The Lake surface elevation is dropping about four inches a day and is now at 655 feet. The surface temperature has cooled now to 61 degrees. The water is mostly clear up in the river arms, main body and coves with mudlines showing near points when the wind blows. Bidwell Canyon and the auxiliary ramp at the spillway, remain the only two launch ramps open. Four wheel drive vehicles are highly recommended by State Parks officials for launching boats at Bidwell Canyon, which can be muddy and four wheel drive is also recommended at the spillway. All of the Car-top boat access points are closed with the exception of Foreman Creek where the gate is still open to access the lake. Boater's are advised to call the lake's Visitor Center at (530) 538-2219, to check the daily status of the launch ramps prior to making a trip up to the lake. 



The weather this week will be a wintry fall mix!  A chance of showers off  and on through the week. Partly cloudy Wednesday, mostly sunny Thursday. A chance of showers again on Saturday, then partly sunny Sunday and Monday. Daytime temps forecast to be from 34 to 40 in the mornings with highs only 50 to 55 in the afternoons. Winds will be south-SW to 35 mph Tuesday, then NE to 6 mph and variable through the  
 
The Fall bass bite continues as bass are still being caught in good numbers up on the lake. Brent Cline at Oroville Outdoors said the fishing is good with some anglers catching up to 40 fish! The top water bite has slowed some, but anglers are still catching a few bass on top. Fishing in the shade lines along steep walls, or long points remains good on jigs and tubes. Spoons are working too with boaters jigging Kastmasters, Hopkins Shorty's and Duh Spoons. Bass are holding from the surface down to 40 feet deep. The finesse bait bite has been good near steep walls, ledges, drop-offs and structure. Anglers are either drop-shotting small tubes, or casting wacky rigged Senko's, dart-head four-inch worms, or fishing 1/4 ounce finesse jigs and small paddle-tail swim-baits on light line to catch good numbers of bass, 12 to 14 inches long, with a few 3 pound fish being caught for two anglers. Natural colors and earth tone baits like bait fish, prizm shad, watermelon, pumpkin, oxblood and brown are all working.



King salmon fishing has slowed for boaters trolling for salmon mostly because of lack of interest. Action has been slow one day and dead the next. The fish have been scattered all over the main body of the lake and boating anglers are few lately. Boaters that are trying, troll lures down from the 60 to 100 foot mark and deeper, over 120 to 150 foot depths to catch salmon or trout. A few were caught from the 80 foot mark over 120 feet of water, earlier this month. Fishing for trout and salmon has been slow, as the fish have all scattered and sounded, looking for Pond Smelt.

Salmon may usually be caught while trolling over submerged islands or structure, in the river forks mouths, the slot and west of the green bridge, when fishing is good. The best tactic is to try and find bait schools then troll your gear just under the bait. White has been the preferred color in lure choice. Berkley Power minnows, Apex lures or Hoochies-tipped with a piece of anchovy, rigged behind a medium sized dodger, trolled at 30 to 70 feet, at 1.9 to 2.2 mph has been working for both salmon and trout.