Oroville Lake info

[AndrewJ]

Im going to be fishing Oroville lake for the first time in a couple of days.  I need to know how much it costs to launch my boat there.  I saw online it said $5 launching fee, but I also saw something about an $8 entry fee.  I just need to know how much to bring with me.  I was also wondering if anyone had any info on the best way to fish it during this time of year.

Thanks in advanced.

[jb530]

I thought it was $12 total for park/launch fee, but maybe it went up a $1. I have a pass so I haven't been paying attention to the cost. A couple top baits at Lake Oroville almost year round are tubes (Dry Creek 3.5inch tournament tube in the Old Ugly color specifically), the drop shot with a roboworm (4.5 or 6 inch in morning dawn, hologram shad, MMIII, just to name a couple popular colors), small swimbaits like keitech, and wacky rigged senkos. I have been fishing other lakes the last month or two, so not sure what the bite is like but I would recommend either the North Fork if launching out of Lime Saddle or the Middle Fork if launching out at the Spillway or Bidwell. Those areas always have lots of bass. Oroville is a total "numbers" lake though, so don't expect any lunkers. 

[AndrewJ]

Thanks for the reply... The cost turns out to be $13.  We had a decent day exploring the lake and fishing. My wife used clear or shad color grubs on a ball head jig and caught 8 bass. I used drop shot roboworms (cant remember the color, but it was one of the shad ones) and caught 12.  She had much more consistent size. Overall a fun day

[iceintheveins]

Oroville is mostly spots right? Are there largemouth and smallmouth?

[Fish4bigfish]

I live 15 minutes from lake Oroville. It is predominantly a spotted bass lake. The numbers here are prolific. I'm talking some times 50 plus fish a day! Most the spots are between 12 and 16 inches. We do have largemouth and smallmouth but they are fairly rare and usually caught on accident while fishing for spots.

[iceintheveins]

Has the water level come up this year much?

[Fish4bigfish]

Yes we had a lot of rain this year and the lake was at 95 percent before summer. Of course we are letting water out right now and preparing for salmon season on the feather.

[Oregon Native]

I  too have used that tube color from Dry Creek and it works awesome...also done well on Shasta with it

[iceintheveins]

16 hours ago, Fish4bigfish said:

Yes we had a lot of rain this year and the lake was at 95 percent before summer. Of course we are letting water out right now and preparing for salmon season on the feather.

So in other words the lake is going to be extremely low again?

[AndrewJ]

It will not be like it has been the past several years.  They will let out a similar amount of water as they usually do, only the lake is starting over 100 feet up from its highest point last year.  Same applies to shasta.  Ive heard the prediction for shasta is to fall down to around 75' to 80' at its lowest this year.  Last year the highest mark was 72' for the entire year.

[jb530]

On July 2, 2016 at 5:30 AM, Oregon Native said:

I  too have used that tube color from Dry Creek and it works awesome...also done well on Shasta with it

I haven't found a lake yet in California where that color doesn't work

[Oregon Native]

When I lived out west I remember a ten day span where I went through over a 125 of those tubes fishing Orville and Shasta.  My fingers were so sore.  Even bleeding.  Could not land a fish after a week with my right hand.  Was crazy.  Love those tubes...now here out east I've got another dry creek favorite.

Tight Lines