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VOL . 41 • ISS . 1 |
MAP FEATURE |
January 14 , 2021 |
21 |
Sacramento River Map Facts
Location and Size : Near the City of Oroville this man-made lake was formed by the tallest earth-filled dam in the country at 900 feet at max capacity , 770 feet above the stream bed of the Feather River . When the Lake is at its maximum elevation , it includes some 15,500 surface acres for recreation and 167 miles of shoreline . Recreation areas are spotted around the Lake and boaters can land at any point to explore the surrounding country .
History : Lake Oroville was created by Oroville Dam , which the State Department of Water Resources completed in 1967 after 5 years of construction . Lake Oroville conserves water for distribution by the State Water Project to homes , farms , and industries in the San Francisco Bay area , the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California . The Oroville facilities of the project also serve to provide flood control and smog free generation of electric power in addition to recreation .
Activities : The lake offers a wide variety of outdoor activities including camping , picnicking , horseback riding , hiking , sail and power boating , water-skiing , fishing , swimming , boat-in camping , floating campsites and horse camping . Fishing is available year-round .
Lake Oroville Visitor Center : has a museum , exhibits , videos and a store . The view from the 47-foot tower , with two high-powered telescopes , is a spectacular panoramic view of the lake , Sierra Nevada , valley , foothills , and the Sutter Buttes mountain range ( smallest in the world ). For further information call the Visitor Center at ( 530 ) 538-2219 .
Boat Ramps and Campgrounds : Bidwell Canyon – Campground Ph . #: ( 530 ) 538-2218 Lime Saddle – Campground Ph . #: ( 530 ) 876-8516 Loafer Creek – Campground Ph . #: ( 530 ) 538-2217 The Spillway Ramp Lake Oroville Visitor Center : Ph . #: ( 530 ) 538-2219
Fishing Guides : Rob Reimers , Rustic Rob ’ s Guide Service , 530-632-0051 Bret Brady , Bare Bones Guide Service , 530-263-4451
Lime Saddle Marina
Pentz Rd
Messala Valley Road
Thermalito
To Richvale
To Chico Marysville
70
Nelson Bar
Fish Barrier Dam
Table Mtn Blvd
70
Feather River Blvd
Pentz Rd
Oroville
Car Top Only
South Table Mountain El 1132
Thermalito Diversion Dam
Sugarloaf El 1654
Serpentine Point El 1820
Truex
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Vinton Gulch Rd
Cherokee Road
Cherokee
Grub Flat Res Littlefield Res
Orodam Blvd
Tom Jones Res Morgan Res
Cannon Res
Oroville
Oregon Gulch
Concow Rd .
West Branch
Bridge Spring Valley
Cherokee Road
Spring Valley Gulch
Oregon City El 1200
Mpnte Del Oro El 1152
Thermalito Diversion Pool
Long Bar Rd
Orodam Blvd
Oroville
Bangor
Hwy
To Quincy & Lake Almanor
Spring
Bloomer
Pt
Valley Res Bloomer
Cove
The High Rocks El 1543
Quincy
Foothill
Oroville
Bloomer Group
Blvd
Bangor
Hwy
Goat Ranch
Potter Ravine
Hwy
Lower Wyandotte
Bloomer Knoll
162
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Car Top Only
Oroville Dam
North
Bloomer Island
Kennedy Ravine
Fork
Potter Point
Lake Oroville
Spillway
Visitor Center
Olive Hwy
Oroville
Feather
Foreman Creek
Bangor
River
Oroville-Quincy Hwy
Bidwell Marina
Miners Ranch Rd
Miners Ranch Res .
Hwy
162
Bidwell Bar Bridge
Oroville Quncy Rd
Berry Crk
Sycamore Creek
Loafer Creek
Hurleton
Ophir Rd
Boaters catch the Chinooks while trolling with hoochies and Berkley Gulp ! Minnows , tipped with anchovy strips , behind Sling Blades and other dodgers . Other minnow imitation lures ,
Craig Saddle
Woodman Ravine
Lake Wyandotte
Road
PLUMAS
NATIONAL
Oroville
Union Hill El 1924
Middle
Fork
Crystal Hill El 2017
Quincy
Bean
Feather
River
Oregon Creek Rd
Hwy
Big Bald Rock El 3274
Creek
Enterprise Indian Rancheria
McCabe Cove
Bald
Rock
Berry Creek Indian Rancheria
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Mountain House El 3540
Hurleton
State Recreation Area
Forbestown Rd
Brush Creek El 3502
Little Bald Rock El 3334
Island
Island Bar Hill E2801
Lumpkin Hill Rd
South
Fork
Feather
Bald Rock Dome El 3509
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Bar Hill Kanaka PK El 3044
Ponderosa
River
Way
FOREST
Ponderosa Res .
Lake Oroville
Butte County
Sucker Run
South
New York Flat Rd
Fork
Old Forbestown El 2775 Forbestown El 2825
Fishing Notes :
Brownsville El 2302
• Chinook Salmon - The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is no longer planting coho salmon in Lake Oroville , but switched over to annual Chinook salmon plants in 2012 .
including Needlefish , Dick Nites , Rapalas and Ex-Cel spoons , will also work . Mooching with anchovies and nightcrawlers near the dam is also productive . Bank anglers fishing during the spring and fall can hook the kings while using minnows and nightcrawlers under slip bobbers .
