Lake Almanor Fishing Report 2023 [Tips, Fishing Spots, Pictures, and Everything You Need to Know]

Lake Almanor Fishing Report

Lake Almanor is a large lake that sits 240 miles away from San Francisco, or 547 miles away from Los Angeles.

Overall it’s a very popular lake and in this post you’re going to be given the blueprint to fish this lake.

So what are the best tips for fishing Lake Almanor? There are three important factors you must know if you want to know how to fish Lake Almanor successfully. First, you need to know what kind of fish is in Lake Almanor. Second, it’s important for you to know which part of the lake each species can be found. Lastly, knowing what are the best baits that work on Lake Almanor is vital. However, tactics, baits, and locations will be different for each type of fish that you target. So let’s talk about the steps you need to take in order to give you the best chance of catching a fish on Lake Almanor.

Key Takeaways

This lake gives locals and visitors the opportunity to test their luck in catching one of the many game species this lake has to offer, such as salmon, trout, bass, catfish, bluegill, and much, much more!

Here’s the most recent and updated Lake Almanor Fishing Report – it gives you a quick and easy list of some really good fishing spots. If you’re looking for more detail on how to fish each spot scroll down into the article.

New West Flats
Almanor Peninsula
Goose Island
Dakatsu Islands
Eastern Shoreline
Canyon Dam

Here are some additional fast and helpful tips just for you:

The easiest way to fish this lake is by boat, but there are areas to fish from the bank, or by kayak or float tube.
There are public boat ramps to use.
Camping and RV parking is available.
You can buy tackle and some snacks at Ayoob’s Intermountain Hardware in Chester, or Sierra’s Fly & Tackle @ the Branch on the Northeast Shore

About Lake Almanor

Lake Almanor is a moderately deep body of water with the average depth being 30-50 feet and a maximum depth of 90 feet when the lake is completely full. Fishing Lake Almanor can be incredible when you have over 52 miles of shoreline to fish. Being 13 miles long and 6 miles across this plays a vital role in hydroelectricity production.

Lake Almanor is known to be one of the better fisheries for trout especially when trolling for trout. And in the late June and early July the lake has one of the biggest insect hatches in the area, so fly fisherman love to frequent this lake. On top of some great trout fishing this lake grows some giant bass as well.

Lake Almanor gives locals and visitors the opportunity to test their luck in catching one of the many game species this lake has to offer.

Important Lake Warnings

Algae blooms may be present which may affect fishing, swimming, and water contact in general.

According to parks.ca.gov, “every one of California’s new laws requires boat operators to have a California Boating Card. The card is required for anyone under the age of 41 to operate a boat in California’s waters.”

If you are fishing and camping, fire bans may be in effect due to the ongoing drought conditions.

What Kind Of Fish Are In Lake Almanor

Rainbow trout
Brown trout
Chinook salmon
Largemouth bass
Smallmouth bass
Crappie
Catfish
Bluegill

Lake Almanor Fishing Tips & General Strategies

Another picture of the lake or find a YT video

It can be a challenge to break down Almanor and decide to get started.

This lake’s water clarity can be nearly gin clear, with clarity ranging 12 to 20 feet. At 50 to 100 feet, the thermocline forms in the summer, and lake turn over happens late in the fall.

The lake can be broken down into three primary sections. The main lake dam, Lake Almanor West, and Lake Almanor East.

There are smaller coves and creeks that are featured on this lake however, the majority of fishing will be in one of those general locations.

Primary species…

Lake Almanor is known to offer amazing King (Chinook) Salmon and trout fishing in the state. And you can test your luck by finding these beautiful fish suspended over deep water primarily by the dam.

Many anglers say the best time to fish for king salmon is in the middle to late spring.

There is a common saying on this lake that if you want to catch a king salmon then you need to find the thermocline first, then the bait – the salmon will be close by.

The primary baitfish is the Japanese Pond Smelt found in Lake Oroville and Almanor Lake. These tend to be more of a shallow baitfish, can create gigantic bait balls, and sometimes will school in the size of a basketball court during the summer!

Big rainbow trout and brown also inhabit Almanor Lake. They can be found near the dam and over deep water on the eastern shoreline.

Even though there are trophy-size brown trout in this lake as well, stay patient because they are very hard to catch even for experienced fishermen.

When the water cools especially during the fall and winter brown trout are the easiest to be caught. Trout anglers have been known to catch them in the early to mid-fall when they run up the river to spawn.

These trout also suspend around the thermocline, so it’s not uncommon to catch both species of fish on the same day while fishing in the same location.

Bass are also in this lake…

Largemouth bass are the primary species of bass in this lake, followed by smallmouth bass.

Bass in this lake can be found and caught in these forms of cover: ledges and large rock piles facing north, rocky points that extend from the shore line down to the bottom of the lake, submerged or shallow grass near deep water or creek channel/ ditch, main lake humps, tree stump fieldss, road beds, marinas and docks.

Most of the fish such as bass, bluegill, crappie, and catfish will spawn in the spring.

Largemouth bass will spawn most commonly in the backs of coves where vegetation and gravel meet, normally in 1 to 8 feet of water on rocky structure, gravel flats, humps, and small creek inlets and cuts. . Whereas, smallmouth bass prefer deeper rocky points and banks 5 to 15 feet deep.

If you can find the ideal spot at the ideal depth then it will most likely assist you in catching fish.

———HUGE FISHING BLUEPRINT NATIONAL PROMOTION!———

ENTER TO WIN THIS MASSIVE GIVEAWAY – ENDS SOON!

But Where Are The Best Places To Fish At Lake Almanor?

And in no particular order here is that list of the best fishing spots at Lake Almanor.

DISCLAIMER: The material provided is for general information purposes only. It’s important to understand that any information provided in this article can change at any time. Any maps or graphics featured are not to be used as navigational aids. Fishing Blueprint will not be responsible for any personal injury or property damage from any misuse of the maps or graphics provided. It’s completely impossible to give you every single spot where you can potentially catch a fish. But, what this list does do is to give you a helping hand and narrow down to the most productive fishing spots.

