Guided the Feather yesterday on a two boat trip with Darren Deel. Fishing was fair to good. Both our boats hooked around 5-7 fish. We floated from Oroville Park down to Palm and hooked fish throughout the river all the way down to Palm. The fish we landed were clean looking fish and seemed on the fresh side. Definately not colored up fish that had been in the river for a month or two. This is good news as on most years by this time we are hooking fish that have been in the river for a month or so. Good to see some fresh fish and fish spread out through the high flow as well. Many years by thanksgiving the fish are all up in the low flow and look like they are getting ready to spawn. From the looks of it there will be some decent fish around through the end of November.
I had today (tues Nov. 20) off before getting back on the water tomorrow and went and waded butte creek. The creek had come up with the last rain and droped back into the shape this last weekend. I figured with the rain coming in this afternoon the creek would come up again, maybe even blow out, so this was a good window. I fished low in the creek right above the diversion dam figuring there might be some steelhead that moved up in the last few days. Lucky for me there was, I caught a nice buck and nice hen in two different runs. Both were great fish about 17-20" and fought like hell. Covered a ton of water to find them but well worth it. Good to see some fish moving into the creek early in the season and good to see some early rains. Might be able to get some raft trips in on the creek this winter.
Gonna get back on the river tomorrow...have to see what the rain does to see where we go.
