Quick report
It has been COLD...I have spent an afternoon fishing on my own on butte creek and day guiding the creek along with a few days on the feather. here is the reports:
Butte Creek flows have been all over the place lately but seem to have stabilized around 139-160cfs. This is a low but good flow. I spent an afternoon fishing and covered alot of water to catch two adults. I fished a ton of holes that if there is significant numbers of fish in the river should hold fish and didn't. I did not spend any time in the lower creek so maybe there are more fish down there. I caught all my fish on egg patterns. Guiding the creek we found a bunch of small half pounders and 3 adult fish but we COVERED A TON of water to do it...I think some more rain and more fish are needed to make the creek a bit more consistent.
I also floated 2 days on the feather. one day from town down to palm and then another did town to the outlet twice. Both days the river was pretty crowded but we managed to hook 2 adults both days. Not huge numbers but all 4 fish were fresh winter fish and were well over 20". Conditions were tough as it was very cold, windy, and clarity in the high flow was not very good. Either way not bad for winter steelhead fishing. Over all I think most of the adult fish are up above the hwy 70 bridge and fishing come Jan 1 when that stretch opens should be pretty good for a few weeks. Back on the water tomorrow.
Butte Creek flows have been all over the place lately but seem to have stabilized around 139-160cfs. This is a low but good flow. I spent an afternoon fishing and covered alot of water to catch two adults. I fished a ton of holes that if there is significant numbers of fish in the river should hold fish and didn't. I did not spend any time in the lower creek so maybe there are more fish down there. I caught all my fish on egg patterns. Guiding the creek we found a bunch of small half pounders and 3 adult fish but we COVERED A TON of water to do it...I think some more rain and more fish are needed to make the creek a bit more consistent.
I also floated 2 days on the feather. one day from town down to palm and then another did town to the outlet twice. Both days the river was pretty crowded but we managed to hook 2 adults both days. Not huge numbers but all 4 fish were fresh winter fish and were well over 20". Conditions were tough as it was very cold, windy, and clarity in the high flow was not very good. Either way not bad for winter steelhead fishing. Over all I think most of the adult fish are up above the hwy 70 bridge and fishing come Jan 1 when that stretch opens should be pretty good for a few weeks. Back on the water tomorrow.