North West Flats

The flats on the northwest section of the lake is often over looked, however in the late winter and early spring this area can offer absolutely amazing trout fishing.

During the summer, bass like to hunt in the submerged grass as well.

It’s a fairly large area that has very little change in depth and is covered in vegetation. Sometimes this vegetation can grow to the surface creating a floating mat or canopy.

For trout, scan the edges of the grass lines with you fish finder and use slow trolling lures like inline spinners.

For the best results, troll 1.5 mph and stager your lures at a depth of subsurface, 5, and 10 in this area.

A fish attractor (ie: flasher or dodger), trolling spoons, inline spinners, Rapala minnows, Kwik Fish for the trout are aggressively feeding and will attack a fast moving lure, and great for trolling.

For bass, fishing the deep pockets within the submerged vegetation can also frequently result in fish being caught. Fishing the outside edges can frequently result in fish being caught.

When the weeds are just developing or dying off, this huge flat fishes very well, creating deep channels in the vegetation. Bass will hide in weed-filled holes and ambush bait.

Holes should be fished with a grass flipping jig, wacky rig senko, Mojo rig, Texas rig, weedless tubes or even a drop shot.

If the grass is submerged you fish over the tops with a topwater lure, buzzbaits, frog lure, chatterbaits, or whopper plopper.

Fish the weedline edges parallel with crankbaits, lipless crankbaits, spinnerbaits, frog lures, soft plastic swimbaits, umbrella rigs, swim jigs, underspin jigs or chatterbaits.

There are several hard bottom patches, small rock piles, and high spots on humps that should be checked for fish.

Lastly, there are several small drainage ditches that should be checked for fish as well.

In the winter and spring, trout have been known to be caught cruising the outer weed edges.

Located: northwest end of the lake

Structural features: vegetation, inlet causing current

Best species to target: bass, crappie, trout (spring and winter)

Most effective way to fish this spot: boat, kayak, or float tube

Almanor Peninsula

This part of the lake is home to a single long rocky point that consists of hard bedrock structure. The size of the rock can range from small boulders to basketball-sized rock (also known as “riprap”). The tips or ends of these long rocky point will either drop off into deep water, or transition into smaller sizes or gravel.

The western side of the point is characteristically steep and the eastern side tapers more gradually with ridges and deep shelves.

Let’s take a closer look at the topographic map…

Look carefully at this topographic map…

As you can see, on the eastern side is filled with a ton of cuts, humps, and ridges.

The best this about this place is salmon, trout, and bass love this area.

But… the big difference is the salmon and trout will tend to hold over deeper/colder water, whereas the bass will be more shallow, especially during the summer.

What to expect…

Crawfish, bluegill, minnows, and shad seek shelter in rocky substrate, which in turn attract bass and other predatory fish.

It’s best to scan both sides of the point to see where the bait fish are relating to.

Most of the time there are cuts, piles of boulders, and other features that create a ‘point on the point’ often hold fish. Furthermore, fishing the largest of boulders you can find in that area, as well as, the transition areas (areas that feature larger rock and turn into rocks of a smaller size.

For salmon and trout… some of the effective trout baits for this area include:

Using a quality Fish attractor (ie: flasher or a dodger), Trolling spoons such as a Krocodile spoon, Super Duper, Crippled Herring, Cast Champ, or Hus-Lure. Trolling spoons have an unpredictable, minnow-like motion that delivers bone-crushing strikes. Even the slowest current brings these lures to life. Add extra motion by twitching the rod tip and enabling the bait to pop and dart forward and flutter back.

Inline spinners such as the Bang-Tail and Shyster are non-twist spinners that boast an immediate spin blade design for incredibly rapid start-ups and the best slow retrieve performance.

Many anglers also place their confidence in the Blue Fox Classic Vibrax inline spinner. This little bait is a compact shallow running lure that performs best in 2 to 6 feet of water, depending on the speed of the retrieve or trolling speed. The patented two-part body emits low-frequency sound vibrations that attract fish. This lure is best used in lakes, rivers, and streams.

Minnow style baits also work very well either cast-and-retrieved or trolled. These perform best if the water is clear/slightly stained. The Luhr-Jensen Quick Fish and the Rapala BX minnow are constructed from hard plastic, have a wide wobble action, and are extremely durable. Whereas the Rapala Original Floating Minnow and the Ultra Light Minnow (all are slow sinking) both give you a tighter wobble perfect for clear water and pressured fishing conditions.

Better yet, just buy a complete done-for-you trout lure kit!

Oh, before I forget, did you know that there is an article about how to troll for salmon, trout, and kokanee the right way? Go here to find out more.

For bass…

During the summer, topwater baits work really well one hour before and after the sunrise/ or sunset.

A great midday strategy is to come back to this spot and scan this area with a fish finder and locate the thermocline.

Chances are the bass and trout will hold just a few feet above the thermocline. Once identified, target these rip rap points with a lure that can be used at that specific depth.

Effective bass baits for this area include: topwater lures, buzzbaits in the morning or on cloudy conditions. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, chatterbaits, umbrella rigs, underspin jigs, swim jigs, hair jigs, lipless crankbaits, and soft plastic swimbaits, perform well here in breezy conditions or during the midday.

In contrast, slower moving baits such as drop shot, football jigs, tubes, wacky rig, Texas rig, Neko rigs, and Carolina rigs can be phenomenal when the conditions are calm or the bass are holding close to the rocks.

Flutter spoons work great in the deepest part of the point or over any secondary structures directly related to the point.

Located: south lake pain point

Structural features: long rocky point dropping into deep water

Best species to target: salmon, trout, and bass

Most effective way to fish this spot: boat or kayak

Goose Island

This spot is great during the summer.

Bass will relate to the deep section of the point and trout will hold over the deep water.

