Lake Oroville Fishing Report | May 2026
The report at a glance
Depth
At Oroville, trout came around 35 feet and the salmon down near 85 feet.
Presentation
At Oroville, a mix of white hoochies and 360 rollers for trout up higher and salmon down deep. At Bullards Bar, kokanee gear in pink and orange, with the T-Pex a solid choice for slow trolling.
Lures and baits
White hoochies and 360-style rollers at Oroville. Pink and orange kokanee gear at Bullards Bar, including the T-Pex.
Water level
Lake Oroville is essentially full; Bullards Bar is also full.
Advice for this week
At Bullards, the North Fork Arm remains the best water for kokanee. At Oroville, hang tight and cover water until the fish concentrate on bait.
Next week
Brett expects June and July to be the better months as fish pull together, concentrate on bait, and the bite improves at both Bullards Bar and Oroville. Stampede kokanee should be firing soon.
Notable catch
Scouting with his buddy Ron, Brett landed three fish on four strikes: a king a little over four pounds, a rainbow around four to four and a half pounds, and a smaller 18-inch rainbow.
Lake Oroville is full and tough in May 2026. Capt. Brett Brady is scratching out king salmon and rainbow trout, with kings around 85 feet and trout near 35 feet on white hoochies and 360 rollers. Bait is scattered. He expects the bite to concentrate and improve in June and July. Bullards Bar kokanee are small so far, biting typical kokanee gear and T-Pex in pink and orange.
How is the fishing at Lake Oroville right now?
Tough. Capt. Brett Brady and his buddy Ron scouted Oroville and landed three fish: a king just over 4 pounds, a rainbow around 4 to 4.5 pounds, and a smaller 18 inch rainbow. Bait is scattered and light, though the lake is completely full and beautiful.
What depth are the fish holding at Lake Oroville?
Brett found trout around 35 feet and the salmon down near 85 feet in May 2026. The fish are scattered rather than concentrated, so cover water. He is running a mix of white hoochies and 360 rollers to search for the marks.
What is biting at Bullards Bar?
Small kokanee, roughly 6 to 8 inches, plus small trout of 12 to 16 inches up the North Fork Arm and Willow Creek. Brett runs typical kokanee gear with pink and orange colors and T-Pex. He expects the better kokanee bite in June and July.
What is the outlook for Lake Oroville?
Brett is hoping the fish pull together in June and July as bait concentrates, which should improve the bite greatly. Right now bass anglers are doing well along the North Fork Arm shoreline. Almost all the mountain lakes are open early this year because of low snowpack.
Watch the full report
Lake Oroville May 2026 FAQ
King salmon and rainbow trout, both scattered, with kings to about 4 pounds and rainbows around 4 pounds.
Trout around 35 feet and salmon near 85 feet, per Capt. Brett Brady.
A mix of white hoochies and 360 rollers to search for scattered fish.
Small, about 6 to 8 inches, with the better bite expected in June and July.
Typical kokanee gear in pink and orange, including the T-Pex, mostly up the North Fork Arm.
Yes. Brett says the lake is totally full with a lot of water to cover.
Brett expects June and July as bait concentrates and fish pull together.