• Black Bass - Spotted Bass now dominate the lake ' s fishery , replacing the once abundant redeye and smallmouth bass . You can catch and release large numbers of the spots year round while tossing out Senkos , soft plastic worms , tubes , jigs , crankbaits , ripbaits , spinnerbaits and top water lures . Fishing can be very good in the late fall and winter months since , unlike smallmouth and largemouth bass , the fish remain active when the water becomes cold . A sleeper population of quality largemouth bass also rewards anglers fishing at the reservoir .
• Crappie - Fish jigs and minnows around docks and rocky structure , particularly in the fall and spring months . While Oroville is not known for its large numbers of crappie , it kicks out some quality fish every year .
• Channel Catfish - Cats can be fooled year round , but the best time is in the heat of the summer , although fishing can be very good during the winter when big storm flows are surging into the lake . Use mackerel , nightcrawlers , anchovies , sardines chicken livers and other baits in the coves .
Feather
River certified scale and had a California Department of Fish and Wildlife ( CDFW ) biologist examine it , but he decided to release it . Frank Palmer of Orangevale set the inland rainbow trout record of 27 pounds while fishing a floating Rapala in Lake Natoma on Oct . 2 , 2005 . The second rainbow record category is for domestic rainbow trout . James Herrold of Cohasset set this record of 28 pounds , 5 ounces , while fishing at a private lake in Butte County on Jan . 3 , 2006 . That fish measured 33.5 inches in length and 26.5 inches in girth . The third category , the steelhead rainbow trout ( anadromous ) record , is 27 pounds , 4 ounces , set on Dec . 22 , 1976 . Robert Halley of Crescent City caught this record fish in the Smith River in Del Norte County on Dec . 22 , 1976 while fishing with a lure . Giordano ’ s giant fish grew so big because of the abundance of pond smelt and other forage found in the cold , clear waters of the Diversion Pool . The California DFW regulates this fishery as an inland water that is part of the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area . “ The Diversion Pool is a unique feature of the Lake Oroville State Recreation Area , providing a semi-primitive recreation experience ,” according to the California Department of Water Resources . “ Located below Oroville Dam and above the Thermalito Diversion Dam , access is limited primarily to trails and non-motorized watercraft such as kayaks ( electric motors are allowed ). No camping is allowed in the Diversion Pool area .” Constructed between 1963 and 1968 , the Department of Water Resources ’ Thermalito Diversion Dam and Pool are located on the Feather River , about 4.5 miles downstream from Oroville Dam , according to the Northern California Water Association ( NCWA ). The dam diverts water in Thermalito Power Canal for power generation at Thermalito Pumping Generating Plant and creates a tailwater pool for Hyatt Powerplant .
Stacy Barawed , host of Stacy Goes Outside on YouTube , bagged these two beautiful Chinook salmon while trolling on Lake Oroville with Rob Reimers of Rustic Rob ’ s Guide Service .
Photo by Dan Bacher
The reservoir also acts as a forebay when Hyatt Powerplant is pumping water back into Lake Oroville . The diversion dam has a maximum operating storage ( mos ) of 13,350 acre-feet . The Thermalito Diversion Pool and adjacent Brad Freeman Trail are popular recreation areas for kayaking , mountain biking and hiking . Lake Oroville and Oroville Dam are part of a complex that includes Hyatt Powerplant , Thermalito Diversion Dam and Powerplant , the Feather River Fish Hatchery , Thermalito Power Canal , Thermalito Forebay , Thermalito Pumping- Generating Plant , Thermalito Afterbay , and the Lake Oroville Visitors Center .
Lake Oroville Offers Landlocked King Salmon , Black Bass
King fishing at Lake Oroville , the main reservoir for the Department of Water Resources State Water Project , is just beginning to pick up as the reservoir rises from recent storms . Lake Oroville is holding 1,401,384 -acre feet of water , 40 percent of capacity and 75 percent of average . Both the Bidwell Canyon and Limesaddle ramps are now open to boat launching . The gravel ramp at the spillway is also open but 4WD is required . For information about current launching conditions , call the Lake Oroville Visitor Center at ( 530 ) 538-2200 . After a long absence , landlocked king salmon are starting to show in the catches at Lake Oroville . “ I finally got my first king at the big O today after 6 times out ,” reported Dave Koistenen . “ It was 24 ” just under 5 lbs . I caught it on a 6-inch green tornado slingblade and green and white hoochies with a 30 ft set back at 40 ft . deep at 2.0 mph . The water temperature was 50 degrees and water clarity was 4 ft . This fish gave up a fantastic fight and was released for someone else to enjoy .” Fishing for spotted bass continues to be great at Oroville , with anglers reporting 40 to 50 fish days , according to Jamey Sorenson at North Valley Pro Shop . On a recent trip to the lake , Sorenson and his fishing partner reported catching and releasing about 50 bass . “ Ten of the fish were 2 pounds or better ,” said Sorenson . “ In addition to all of the spotted bass , we landed a 2-1 / 2 lb . largemouth . We caught the fish while dragging an array of plastics at 25 feet deep ,” said Sorenson . Information : ( 530 ) 712-9356 .