Look carefully at this topographic map…

There is also submerged point that in front of Prattville. It starts as a shallow shelf that tapers into a long point then drops into deep water at the tip.

Lastly, check out the small hump in the lower half of the picture, it also will attract salmon, trout, and bass.

Now if you’re fishing from a boat, float tube, kayak, or even from the shore you should also consider using these trout baits:

A fish attractor (ie: flasher or dodger), trolling spoons, inline spinners, Rapala minnows, Kwik Fish, for trolling or fishing fast moving lures.
Real or artificial corn – great because it will never spoil or mold over
Natural salmon eggs – it’s hard to beat natural salmon eggs when trout are eating them. Sometimes you can go through a couple of jars of these eggs in an hour!

Artificial salmon eggs – great because they float off the bottom – ideal in rocky or grassy conditions
Real worms – such as meal worms or nightcrawlers
Artificial worms – great for trolling and will never die
Dough bait – great because they stay on the hook really well, it floats if you put enough on the hook, come in a variety of colors and scents.
Wet flies (sinking flies) – Wet flies imitate insects that develop and inhabit below the water level before emerging and rising to the surface.
Woolly bugger flies – One of the most popular fly patterns ever is the Woolly Bugger. These mimic small fish, leeches, larvae, and worms.
Steamer flies – These mimic larger animals found in streams, rivers, and lakes including crawfish, larger leeches, and smaller fish.

Effective bass baits for this area include: topwater lures, flutter spoons, buzzbaits, crankbaits, soft plastic swimbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, jerkbaits, swim jigs, hair jigs, and underspin jigs when the bass are aggressive.

If the bass are timid, then drop shot, tubes, Ned rig, Neko rig, Mojo rig, Carolina rig and football jigs are awesome choices.

Located: south end of the lake

Structural features: large island, long point into deep water

Best species to target: rainbow trout, brown trout, salmon, and bass

Most effective way to fish this spot: Boat, kayak, and from shore

Dakatsu Islands

Lower section of this Lake consist of multiple rocky ridges that form into Highlands that extend out from the Rocky Point Campground. This area is very good for Chinook salmon, rainbow trout, and brown trout in the summer. Anglers often catch large smallmouth bass here as well.

The numerous rocky ridges, and ledges should be carefully graphed for bass waiting in ambush.

Look carefully at this topographic map…

Closer to shore there are numerous pockets, feeder creeks, and ditches that provide great habitat for fish.

Located: southeast end of the lake

Structural features: main lake ridge, humps, islands, deep water nearby

Best species to target: bass, trout, salmon

Most effective way to fish this spot: boat, kayak, or float tube

Eastern Shoreline

The eastern shoreline is incredibly steep and drops into 70+ feet of water which makes this an excellent place to troll for cold water fish like rainbow trout, brown trout, and king salmon.

Downriggers and drift socks aid in catching these trout that are suspended over deep water 80-150-feet deep during the late springtime all the way through late summertime.

Look carefully at this topographic map…

Some of the effective baits for this area include: Fish attractor (ie: flasher or a dodger), trolling spoons, inline spinners, Rapala minnows, flatfish lures, streamers and flies. Better yet, just buy a complete done-for-you trout lure kit!

Located: eastern shoreline.

Structural features: Steep clay and rocky banks, deep channels and drop offs.

Best species to target: Trout and salmon

Most effective way to fish this spot: Boat or kayak Trolling with a downrigger, trolling without a downrigger

Canyon Dam

Fishing just outside of the dam can catch you an abundance of Chinook salmon, lake trout, rainbow trout, and even some brown trout.

Look carefully at this topographic map…

This area is great all year long, but even more so during the summer and early fall.

There is a TON of structure the salmon, trout, and even bass will relate to.

Make sure to graph over the humps, ridges, ledges and deep water drop offs – those will give you the best chances to finding salmon or trout.

If the water is low, graph the cove just to the southwest of the dam, you’ll possibly find some bass and crappie suspended over ridges and rocky shelves.

This section of the lake can get very windy. And even with the best trolling motor the wind can quickly blow you off your spot which will significantly decrease your chances of catching a fish..

That is why we strongly suggest buying a quality drift sock. For those who don’t know, a drift sock is like a parachute for the water. If it’s breezy to windy, you need to slow your drift otherwise your lure will not be in the strike zone long enough to catch a fish.

By the way, we found a really good quality drift sock made by Mythik Outdoors, and best of all they’re sold on Amazon.com. Go here to learn more about drift socks and read the reviews from actual customers.

Some of the effective baits for trout include:

If the trout are timid, the conditions are calm, or if its in the middle of the afternoon and the trout are deep, I would strongly advise you to use real or artificial corn, natural salmon eggs, artificial salmon eggs, real worms such as meal worms or nightcrawlers, artificial worms, and dough bait if you’re fishing from the shoreline or from a boat.

Wet flies (sinking flies), Woolly bugger flies, and Steamer flies all work great to mimic small fish, leeches, larvae, and worms.

If the bass are timid, then drop shot, tubes, Ned rig, Neko rig, Mojo rig, Carolina rig and football jigs are awesome choices.

Located: south section of the lake

Structural features: rocky banks, main lake ledges, humps, and drop offs

Best species to target: salmon, trout, bass, crappie, catfish

Most effective way to fish this spot: boat, kayak, float tube, shoreline

-- Featured Article Of The Month --

How To Catch Fish In Lake Almanor?

Rainbow Trout

California Department of Fish and Wildlife grows and stocks local lakes and reservoirs like this lake with Rainbow Trout.

Due to this lake being relatively unpressured, deep, and colder, and most other desert reservoirs, the stocked trout do very well.

Furthermore, trout are produced in local fisheries, they are healthy and have no limit on the amount of trout that can be consumed.

Typically trout are stocked frequently, however, it can vary.

Sometimes you’ll read this lake has steelhead trout, but no rainbow trout, or visa versa…

This can be confusing for a lot of people. Are rainbow trout and steelhead trout the same?

