?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Feather River (Oroville) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Feather River (Oroville)?

Feather River (Oroville) is listed on this site for 2 commonly-targeted species: Chinook Salmon, Steelhead. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Feather River (Oroville)?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Feather River (Oroville) against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Feather River (Oroville) have?

Feather River (Oroville) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Thermalito Afterbay Outlet to Live Oak: 2 hatchery steelhead a day all year; 2 chinook a day Jul 16–Oct 31. The low-flow channel upstream is closed to salmon, and the river from the Fish Barrier Dam to the Table Mountain bicycle bridge is closed to all fishing. Steelhead Report Card required.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Feather River (Oroville)?

state agency regulations apply at Feather River (Oroville). Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Feather River (Oroville) tidal water?

No. Feather River (Oroville) is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.