For years I camped at a private CG just south of Dunsmuir called"Railroad Park." Cost not much more than the State CG I recall and very nice with clean showers and BR and a small "clubhouse" with a TV and pool table. Dining inside an old railroad car just down the hill was excellent! Only 2 minute drive to Dunsmuir and can fish up river or down river from there.
Same truck accident happened 12 or so years ago near the top of Carson pass at a launch ramp. A diver came over, took a hook from his tow truck and swam underwater to hook it up and pull it out. Heard the full story at a bar in Markleville that night when the tow driver stopped for beer on the way home! The owner's wife and kids were watching when the boat and truck submerged deeply
Was definitely closed in the ocean and probably SF Bay according to the Marin Independent Journal last Monday for commercial fishing. I don't know about recreational fishers - how can such be enforced if you accidentally catch a salmon and keep it? Fish and Wildlife will know for sure.
Check on the internet for flyfishing the stanislaus river above knights ferry to the first small dam upstream. There are two good access points in that short stretch perfect for fly fishing. Flyfisher magazine did an article some time ago about this "special regulation" water great for flyfishing for trout - should be available on a google search. Also contact a fishing store locagted in a big box store near Manteca I believe.
About 1998 or so the water in Frank's Tract in Feb. was very dirty when I ran my boat two
times for maintenance. I put on a medium size rattle trap and was across the Tract near some tules with shallow water. I decided to cast about 30 feet or so into the margin of the small tules and got a big striper on one cast. Came back two weeks later and did the same near Tules just outside Piper slough and got a second large striper on one cast. Did not fish the rest of the time!
Why not take quick pic of fish still in water with hook on? I agree to minimize time out of water and just the act of holding upright may be bad as well, esp. for larger fish (?).
From jan 1 thru July 15th or so, you can fish up to just past the Fish Hatchery 1 mile above the H. 70 Bridge. This can get crowded on weekends especially, but plenty of fish both hatchery and wild! The alevin pattern from Fishfirst in Chico will work Jan. thru Feb. or so as the salmon smolt grow up from 1 inch or so to ... Having red under the head of the alevin fly helps. Also very small flies from 14 to s. 18 (use Mike Mercer's small mayfly pattern from the Flyshop Redding in S. 18 as an end fly and hold on! - great for small side riffles off the main currents). Use the Alevin or leaches, etc., in slower more open water. Fish from off the Oroville side levee. Keep moving. Check with Fishfirst in Chico for informatin and flies, etc..
Check with Fishfirst fly shop in Chico if possible. They have many fly patterns that work and can tell you where to fish. I like the upper 1 mile above the H. 70 bridge up to the Fish Hatchery and small bridge (see map). Access is from a small park just upstream of H. 70 and then along a levee road with parking. Favorite fly now would be a 1 to 1.5 inch Alevin (salmon fry) that you can drift in slower moving water or small nymphs (s. 14-18) below an indicator - indicator plus about 7 feet of mono to a knot. Then 12 inches to first fly and another 12 inches to second fly. Put split shot if needed above the knot. Total of 9 feet maximum and could go bit shorter. Let dead drift through riffles and moving water, etc.. Keep moving....
Wait until rain stops and weather clears up. Then take a boat out and look for cover such as tules covered partially with water along an edge, etc.. Take a rattle trap and cast 30-40 feet right to the margin of the tules.. Stripers will position near cover in these conditions to find bait in chocolate water, etc... I got two big stripers doing this, both on first cast years ago in Feb. in a very wet year.
Check out a "California FlyFisher" article (April 2022) titled "Indicator Fishing for Halibut" which is about Monterey Bay. Use a 7 foot butt section of 25 pound test and another 3 feet of 10-15 pound test and attach a "thingamabobber" style large indicator where the flyline attaches to the leader. For a fly, use a 4 inch or so (1/0 hook) clouser minnow made of just chartreuse and white bucktail with small lead eyes for weight. Use a weight forward floating line and wade out and cast as far as possible and the let the fly sink and retrieve in 1 foot strips to keep the fly moving just off the bottom. This will also catch stripers, but halibut are the target.
I've heard good things about fishing below or above the Mad River fish hatchery. Check regs.
The section above H. 70 bridge to the Fish Hatchery opens Jan. 1, not Dec. 1. and closes again in early July. Be sure to check regs. as they watch it carefully.
You must fish below the Highway 70 bridge (the last bridge going north on H. 70) as the water above for about 1 mile leads to the fish hatchery and is closed. This upper section opens up Dec. 1 through early July see Regs.
One easy spot now is to go north on H. 70 (past Oro Dam Blvd.) and take the Montgomery St. exit. Then turn left and go west under the freeway into a park area. But turn left right away and go down river (along the highway) until you come to a small park with a lake just below the H. 162 bridge (Oro Dam Blvd.). Park there and walk right to the river.
You can also turn left on H. 162 (going north on H. 70), cross the river and drive a mile or so west where you turn left to the Oroville Wildlife Area and drive south along the river to various spots. Check with Fishfirst in Chico, etc., for any questions.