Short answer, they are nearly the same species.

But, if you have ever wondered, what is the real difference between a rainbow trout and a steelhead trout? We wrote a definitive report called, “What’s the Difference Between A Rainbow Trout Vs Steelhead”. Click here to read it, so you can end the confusion once and for all.

General Trout Details

Spawn: March-May

Food: insects and crustaceans.

California State Record: 27 lbs 0 oz. Caught 10/02/2005 in Lake Natoma.

Table Quality: Depending on the fishes diet, the meat can be white to orange-red in color. The meat is firm, flaky, and is considered excellent eating.

Angling techniques:

Trolling with or without downriggers
Fish attractor such as a flasher or a dodger – great when trolling.
Trolling spoons such as a Krocodile spoon, Super Duper, Crippled Herring, Cast Champ, or Hus-Lure – simple, easy to use, can be trolled or cast-retrieved at any speed.
Inline spinners such as the Bang-Tail and Shyster – gets a ton of bites.
Minnow style baits such as the Luhr-Jensen Quick Fish and the Rapala BX minnow – known to hook up giant fish.
Real or artificial corn – great because it will never spoil or mold over.
Natural salmon eggs – it’s hard to beat natural salmon eggs at bait. When trout are eating salmon eggs, they’ll eat up a couple of jars in less than an hour!
Artificial salmon eggs – great because they float off the bottom – ideal in rocky or grassy conditions.
Real worms – such as meal worms or nightcrawlers.
Artificial worms – great for trolling and will never die.
Dry flies (floating flies) – The insects that land, float, or live on top of the water, which are represented by dry flies. Investing in a kit gives you a wide assortment of flies and a good selection of types and sizes allow you to quickly adjust to any situation.
Wet flies (sinking flies) – Wet flies imitate insects that develop and inhabit below the water level before emerging and rising to the surface. Investing in a kit gives you a wide assortment of flies and a good selection of types and sizes allow you to quickly adjust to any situation.
Woolly bugger flies – One of the most popular fly patterns ever is the Woolly Bugger. These mimic small fish, leeches, larvae, and worms. Investing in a kit gives you a wide assortment of flies and a good selection of types and sizes allow you to quickly adjust to any situation.
Steamer flies – They can also mimic larger animals found in streams and rivers, including crawfish, larger leeches, and smaller fish. Investing in a kit gives you a wide assortment of flies and a good selection of types and sizes allow you to quickly adjust to any situation.
**The number one key to successful trout fishing, is to use light line (2 to 6 pound) and small hooks (10-14 sizes), and small sinkers

Brown Trout

In California, this is the only fish with both red and black patches on its body.

A pale/off-white halo usually surrounds dark patches on the sides.

On the back, the color ranges from dark to olive brown, dipping to yellow on the sides, and yellow or white on the belly.

In larger fish, breeding males have lower chin that will create a hooked jaw. The corner of the mouth extends past the eye, resulting in a huge mouth.

Brown trout are not native to California, nor to North America for that matter. They were first imported to California in 1893 and originated in Europe.

Brown trout will commonly feed during the day if they are not bothered. Larger fish, on the other hand, are mainly nocturnal.

Brown trout are very aggressive feeders and will readily eat a streamer fly, casting upstream or into the wind.

Artificial baits such as in-line spinners or small Rapala minnow bait work phenomenally.

Live nightcrawlers, or minnows on a #6-#8 hooks are excellent baits.

If you can find any waterfall or spillway, spend some time fishing it because brown trout will often wait to ambush any prey that happens to drift over them in those areas.

Likewise, if you’re in a boat on the main lake some of the best ways to catch brown trout is to troll for these behemoths.

General Trout Details

Spawn: October-December

Food: Insects, small fish and crustaceans.

California State Record: 26 lbs 8 oz. Caught 04/30/1987 in Twin Lakes.

Table Quality: Depending on the fishes diet, the meat can be white to orange-red in color. The meat is firm, flaky, and is considered excellent eating.

Angling techniques:

Trolling with or without downriggers
Fish attractor such as a flasher or a dodger – great when trolling.
Trolling spoons such as a Krocodile spoon, Super Duper, Crippled Herring, Cast Champ, or Hus-Lure – simple, easy to use, can be trolled or cast-retrieved at any speed.
Inline spinners such as the Bang-Tail and Shyster – gets a ton of bites.
Minnow style baits such as the Luhr-Jensen Quick Fish and the Rapala BX minnow – known to hook up giant fish.
Real or artificial corn – great because it will never spoil or mold over.
Natural salmon eggs – it’s hard to beat natural salmon eggs at bait. When trout are eating salmon eggs, they’ll eat up a couple of jars in less than an hour!
Artificial salmon eggs – great because they float off the bottom – ideal in rocky or grassy conditions.
Real worms – such as meal worms or nightcrawlers.
Artificial worms – great for trolling and will never die.
Dry flies (floating flies) – The insects that land, float, or live on top of the water, which are represented by dry flies. Investing in a kit gives you a wide assortment of flies and a good selection of types and sizes allow you to quickly adjust to any situation.
Wet flies (sinking flies) – Wet flies imitate insects that develop and inhabit below the water level before emerging and rising to the surface. Investing in a kit gives you a wide assortment of flies and a good selection of types and sizes allow you to quickly adjust to any situation.
Woolly bugger flies – One of the most popular fly patterns ever is the Woolly Bugger. These mimic small fish, leeches, larvae, and worms. Investing in a kit gives you a wide assortment of flies and a good selection of types and sizes allow you to quickly adjust to any situation.
Steamer flies – They can also mimic larger animals found in streams and rivers, including crawfish, larger leeches, and smaller fish. Investing in a kit gives you a wide assortment of flies and a good selection of types and sizes allow you to quickly adjust to any situation.
**The number one key to successful trout fishing, is to use light line (2 to 6 pound) and small hooks (10-14 sizes), and small sinkers

Chinook “King” Salmon

These landlocked salmon (commonly called King Salmon because they are the largest species of salmon found in the Pacific), with some fish weighing in at 10 to 12 pounds! However, most of the fish will weigh in around 2-4-pounds.

