Try early March for good hatches and better weather/water conditions.
Same experience on Corte Madera creek recently in shallow water near shore over flats at night with a low tide moving quickly up the creek. At night I saw a dimple in the water near shore and cast a swimbait 20 feet past it and began reeling - as the bait approached the shore pointed up river a striper hit and almost pulled the rod out from two hands. The line got stuck in the reel (my fault) and in five sections the fish broke off 12 lb. test!
There are stripers in both the low flow and high flow sections starting in Oroville. Also the Feather has stripers near Yuba City, etc., on to the Sac River. The upper section (low flow) below the H. 70 bridge can be fished now for both steelhead and stripers. I would look for longer and deeper flows for stripers, while steelies are taking Salmon eggs now in riffles, etc.... Check with local fishing stores for infor. and tackle in Oroville or Yuba City/Marysville...
Limiting the take to 20-30 inches may be an attempt to yield more quality fish available for "catch and release fishing."
Limiting the take to 20-30 inches may be an attempt to yield more quality fish available for "catch and release fishing."
If you go to F&G website it says the proposal is the change the "keeper" size limit to between about 20 and 30 inches, NOT TO ELIMIATE ANY TAKE! PLEASE READ THE F&G SITE.
Man in a small boat (prob. aluminum with motor) was found in the Bay last winter, so it can be dangerous in moving tides, windy conditions, etc.. I would stay as close to shore as possible in good conditions like near Paradise in Tiburon or just outside Lock Lomond, where a kayaker got halibut in the spring. Ware a good life jacket and maybe teather yourself to kayak or small boat?
You may not flyfish but "Kiene's Flyfishing Forum" on internet based from store in Sacto has specific current information on the net about all norcal rivers.
I've fished the Feather from the Oroville fish hatchery on down past the high flow section (2+miles downstream, etc.). Get information from a local outdoor store in Oroville - good store east about 1/4 mile or so from the bridge in Oroville. Another store farther uphill going east, etc.. Locals will help you find where to fish and sell you what you need for success. They also know the latest fish reports, etc.. Sorry can't remember store names butt been there many times.
Geat! Did you go in at the Bodega camping park entrance or a little farther north at the Salmon Creek bridge entrance (turn left just before the bridge and drive 1/8th mile to free state parking area.
Years ago in July I went out in Franks Tract to run my boat and fished with a rattle trap in very warm water - all I got was a 16 inch steelhead fresh from the ocean - released it to spawn later. Mostly fished Sept. thru March for stripers, LM bass, crappie and bluegills, etc...
Let us know how you do. Also, the ocean conditions for fishing should improve as we move into late summer and through fall and early winter! You can fish S. Salmon Creek Beach for free if you drive to the bridge over salmon creek on H. 1 and turn left just before the bridge and drive 1/4 mile to a free state parking area. The first area is to turn off left about 1/8 mile before the SCrk Bridge and drive to an RV Park (?) and beach parking area.
I have a fishing friend who does really well at Dillon Beach (south of Bodega Bay) while using a Lucky Craft Pointer jerkbait (4 inches) that costs over $15. You can look it up on internet and purchase a similar one for much less, just doesn't cast as far, etc.. He gets surfperch and landed a huge striper, probably casting well out from shore. Fish the C.bait all the way in to the sand and slow it down as you approach the shore for perch. Halibut also will take it close to shore if not moving too fast! Perch take smaller things than large worms, like small grubs, so downsize as much as possible. Treble hooks a plus for Hallibuts as I've landed two to 28" in San Pablo bay close to a beachy shore when I slowed down a crankbait and a medium size rattle trip in the last 30 feet to the shore. A good fishing store is in east Petaluma on the way to Bodega Bay for advice and tackle.
You can drive toward the Bon Tempe dam but turn right before and go toward Alpine. A short distance and you can park and fish the very upper end of Lake Alpine. From there you can drive toward the dam but have to pick your spots carefully I've read. Or start at Alpine Dam and walk right or drive up left of the dam, etc..l Check out a Satellite map for pullouts and hiking areas, etc.. Fishing might be best late afternoon to dark.