Thermalito Afterbay is a reservoir in California, near Butte County.
Thermalito Afterbay is a reservoir in Butte County, California and covers about 3,843.4 acres, reaches about 113.1 feet at its deepest point and holds roughly 57,041 acre-feet.
The size of Thermalito Afterbay rewards a simple area-by-area plan instead of long random moves. Deep water at Thermalito Afterbay gives fish room to move away from shore as summer heat and bright light build.
Fish listed for Thermalito Afterbay include Black Crappie, Bluegill, Channel Catfish, Common Carp, Green Sunfish, Hardhead, Largemouth Bass, Prickly Sculpin, Redear Sunfish, Sacramento Blackfish, Sacramento Pikeminnow, Sacramento Sucker, Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Threadfin Shad, and Threespine Stickleback.
For black crappie, fish a small jig or minnow around wood, weeds, and sharp little drops; test the quiet side before the windy side, then use wind to narrow the search.
For bluegill, use a small jig, worm, or tiny plastic around green weeds and protected pockets; change lure speed before moving.
For smallmouth bass, drag a tube or Ned rig across rock and the hard edge of a point; separate open-water fish from bank fish.
For largemouth bass, work a soft plastic, jig, or spinnerbait around weeds and protected cover; follow the outside weed line, then follow bait before changing areas.
Other targets listed here include Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout, and Common Carp; give each one its own bait and depth instead of trying to catch everything with the same rig; keep the first route short.
Use wind as a clue; a light push can carry food toward a bank, but hard wind may muddy it, so look for a clean edge near a point or protected pocket; fish one point at two depths, then fish the windy and calm sides differently.
Early in the year, protected water and the first warm afternoon can be the best clues; as the water heats up, check deeper edges without assuming every fish is on the bottom; cooling fall water often makes points and firm banks useful again; try the strongest cover, then separate open water from cover.
A light spinning rod, thin line, a few small spoons, inline spinners, and jigs cover the listed trout; carry one slightly heavier setup when other fish or windy water call for more control; keep line light around small clear-water fish; start where bait gathers, then keep the presentation close to useful cover.
Record the wind, water color, depth where the bait worked, and cover after a bite; those four notes are more useful on the next trip than a long list of spots that did not produce; follow a short creek arm, then follow bait before changing areas.
Fish a small jig or minnow around wood, weeds, and sharp little drops; work the best shade during bright hours, then separate open water from cover.
Treat 113.1 feet as the deepest point, not the automatic fishing depth; start near cover and move deeper only when bites or bait give a reason.
Move after checking the same useful feature at several depths without finding bait, a clean edge, or a bite; test the clearest edge, then give low-light water a slower bottom pass.
Explore nearby waters, including local Featured destinations. Check each page for access and fishing restrictions.
Distances are straight-line estimates between mapped water locations.
Source dates describe the evidence, not a live catch forecast. Check the managing authority before planning access or keeping fish.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.
The linked source supports this fish’s presence or stocking in this water.
Source checked:
This is not a record catch or a measure of how many fish are there today. The source may describe an earlier period.