These fish may be found in deep water (40-80-feet) throughout the year, but they are particularly abundant in the main channel near the dam in March. Try trolling with live anchovies or shad, as well as shad-like lures and spoons.

In the summer and fall, trolling shad is the easiest method to capture huge salmon and trout.

Salmon and trout chase shad to the surface, which is one of the most well guarded secrets.

If you notice them eating bait balls, you have to start trolling shad or something that can come close to matching the hatch.

Sure, worms and egg sacks will catch them, but why not make it simpler on yourself and troll what they eat the most?

Shad is a natural food source for these landlocked monsters.

In a typical California reservoir, shad may be found in the vast majority of them, otherwise minnows and other small baitfish will work just fine

General King Salmon Details

Spawn: September – December

Food: Insects, small crustaceans, shad or other small fish.

California State Record: 65 lbs 4 oz. Caught 8/21/2002 in Crescent City.

Table Quality: Depending on the fishes diet, the meat can be white to orange-red in color. The meat is firm, flaky, and is considered excellent eating.

Angling techniques:

Trolling with or without downriggers
Leader: 18-24-inch leader. The more active the fish are, the shorter the leader you want. The attractor will also shake and wobble the lure as it wobbles back and forth. The longer the leader is, the less action your lure will have.
Attractor: 6in Shasta Tackle UV sling blade or a Jensen Trout & Kokanee Dodger in blue, silver in clear water, or chartreuse, bright pink in stained water.
Mack’s Peewee Hoochie or Wiggle Hoochie in green, blue, pink, or +/- a Mack’s Smile blade in front of the hoochie. Works great in stained water.
Troll with a wedding ring spinner size 2. Works great in clear water.
Tie on a #2 straight shank lightwire Neko rig hook (yep, the same hook that bass anglers will use), then thread on a 2-inch Berkley Power Minnow on a size 2 light wire finesse hook behind your sling blade +/- a Mack’s Smile blade in front of the hoochi. Great option in really clear water.
Trolling spoons such as a Krocodile spoon, Super Duper, Crippled Herring, Cast Champ, or Hus-Lure – simple, easy to use, can be trolled or cast-retrieved at any speed.
Inline spinners such as the Bang-Tail and Shyster – gets a ton of bites.
Minnow style baits such as the Luhr-Jensen Quick Fish and the Rapala BX minnow – known to hook up giant fish.
Steamer flies – They can also mimic larger animals found in streams and rivers, including crawfish, larger leeches, and smaller fish. Investing in a kit gives you a wide assortment of flies and a good selection of types and sizes allow you to quickly adjust to any situation.
**What to do if you’re not getting bites: (1) small piece of cured anchovy or cured shad to the hook and cover with bait scent. (2) change the lure color based on the water clarity. (3) If water clarity is the same, then change to a lure with either more action (Wiggle Hoochie) or less action (Berkley Power Minnow on a 24-inch leader). (4) go to a different spot
You’ll have the best results if you troll 1.5-2.0 mile per hour.
Many times salmon or trout will just follow the lure being trolled, sometimes up to 5-10 minutes and not strike! So to create a reaction strike, you want to either speed up or slow down your troll every few minutes. Another good way to get a reaction strike is to make a sharp turn of the boat.

Kokanee Salmon

The landlocked Sockeye salmon are known as Kokanee.

Kokanee salmon mature in lakes or reservoirs and move into streams in the fall to spawn, whereas Sockeye salmon mature in the ocean and migrate into streams.

Kokanee were initially introduced to California waters as fingerlings in 1941.

While our drought is a serious issue that is unlikely to go away anytime in the near future, there is more than enough water to target kokanee.

Yes, the water level is at 50%, and the fish are not holding over the traditional fishing spots.

So it’s just a matter of fishing the right locations at the right depth…

That’s where having the right electronics really helps.

We anglers must work harder than we’re used to in order to catch these cold-water beauties.

Kokanee can be caught dodgers, spinners, spoons, and even simple red hooks.

To attract the attention of the fish, anglers will tip their spinners and spoons with bits of corn or use an attractant.

Because this fish has a mouth full of sharp teeth which can easily cut a line, a lead leader is strongly recommended.

Kokanee will be seeking cooler water in June, which will most likely be 100-200-feet water depth, so trolling with a downrigger is absolutely a must.

By the way, if you don’t know how to use a downrigger, that’s okay! A lot of fishing guides we talked to don’t like to talk about such an effective way to fish. Regardless, you deserve to know… click here to learn more

General Kokanee Details

Spawn: September – December

Food: Zooplanton, insects, small crustaceans, shad or other small fish.

California State Record: 5 lbs 2 oz. Caught 7/20/2013 in Lake Tahoe.

Table Quality: Depending on the fishes diet, the meat can be white to orange-red in color. The meat is firm, flaky, and is considered excellent eating.

