Feather River Fishing Report | October 2025
The report at a glance
Presentation
Bait-based drift fishing. A snap swivel to a three to four foot, eight-pound fluorocarbon leader with a number four hook, a soft styrofoam float on the hook, and roe held in an egg-loop knot. A homemade Slinky weight bounces softly over the rocks without hanging up.
Lures and baits
Soft cured roe on an egg loop, number four hooks, and a Slinky sinker. You can also run nightcrawlers, spinners, or roe, and fly anglers do very well.
Water clarity
Running super clear
Water level
Flows were expected to drop over the following days, which should concentrate fish onto the runs.
Advice for this week
Find a nice riffle with fast water and you will find steelhead. Keep baits small in super clear water. Watch the flows closely and know the low end before running a jet boat, since the Feather can get dangerous when it drops.
Next week
Steelhead typically show around late September into October and build as the water cools. Dropping flows should stack fish on the runs, and steelhead often trail salmon onto the spawning beds. Brett also points to strong fall trout fishing at Stampede and Davis, Delta stripers, and Bullards Bar after Thanksgiving.
Notable catch
The crew landed around five nice steelhead, from about 14 inches up to five or six pounds, plus a lot of squawfish and suckers. Incidental king and sockeye salmon were released.
Early fall steelhead are in the Feather River in October 2025. Capt. Brett Brady targets fast, shallow water 3 to 8 feet deep with a bait-based drift: a snap swivel, a number four hook on 8 pound fluorocarbon, a soft egg tied in an egg loop, and a homemade Slinky weight. Incidental salmon show up but the season is closed. Watch the flows, they drop fast.
What is biting on the Feather River right now?
Early fall steelhead. Capt. Brett Brady of Bare Bones Guide Service ran the Feather and landed several fresh, fast-fighting steelhead, including a double hookup, plus incidental salmon. The steelhead run pairs with the salmon spawn, usually starting late September into October as the water cools.
Where do you find steelhead on the Feather River?
In faster, shallower water, generally 3 to 6 or 8 feet deep. Brett looks for riffles with moving water rather than deep holes. The Feather has tremendous bank access through the Oroville wildlife area, so you can fish either side once you find a fast run.
How does Brett rig for Feather River steelhead?
Bait-based. Start with a snap swivel, then an 8 pound fluorocarbon leader about 3 to 4 feet long to a number four Gamakatsu or Owner hook tied with an egg loop. Warm, soft cured eggs go in the loop. A soft Slinky weight bounces over rocks without hanging up.
What should anglers watch for on the Feather River?
The flows. Brett warns the river can drop drastically and become dangerous, so check the information gauges before running a jet boat. Salmon are closed, so release them in the water without netting. As water drops, fish concentrate on the runs and the bite improves.
Watch the full report
Feather River October 2025 FAQ
About the same time salmon go on the spawn, usually late September into the first of October, per Capt. Brett Brady.
Fast-moving, shallow water roughly 3 to 6 or 8 feet deep, on riffles rather than deep holes.
A number four Gamakatsu or Owner hook on about 3 to 4 feet of 8 pound fluorocarbon, tied with an egg loop.
Warm, soft cured eggs set in the egg loop. Brett also notes nightcrawlers, spinners, and roe all produce.
No. Brett says the salmon season is closed, so release them in the water without netting, which counts as a take.
Brett landed about five steelhead plus a lot of squawfish, calling the Feather bite slow but with fish present.
