Middle Fork Feather River Fishing Report 5-27-26

Middle Fork Feather River

Fly fishing remains good on the Middle Fork Feather River as flows are at mid summer levels this last week of May. A nice cool down is happening with a cold front and some snow in the high country. This coupled with low overnight temps is leading to a drop in water temps back into the upper 50’s. Great news indeed! Flows are 33 cfs on the Portola gauge and bumped up to 220 below Sloat with the rain yesterday. Expect low clear flows when fishing in the Clio-Graeagle area and use a streamside thermometer to keep an eye on water temps. When they reach 68-70 degrees, please stop fishing until temps return to acceptable levels.

Ovipositing Yellow Sallies are providing fun dry fly opportunities mid day. Blue wing olives, pale Morning Duns, and a smattering of March Browns are hatching in the mid day time frame. Green drake nymphs are showing signs that their hatch is imminent. Caddis, golden stones and Yellow Sallies are hatching in the evening hours.

What’s Working:

Nymph’s: Czech Bomb black/red (16), Electrolyte Baetis (14-16), Zebra May (18), Raindrop Perdigon (14-16), Jigged PT (14-16), Plastic Surgeon (14-18), Rubberlegs coffee/black, seal brown (8-12), Iron Sally ((14-16), Green Drake (8-10) Dries: Missing Link yellow sally (14-16), Film Critic (16-18), Last Chance Cripple (16-18), Sparkle Flag (16-18), Parachute Adams (14-20), Elk Hair Caddis black (14), Green Drake Dun (8-12), E/C Caddis (14-16), Green Drake emerger (8-12) Streamers: Sculpzilla white, natural, tan (10), Feather Duster (8), Dolly Llama olive/white (8), Wooly Bugger black (8-12)

A Look Ahead

As expected, the Middle Fork Feather River is getting to mid summer conditions at least a month earlier than normal. But fear not! There are lots of other places to fly fish in the Northern Sierra. The Truckee River is in excellent shape heading into the summer with great flows and water temperatures. The Little Truckee is still high with flows over 600 cfs and will drop into shape over the next few weeks. Just in time for the Green Drake hatch!

My backcountry Stillwater options are opening up. Milton Lake is in great shape with normal lake levels, excellent water temps and lots of willing wild brown trout. Webber Lake is set to open for the season June 18. This magnificent lake provides opportunities to catch trophy size Lahontan Cutthroat trout, brook trout, rainbow trout and the occasional brown trout. One other stillwater option is Lake Davis for the damsel fly hatch as well as the Hexagenia Mayfly hatch that starts around Fathers day. We have lots of option to catch trout on the fly this summer in the Northern Sierra! Let’s Fish!