Angling techniques:

Trolling with or without downriggers
Leader: 18-24-inch leader. The more active the fish are, the shorter the leader you want. The attractor will also shake and wobble the lure as it wobbles back and forth. The longer the leader is, the less action your lure will have.
Attractor: 6in Shasta Tackle UV sling blade or a Jensen Trout & Kokanee Dodger in blue, silver in clear water, or chartreuse, bright pink in stained water.
Mack’s Peewee Hoochie or Wiggle Hoochie in green, blue, pink, or +/- a Mack’s Smile blade in front of the hoochie. Works great in stained water.
Troll with a wedding ring spinner size 2. Works great in clear water.
Tie on a #2 straight shank lightwire Neko rig hook (yep, the same hook that bass anglers will use), then thread on a 2-inch Berkley Power Minnow on a size 2 light wire finesse hook behind your sling blade +/- a Mack’s Smile blade in front of the hoochi. Great option in really clear water.
Trolling spoons such as a Krocodile spoon, Super Duper, Crippled Herring, Cast Champ, or Hus-Lure – simple, easy to use, can be trolled or cast-retrieved at any speed.
Inline spinners such as the Bang-Tail and Shyster – gets a ton of bites.
Minnow style baits such as the Luhr-Jensen Quick Fish and the Rapala BX minnow – known to hook up giant fish.
Steamer flies – They can also mimic larger animals found in streams and rivers, including crawfish, larger leeches, and smaller fish. Investing in a kit gives you a wide assortment of flies and a good selection of types and sizes allow you to quickly adjust to any situation.
**What to do if you’re not getting bites: (1) small piece of cured anchovy or cured shad to the hook and cover with bait scent. (2) change the lure color based on the water clarity. (3) If water clarity is the same, then change to a lure with either more action (Wiggle Hoochie) or less action (Berkley Power Minnow on a 24-inch leader). (4) go to a different spot
You’ll have the best results if you troll 1.5-2.0 mile per hour.
Many times salmon or trout will just follow the lure being trolled, sometimes up to 5-10 minutes and not strike! So to create a reaction strike, you want to either speed up or slow down your troll every few minutes. Another good way to get a reaction strike is to make a sharp turn of the boat.

On a Side Note: Tips For Trolling for Trout or Salmon

If you have access to a boat or kayak, try to put as many lures in the water as possible (obviously, check local laws, regulations, and restrictions, as well as knowing if certain locations have limits) and as far away from the boat as feasible.

Some utilize planer boards and even down riggers to keep the lines away from the boat.

Here’s where a smart professional fishing-guide can and will hook you up with some of the biggest, toughest-fighting fish you’ll ever encounter.

Having high-quality electronics aids in establishing the depth at which fish are continuously feeding, as well as which food source is being consumed the most frequently.

If you examine the shoreline’s structure along with using your fish finder, study the underwater topography of the lake.

If you notice a cliff, it’s likely that the water at its base is deep.

If you observe a chain of islands or exposed main lake humps, there’s a good chance there’s a shallow shoal or channel between them.

Trout prefer drop-offs, channels, and ledges, so you’ll want to troll parallel to these locations rather than over them.

If you stumble upon a place and catch a trout, there’s a good chance there are more.

Luckily there is an in-depth report that you can access, called How To Troll for Trout [A Beginner’s Guide], you’ll learn all the special tips and strategies many of the fishing guides will keep to themselves. Click here to learn more, so you can extend your fishing season all year long.

Largemouth Bass

Largemouth bass is a carnivorous member of the sunfish family.

California grows some MONSTER bass. At any time you could hook into a bass that could be your all-time personal best.

In general, if the water clarity is clear to a slightly stained lake. Meaning finesse techniques (like drop shot fishing), small lures (like football jigs), and thin diameter line gets you the most bites when the wind is calm.

On the other hand, if the water is moderately stained or murky, then you need to choose darker lures. This also means you can get away with using thicker diameter line.

Since the 1980’s this lake has been stocked with Florida-strain largemouth bass. Bass fishing in this lake is not as popular as trout or salmon fishing. Luckily, you can still catch a giant bass by lobbying large swimbaits for glide baits in trout patterns.

Once your arm gets tired you can still catch a ton of fish by throwing a drop shot rig, small crankbait, or dragging a Texas rigged Senko around a fish attracting structure.

If that doesn’t catchem, you can switch to either a drop shot rig or a Neko rig and target points, boulders, or channel swings.

General Largemouth Bass Details

Spawn: Spring, March-May

Food: Shad, minnows, small trout, small salmon, bluegill, perch, crayfish

California State Record: 21lbs 12 oz. Caught in 1991 in Castaic Lake at the main boat ramp.

Table Quality: Decent. Firm white meat.

Angling techniques:

Smallmouth Bass

Smallmouth bass are a sibling species closely related to largemouth bass. They have a pretty brown/golden color and carry the nickname of “bronzeback”. There are a few physical features that make it different from the largemouth bass. Aside from being bronze in color, they will have gray-brown vertical bands and the most defining feature is the jaw does not extend past its eye.

Overall, smallmouth bass are most likely going about half the size of largemouth bass. However, pound for pound, a smallmouth can be incredibly aggressive and will put up an amazing fight.

General Smallmouth Bass Details

Spawn: March-May

Food: fish, crustaceans.

California State Record: 9 lbs 13 oz. Caught 7/3/2007 in Pardee Reservoir.

Table Quality: Similar to a largemouth bass it’s firm, white, flaky, mild-tasting

Angling techniques:

Finesse jigs
Mojo Rig
Neko Rig
Small crankbaits
Football Jigs
Soft plastic swimbaits
Jerkbaits
Chatterbaits
Swim jigs
Hair jigs
Underspin jigs
Drop shot plastic worms
Tubes
Streamer flies.
Live baits: minnows, hellgrammites, and crayfish

White and Black Crappie

If you like crappie fishing, this lake is filled with them.

The best time to fish for crappie in this lake and other lakes similar to it is in summertime while you’re night using a submerged green light. If you don’t know what a green fishing light is, or if you’re unfamiliar, then click this link to learn more.

Green light fishing at night in this lake is amazing. If you haven’t done it you are missing out. The nights are cool and the night sky is filled with stars…

Anyway, I digress…

White crappie tend to linger over submerged brush and timber and are found in schools. The white crappie are much more tolerant in warmer water than their black crappie cousins.

White crappie have a more “silvery” appearance and lack the dark vertical bars when compared to the black crappie.

Black crappie can be described as having irregular black dots and blotches on the back and have more of a “silvery-olive” background.

Average weight of a white or black crappie in this lake is probably going to be just under a pound.

