LAKE OROVILLE REPORT 3/14/2025
Ryan Williams: Lake Oroville: What to expect coming up...
Prime time is about a week away. The lake is fishing solid right now, and will drastically increase in productivity as we roll into April. Late March to early April is prime time for the biggest bass of the season. This is when they're in their pre-spawn phase, being as healthy and fat as they'll be all year. As we get into April the fishing will just go lights out. Great-sized bass and great numbers will be available for anglers. The Float n Fly will be the top-producing tactic, anglers will likely find an hour or two of productive topwater fishing in the early mornings. Topwater bite will increase as May nears. Once May rolls around the topwater bite will peak 3/4 of the way into the month. This will be the #1 time of year to get bass on topwater. Along with great streamer fishing. The other draw to the month of May is the ridiculous numbers of bass caught on the float n fly. 100+ fish days occur often, and this is the best time for beginners for those of you who have kids or grandkids. So lot's of fun stuff around the corner up here in Oroville!
LAKE OROVILLE REPORT 3/6/25
Capt. Hogan Brown: Lake Oroville seems to be in that Late Winter Early Spring Transition time where fishing is really good one day and not so great the next… usually very weather dependent. As we move into mid March fishing should start to really turn on and peak April through May. With topwater fishing, stripped fly fishing, and Float and Fly Fishing all on the table.
Most fish are hanging on the edges and points of coves not yet moving into the back of the coves or small creeks inlets. The clarity in the main lake and North Fork is still a bit off but by no means unfishable. The Other forks seem to have better clarity overall.
Best flies have been wakasagi minnow patterns, Chuck Ragan’s Drop Dead Minnow in Olive and Black we have found to be the best.
LAKE OROVILLE REPORT 2/19/25
Capt. Hogan Brown: Lake Oroville is fishing well for winter spotted bass. We are not seeing huge numbers of fish but good size - fewer fish but most are pretty big. Best fishing has been up the Middle Fork as the clarity is best up the middle fork. The North Fork is fishing well as well but water has color and finding “cleaner” water is the challenge. Fish are holding on points and rock walls, not having move into the moving water coves and such yet. Best fishing has been using the Float and Fly Rig with a 9-10’ drop from the indicator. Best flies have been wakasagi minnow patterns, Chuck Ragan’s Drop Dead Minnow in Olive and Black we have found to be the best.
With high water most places the Lake remains a great option to fish and get out on the water. Fishing will only continue to improve over the next 3-4 months as top water and stripped fly options as well as plenty of float and fly fishing start to pick up.
LAKE OROVILLE REPORT 1/22/25
Ryan Williams: There are always fish willing to bite a fly on Lake Oroville year round 100%. However some months do fish drastically better than other months. February is typically one of the slower months out of the year. December/January usually offers good to great action however. This being said, as we get into February, the bite can become a bit fickle. Usually around this time the lake is rising fast, and this seems to turn fish off, or create a bite that requires deepwater tactics. Which is not what we look for as fly anglers. Again there will still be fish to be caught no doubt, and the lake can be a great option to get your fix in even during February. Float n Fly tactics are the go to for the cold winter months (and early spring). March however is a different story. Early March can be slow, but it can be great as well. It's hit or miss. Many of the biggest bass of the year will be caught in March however. It's not a huge numbers game but it's a game for huge fat spotted bass! As the month progresses the numbers increase, and the quality is remains there. The bass will be getting ready for the spring spawn. March being the main prespawn month is when the fish will be at their peak chunkiness for the entire year. Highly recommended month for those who want to go trophy hunting! Again, float n fly will be the dominant tactic until mid April. For Feb/March, fish points, find bait, and cover water with the bobbers. 8'-12'+ leaders are best.
LAKE OROVILLE REPORT 12/6/24
CAL BASS UNION : Fishing is fair to good after rising about 30–40 feet. Clarity is fair to good, depending on which fork of the lake you're fishing. Fish seem to be spread out around areas with moving water or broken rock banks that drop off quickly. Most fish are being caught while fishing the float and fly, water temperatures are in the mid-50s, and both bait and fish are moving slowly. Finding active fish has been the key—if you don't have success at a few spots, it's worth moving to another location where the fish are more active.
LAKE OROVILLE REPORT 11/12/24
CAL BASS UNION : Lake Oroville is fishing fair to good as our fall/winter season gets underway. Wakasagi minnows are schooling in the backs of the forks, and spotted bass are beginning to congregate around these schools. The key to catching fish this time of year is locating the schools of bait, so electronics are crucial to success. Early mornings have been best on sunny days, and as the sun rises, it's important to focus on shaded areas where fish pull off the bait schools. Float and fly rigs with the float set at about 10-12 feet have been most effective, and flies like Ragan’s Drop Dead Minnow are getting the job done.
Fishing should continue to improve over the next few months as rain starts moving water through the tributaries and creeks, and baitfish move higher in the water column.
