Middle Fork Feather River Fishing Report 6-12-25

Middle Fork Feather River

With the arrival of summer in Feather River Country, we are seeing dropping flows and warming water temperatures. Things are getting a little bony along the Clio reach, especially above Frazier Creek, with afternoon water temps reaching the mid 60’s. Please use your thermometer and stop fishing when water temps reach 68-70 degrees. The water is cooler below Graeagle Creek and a a touch cooler below Jamison Creek ranging from mid-upper 50’s to low 60’s. We have about a month left before the river will be too warm to safely catch and release for the summer. Water clarity is excellent throughout the system.

There are still March Browns hatching daily with some PMD’s and BWO’s thrown in for good measure. Mid day ovipositing Yellow Sallies and caddis have fish looking up during early to mid afternoon providing fun dry fly opportunities. We are still catching fish nymphing when they aren’t rising for dries. Dry dropper is still my go to, but tightline opportunities are providing some action as well.

What’s Working

Nymphs: Jigged Pheasant Tail (14-18), Plastic Surgeon (14-16), Rusty Jig (14-16), Jiggy Caddis ice dub caddis, dark olive (14-16), Iron Sally (14-16), Electrolyte Baetis (14-16), Jigged Rubberlegs (8-10), Jigged 20 Incher (8-10) Dries: Chubby Chernobyl orange (10), Mercers Missing Link yellow sally(14-18), Film Critic pmd, bwo (16-18), Parachute Adams (14-20) Purple Haze (14-18)

Milton Reservoir

Fishing at this spectacular backcountry lake is outstanding at this time. The lake is as full as it gets and the flying ants arrived last week and departed as quickly as they came. The good news is the fish are still eating the ant with great abandon. there are callibaetis mayflies hatching daily with midges rounding out the bug life. Dry fly opportunities abound.

Water temps are unusually warm at this normally cold water fishery due to unrestrained flows over the spillway at Jackson Meadows Reservoir. Once this stops and they resume bottom releases the lake will cool off to its normal temperatures. In the meantime use a thermometer and stop fishing when temps get above 68 degrees.

Due to the Golden Mussel scare, no boats are being allowed on many lakes in the Sierra backcountry. I’m still trying to get clarification if rafts and drift boats will be allowed.