General Crappie Details

Spawn: April – mid-June

Food: Larvae, small fish, and crustaceans. Threadfin shad and minnows make up their main diet.

California State Record:

White crappie: 4 lbs 8 oz. Caught 4/26/1971 in Clear Lake using minnows.
Black crappie: 4 lbs 8 oz. Caught 2/17/2021 in Clear Lake using minnows.

Table Quality: The meat is excellent. It’s firm, flaky and white.

Angling techniques:

Live minnows under bobbers
Crappie jigs
Crappie tubes
Silver spoons
Spinners

Catfish

There are four species of catfish in California, the blue catfish, bullhead catfish, channel catfish, white catfish.

Catfish are predatory animals and scavengers. Some can get very big, while others remain small. They tend to spend most of their time on the bottom of the lake versus swimming higher in the water column suspended.

Catfish can have up to 8 whisker-like barbels by their mouths to help them detect food.

Blue catfish can get very big. They can weigh more than 100 pounds and grow to around 5 feet long. They have 8 whisker-like barbels by their mouths. They prefer larger cut bait and live bait

Conversely, bullhead catfish tend to be smaller and will weigh on average about 1-2-pounds, but can grow to around 4-5-pounds.

Channel catfish weight will range from 0.5-to-15-pounds in this lake, however the average weight will be between 1-4-pounds.

The smallest of all catfish in North America is the white catfish. These catfish are considered rare by anglers’ standards. They average 1-2 pounds and will grow to only about a foot.

All species prefer warmer coves, but can also be found scavenging near the marinas, or around the dam.

All can be caught with live bait, cut bait or dough bait. Some of the best baits you can use are chicken livers, hotdogs, anchovies, mackerel or sardines, catfish stink-bait/dough baits, or even night crawlers. warm coves or near the dam.

General Catfish Details

Spawn: March-June

Food: Carp, bluegill

California State Record:

Blue catfish – 72 lbs 14 oz. Caught 4/22/2003 in Colorado River (Riverside).

Bullhead catfish – 4 lbs 8 oz. Caught 10/7/1993 in Trinity Lake.

Channel catfish – 53 lbs 8 oz. Caught 9/22/2008 in San Joaquin River.

White catfish – 22 lbs 0 oz. Caught 3/21/1994 in Land Park pond (Sacramento).

Table Quality: Soft white meat. In the summer the meat will taste muddy.

Angling techniques:

chicken liver
hotdogs
stink bait
small live bluegill, sunfish, or perch
Frozen cut bait; anchovies, mackerel or sardines.

Bluegill or Sunfish

Also known collectively as “panfish” or “bream”, these small fish are both predators and prey. They fulfill a mid-tier predator role in the ecosystem.

Panfish are highly aggressive and eat minnows, bass fry (newly hatched baby bass), and insects.

The bluegill has teal-blue coloring on the bottom portion of the chin and gill plate. It also has a solid black opercula flap just behind the gill plate.

Fun fact: The oldest reported age for a bluegill is 10 years.

With the exception of appearance and size, the redear sunfish is quite similar to the bluegill. The dorsal fin of the redear sunfish features tiny vertical bands that go downward. It has a black dorsal color and a yellow-green ventral tint. The male’s operculum has a cherry-red edge, while the female’s has an orange coloring.

These panfish are found on the shoreline and prefer nearby structures. They are incredibly aggressive and will quickly attack anything that looks like it could be eaten. Due to their aggressive behavior, they are one of the easiest fish to catch and are a great way to introduce someone to fishing.

General Bluegill/ Sunfish Details

Spawn: April and May

Food: Small fish and insects

California State Record:

Bluegill – 3 lbs 14 oz. Caught 6/22/2008 in Rancho Murieta Reservoir.

Sunfish (red ear) – 5 lbs 3 oz. 6/27/1994 in Folsom South Canal (Sacramento)

Table Quality: Firm, white meat

Angling techniques:

Worms
Dough balls
Slim Jim sausages pieces on a small hook (not lying… it really works)
Small spinners
Trout flies

Yellow Perch

Sometimes called the “raccoon perch”, or even “ringed perch”, yellow perch can be best described as having six to nine vertical black bars draped over its golden colored sides.

Particularly on spawning males, the bottom fins flash with a bright orange brilliance, kinda like hot metal being pulled out of a kiln.

They are some of the most beautiful of all freshwater fish.

Perch are found on the shoreline and prefer nearby structures, and are incredibly aggressive and will quickly attack anything that looks like it could be eaten. Due to their aggressive behavior, they are easy to catch and taste amazing.

General Perch Details

Spawn: February thru July

Food: Small fish and insects

California State Record: 3 lbs 10 oz. Caught 5/22/1979 in Crowley Lake.

Table Quality: Firm, white meat

Angling techniques:

Worms
Dough balls
Slim jim sausages pieces on a small hook (not lying… it really works)
Small spinners
Trout flies

