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Feather River Fishing Report | October 2025

Report by Capt. Brett Brady
Brett Brady runs Bare Bones Guide Service and guides trout, kokanee, and steelhead waters for Catch America. Shop Brett Brady's tackle.
What is working right now

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

From the report (Capt. Brett Brady): So we're looking for steelhead, and we're going to be looking for water that's moving pretty fast and not too deep. Generally, three to six, eight feet is what we like to see. We got a number four Gamakatsu hook or Owner. We got eight-pound test fluorocarbon on about four-foot long leader. On our hook, we've tied a very special knot, it's called an egg loop.

Feather River October 2025 FAQ

When does the Feather River steelhead run start?

About the same time salmon go on the spawn, usually late September into the first of October, per Capt. Brett Brady.

What water do steelhead hold in on the Feather?

Fast-moving, shallow water roughly 3 to 6 or 8 feet deep, on riffles rather than deep holes.

What hook and leader does Brett use for steelhead?

A number four Gamakatsu or Owner hook on about 3 to 4 feet of 8 pound fluorocarbon, tied with an egg loop.

What bait works for Feather River steelhead?

Warm, soft cured eggs set in the egg loop. Brett also notes nightcrawlers, spinners, and roe all produce.

Can you keep salmon while steelhead fishing the Feather?

No. Brett says the salmon season is closed, so release them in the water without netting, which counts as a take.

How was the overall steelhead count that day?

Brett landed about five steelhead plus a lot of squawfish, calling the Feather bite slow but with fish present.

Tags: brett-brady feather-river steelhead
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Sacramento River Fishing Report | August 1, 2026

Report by Capt. Jeff Goodwin Jeff Goodwin runs Jeff Goodwin Guide Service on the upper Sacramento River and is a Catch America pro-staff captain. Reach him at (530) 510-2925 to book a trip. Shop Jeff Goodwin's tackle. What is working right now The upper Sacramento River king salmon season opened August 1, 2026 at the world-famous Barge Hole near Anderson and Cottonwood. It was a slow opener with under a dozen fish caught, but Capt. Jeff Goodwin says prime fishing is only 2 to 3 weeks out. His go-to is back-bouncing Brad's KillerFish KF15 and KF16 plugs on 10 ounce weights, double-wrapped with fresh sardine and wild prawn. What is biting on the upper Sacramento River right now?King salmon are the target at the Barge Hole near Anderson and Cottonwood. August 1, 2026 was the official opener, and Capt. Jeff Goodwin called it a light, slow opener with fewer than a dozen fish caught. His daughter Gracie boxed the first fish. More salmon are arriving as the run builds. What technique is working for Sacramento River king salmon?Back-bouncing Brad's KillerFish KF15 and KF16 plugs on the bottom. Jeff runs 10 ounces of weight to reach bottom in the deep water, with 12 to 18 inch droppers and about a 48 inch leader. The lead gets the plugs down where the fish hold since they will not dive that deep alone. How do you wrap plugs for Sacramento River salmon?Double-wrap the plug with fresh sardine and a piece of wild-caught prawn. Jeff also wraps tuna and squid. Start with a loose wrap that keeps the hooks free so you do not tie them to the plug body, then add a couple of wraps on top. More bait draws more bites as long as it does not kill the action. How do you tune a Brad's KillerFish plug?Wrapping bait shifts the center of gravity, so a plug that ran straight can start leaning one way. The fix is the eye: if the plug swims to the right, turn the eye to the left. Test it beside the boat until it dives straight and dances side to side. Out of tune plugs will not get bit. What does massaging the plug mean?It means keeping continuous action on the plug so it never sits dead on the bottom. Pull up on the rod to make the plug dart to one side, then drop the tip so it flutters back. Salmon often hit on that flutter, so be ready for a hard, full-on strike that takes line right away. What is the guide's outlook for the Barge Hole?Jeff says the area is about 2 to 3 weeks out from really good fishing. August, September, and October are the prime months, and a late fall run from November through the end of December produces some of the biggest fish of the season. Eggs, boondogging, and hover fishing come later in the run. Watch the full report From the report (Capt. Jeff Goodwin): One of the favorite techniques for fishing out here in the Barge Hole is to back-bounce Brad's Killerfish. Today, we're using 15s and 16s as far as the size goes. We're running 12 to 18-inch droppers, and then about a 48-inch leader. We're using 10 ounces of weight today because we've got quite a bit of water, and we let out enough line to get down to the bottom. Sacramento River August 1, 2026 FAQ When did the upper Sacramento River salmon season open in 2026?The Barge Hole area opened August 1, 2026. Jeff notes his openers have always been July 16th and August 1st, though an open river does not mean the fishing is great yet. Where is the Barge Hole?On the upper Sacramento River near Anderson and Cottonwood, California, just below where Battle Creek dumps in. Salmon stack here and hold until the first October rains, then turn up Battle Creek to Coleman National Fish Hatchery. What weight do you use to back-bounce at the Barge Hole?Jeff ran 10 ounces of weight on opening day because there was quite a bit of water, letting out enough line to stay on the bottom. What leader and dropper lengths does Jeff Goodwin use?About 12 to 18 inch droppers and roughly a 48 inch leader, sometimes into the 50s. What baits do you wrap on Brad's KillerFish plugs?Fresh sardine and wild-caught prawn are the go-to, and Jeff also wraps tuna and squid. How do you know a plug is tuned correctly?Pull it up toward the bow of the boat. If it stays alongside the boat and dances side to side while diving straight, it is tuned. If it swims to the right, turn the eye to the left. When is the best salmon fishing on the upper Sacramento River?August, September, and October are prime, and a late fall run from November through the end of December brings some of the biggest fish. The opener itself was slow, about 2 to 3 weeks from really good fishing. Who guides the upper Sacramento River Barge Hole?Capt. Jeff Goodwin of Jeff Goodwin Guide Service. Call or text (530) 510-2925 to book. Shop the Tackle Brad's KillerFish KF15 Brad's KillerFish KF16 Shop Capt. Jeff Goodwin's Tackle Shop River Salmon Gear

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San Luis Reservoir Fishing Report | July 27, 2026

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