LAKE OROVILLE: Only the Spillway Ramp is open for 4wd vehicles only as Bidwell and Loafer Creek have closed until the lake rises once again. Bass fishing has been excellent with plastics on the dart-head or drop-shot along with jigs at depths from the banks to 40 feet. The pond smelt are moving into shallower water, and the bass are following the baitfish.
LAKE SHASTA: Weather kept most anglers off and both tournaments scheduled last weekend were cancelled. Phil’s Propeller’s tournament has been rescheduled this coming weekend. There are several upcoming tournaments in January, and bass fishermen are keeping quiet regarding their success in anticipation of big paydays upcoming during the Wild West Bass Trails Team and Pro/Am Tournaments. The lake held at 31 percent. The public ramps at Centimudi, Jones Valley, and Sugarloaf remain open.
TRINITY RIVER, Willow Creek: With the south fork reaching nearly 1,000 cfs, it likely will keep the lower Trinity off color for a couple days. Flows on the lower Trinity were peaking as of Sunday morning and there should be some adult steelhead making their way through. Plenty of half-pounders were around prior to the weekend storms. Fall regulations for Chinook salmon fishing on the Trinity River run through Dec. 31. The main stem downstream of the State Route 299 Bridge at Cedar Flat to the Denny Road Bridge in Hawkins Bar is closed to all fishing through Dec. 31. Anglers may monitor the quota status of open and closed sections of the Klamath and Trinity rivers by calling the information hotline at 800-564-6479. As of Sunday, flows were 3,210 cfs on the Hoopa gauge.
AMERICAN RIVER/above Folsom Lake: The National Forests are open once again. The flows rose significantly from 1603 to 1998 cfs at Chili Bar, and the river is off-colored and muddy from the recent storms. The river is catch-and-release barbless hooks with no bait until the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend in 2023.
AMERICAN RIVER/Sacramento: Kiene’s Fly Shop in Sacramento reported scattered steelhead moving upriver into the closed section. Some fish taken below Ancil Hoffman, but numbers low. Some salmon still moving upriver, but catches are rare. Flows at Fair Oaks have held at 1,460 cfs. The upper section of the river from the U.S. Geological Survey gauging station cable crossing about 300 yards downstream from the Nimbus Hatchery fish rack site to the SMUD power line crossing at the southwest boundary of Ancil Hoffman Park closed at the end of October. This section of the river will open to steelhead fishing on January 1.
FEATHER RIVER: There are steelhead in the upper low flow section, but the numbers are low. Flows at Gridley down from 2,068 to 1,349 cfs. Salmon fishing below the Thermalito is now closed from the unimproved boat ramp above the Thermalito Afterbay Outfall to 200 yards above the Live Oak boat ramp.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Keswick Reservoir to Red Bluff: The Fly Shop in Redding reported decent action with nice rainbows still taken on Baetis Nymphs, or rubber legs from the Posse Grounds down to Cottonwood. The river blown is blown out below Cottonwood. Rob Reimers of Rustic Rob’s Guide Service reported taking 4 chromers near Knights Landing during the middle of the week prior to the storms. The flows below Keswick spiked on Saturday, but have settled to 3,030 cfs. Battle Creek topped out above 2,000 cfs. but it is also dropping. Bend Bridge topped 11,000 cfs.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Colusa to Tisdale: The flows at the Colusa Bridge topped out at 8,490 on Saturday so muddy conditions are the rule.
SACRAMENTO RIVER, Metro area: Salmon action is very slow. Some fish now moving through the Knight’s Landing area, but poor water conditions from the recent heavy rains will probably be the end of the season on December 16.
The weekly fishing report, compiled by Western Outdoor News, highlights the best angling opportunities in the north state.
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