Boat Ramps at Lake Almanor

Almanor Boat Launch North of Prattville

Westwood, CA 96137

Lanes: 2

Restrooms: Yes

Showers: no

Gas: no

Tackle, groceries, snacks available: no

Fish Cleaning Station: no

Camping nearby: Yes

Canyon Dam boat ramp

Westwood, CA 96137

Lanes: 2

Restrooms: Yes

Showers: no

Gas: no

Tackle, groceries, snacks available: no

Fish Cleaning Station: no

Camping nearby: Yes

Marinas at Lake Almanor

Knotty Pines Resort & Marina

430 Peninsula Dr, Lake Almanor, CA 96137

knottypine.net

(530) 596-3348

Nearby boat ramp: no

Restrooms: Yes

Showers: no

Gas: no

Groceries/snacks available: Yes

Electric: No

Camping nearby: No

Lake Cove Resort & Marina

3584 CA-147, Westwood, CA 96137

lakecoveresort.net

(530) 284-7697

Nearby boat ramp: no

Restrooms: Yes

Showers: no

Gas: no

Groceries/snacks available: Yes

Electric: No

Camping nearby: No

Plumas Pines Marina

3000 Almanor Dr W, Canyondam, CA 95923

plumaspinesresort.com

(530) 375-0059

Nearby boat ramp: Yes

Restrooms: Yes

Showers: no

Gas: Yes

Groceries/snacks available: Yes

Electric: No

Camping nearby: No

Plumas Pines Resort & Bar

3000 Almanor Dr W, Canyondam, CA 95923

plumaspinesresort.com

(530) 259-4343

Nearby boat ramp: Yes

Restrooms: Yes

Showers: no

Gas: Yes

Groceries/snacks available: Yes

Electric: No

Camping nearby: No

Tackle Shops Near Lake Almanor

Sierra’s Fly & Tackle in Chester

212 Main St, Chester, CA 96020

sierrasflyandtackle.com

Ayoob’s Intermountain Hardware

201 Main St, Chester, CA 96020

imhardwaresupply.com

(530) 258-2611

Sierra’s Fly & Tackle @ the Branch

3820 Plumas County A13, Lake Almanor, CA 96137

sierrasflyandtackle.com

(530) 596-3820

Fish First Fly Shop! (no bait or crickets!)

766 Mangrove Ave, Chico, CA 95926

fishfirst.com

(530) 343-8300

Sierra Stream & Mountain

847 W 5th St, Chico, CA 95928

tie-fast.com

(530) 345-4261

North Valley Tackle And Pro Shop

Oroville, CA 95965

(530) 712-9356

The Elegant Iris & Men’s Den

618 Main St, Susanville, CA 96130

(530) 252-4747

Tackle Shop

471-800 Johnstonville Dr, Susanville, CA 96130

———HUGE FISHING BLUEPRINT NATIONAL PROMOTION!———

ENTER TO WIN THIS MASSIVE GIVEAWAY – ENDS SOON!

Camping Near Lake Almanor

North Shore Campground

541 Catfish Beach Rd, Chester, CA 96020

northshorecampground.com

(530) 258-3376

Sites – # total.

- RV – 94 partial hook up
- Standard tent sites – 34
- Cabins available

Dump station available: Yes

Showers available: Yes

Boat launch nearby: Yes

Fish cleaning station available: No

Low season: October – March

High season: April – September

Pets welcome: Yes

Campground map – click here

Reservations – click here

Almanor Campgrounds

Canyondam, CA 95923

recreation.gov – link

(530) 258-2141

Sites – 117 total.

- RV sites available
- Standard tent sites available

Dump station available: Yes

Showers available: no

Boat launch nearby: Yes

Fish cleaning station available: No

Low season: October – March

High season: April – September

Pets welcome: Yes

Campground map – click here

Reservations – click here

Mountain View Campground

Canyondam, CA 95923

Sites – # total.

- RV sites available
- Standard tent sites available

Dump station available: Yes

Showers available: no

Boat launch nearby: Yes

Fish cleaning station available: No

Low season: October – March

High season: April – September

Pets welcome: Yes

Campground map – click here

Reservations – click here

Rocky Point Campground

Westwood, CA 96137

recreation.pge.com

(530) 284-1785

Sites – 109 total.

- RV sites available
- Standard tent sites available

Dump station available: Yes

Showers available: no

Fish cleaning station available: no

Low season: October – March

High season: April – September

Pets welcome: Yes

Campground map – click here

Reservations – click here

Other Activities You Can Do At Lake Almanor

Fishing is not the only thing that brings people to the beautiful body of water. Here’s a list of other things you can do!

Biking
Bird watching
Boating
Skiing
Kayaking
Canoeing
Sailing
Swimming
Camping
Horseshoes
Picnicking
Hiking
Gentle walking trails
Nature photography trails
Wildlife viewing
Mountain biking
Stargazing
and most importantly… relaxing.

In Summary...

As you now can see Lake Almanor fishing can be tough at times, but it’s not impossible and with the help of the Lake Almanor Fishing Report… It definitely helps you get started on the right foot quickly and easily, so you can avoid wasting hours wondering where and how to get started.

Did You Get All This?

As fellow fisherman and content creator I thrive on helping others… I feel like I can do the most good by helping others… And frankly… I would feel like I did something wrong if you didn’t walk away feeling a little better about this lake.

I truly want to over deliver for you…

So Let Me Ask You Another Question…

After reading this helpful report:

Can you see how this could change the way you would fish this lake?… To make it easier, faster… and… with less headache, less frustration?
If nothing else, do you now have a better sense of where you can get started, even if you have have been here?
Do you feel that you have a good grasp of what species to expect in this lake?
Do you have a good understanding what baits are needed to catch each of the different species of fish?
Earlier we came up with some helpful spots to catch more fish, can you see yourself considering any one of those spots? Which ones are you the most excited about implementing when you get to the lake?
Is it fair to say that using these spots would give you a significant advantage over someone else who’s fishing this lake?

I Need To Ask A Favor From You And It’s Not Going To Cost You A Single Dime…

If you have gotten anything out of this free report; whether its knowing where to get started, what kinds of fish are in this lake, what baits to use, where to launch your boat, where to buy a frosty beverage, where to camp, and other things to do when you’re at this lake…

Then I need you to do something that is going to help your fellow angler…

And that is share this report. Please share it to as many people as you can. It’s free to you and it really helps me out as a creator.

Lastly… thank you for spending your time reading through this report and I hope you have a luck on the water.

THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN HELP ME THE MOST: There’s a lot of information about this subject you have found helpful, and I’m sure you’ll be able to put some of the knowledge bombs to use. But sharing this report helps drive traffic which in turn helps me at absolutely no cost to you. I love creating reports like this for you, and you like reading these types of reports please share this with your friends, family, and fellow anglers.

Click on your favorite social media buttons to share this page now!

Lake Almanor Fishing Report 2023 [Tips, Fishing Spots, Pictures, and Everything You Need to Know]