Whiskeytown Kokanee fishing report 5/31

Whiskeytown Lake Kokanee salmon.

Kokanee fishing on Whiskeytown Lake continues to produce slow limits for anglers who have this lake dialed in and continue to put in the time to attain the daily limits of 5 fish per person.  Recently, Whiskeytown Lake has been receiving and releasing surplus cold water pulses from Trinity Lake.  This can have a negative effect on the Kokanee bite this early in the season.  The good news is that the Kokanee are abundant and their size for this time of the year is very good.  15"-16" Kokanee are the average now and they are only going to get bigger as the season progresses.

With current King salmon returns on the Sacramento River looking to be down again this year, the Whiskeytown lake Kokanee salmon fishery will be a great alternative for that group or family looking for a great day on the water.  The Kokanee are very good eating and rival the table fare of any ocean caught salmon.  Kokanee are land locked Sockeye salmon so their quality should come as no surprise to anyone and with the Kokanee averaging more than a pound a piece, harvesting limits can certainly provide some great meals for the family.

I will be guiding on Whiskeytown Lake thru October and expect to have another season to remember.  I had a great number of trips last season and expect to see even more days on the lake as this fishery continues to gain in popularity.  Give me a call or shoot me an email to get your day of Kokanee salmon fishing booked this summer!  Its always a great day on the water in my comfortable 24' Willie jet boat.  I have a canvas top to provide shade for my clients this year and as always, ask about a bbq lunch on the boat.

Striped bass fishing report 5/7

San Joaquin Striper double!

Striped bass fishing remains solid from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta up into the Feather and Sacramento Rivers near Yuba City and Colusa.  Although my Striper season has come to an end, great fishing will surely continue through May and into June.  With the upper sections of the rivers clearing up a lot, drifting live minnows will continue to be a top producer.  Down in the delta, trolling deep diving plugs has become a standard technique this spring.  

Great day in the Delta with this group.  They landed and released double digit keepers and shakers, but kept some limits for fish taco's!

Flows on both the Feather and Sacramento Rivers are scheduled to go up again so make sure you do your homework before heading out.  With that being said, the Sacramento River side of the delta will once again see high flows and turbidity making fishing tough.  Concentrate your delta efforts on the San Joaquin side and your Striper fishing efforts will continue to pay off.  

Whiskeytown Lake Kokanee fishing report 4/30

Whiskeytown Lake Kokanee salmon..

After chasing Striped bass n the Feather River last week, it was time once again to test the Whiskeytown Lake Kokanee salmon bite.  We got a late start and had a chance to talk to a few anglers coming in after a very windy morning out on the lake.  The reports were said to be slow fishing, but I expected a slow bite with so much wind.  We started on out and dropped our lines just short of the 299 bridge.  The winds were blowing the boat sideways and I figured we'd be in for a rough morning.  Its common to encounter a windy lake early in the day, but often times it settles down by late morning.  Today was no real exception and the winds died down about 11:00.

Gracie and Jaynie honing their skills on Whiskeytown Lake.

We landed our first Kokanee 10 minutes after we started out troll just short of the 299 bridge with a Dick Nite UV dodger and an orange fly with a Spin-N-Glo leading the way.  Fishing inside the Whiskey Creek arm has been slow, but there are a few fish in and about the area for those who put in a little time there.  As I expected, the bay outside of the 299 bridge over deep water was once again the most productive area for us.  We ran into a short bite, but it was a good one and we caught a king salmon, a 20" rainbow trout, and numerous Kokanee for about an hour before things slowed down.  That could be in part due to the fact we left the area looking for more fish.

A bonus 20" Whiskeytown Lake rainbow trout.

In short, we had the best results fishing the 10-15' foot line using orange baits tired with shoe peg corn behind orange/chrome UV dodgers.  Boat speed was 1.1-1.5 mph although keeping the speed down in the winds was a challenge.  I find its easier to control the boat speed in windy conditions by facing the boat into the wind.  By far, our best action was in front of Brandy Creek in deep water.  With water temps still in the 56-57 degree range, there will be some slower days before these Kokanee turn on and everyone will be catching lots of fish every day.  This fishery will last 5 months or more and looks to be another stellar year for Kokanee salmon fishing on Whiskeytown Lake.

Striped bass fishing report 4/26

Striper fishing on the Sacramento and Feather Rivers continues to produce some excellent action for just about everyone that ventures out.  Flows continue to be a bit on the high side, but really all that does is help concentrate the fish into areas of the river that don't see a heavy movement of water.  This really narrows down where you set up to concentrate your efforts.  Because of the high water, we have been fishing on anchor a lot.  We've found some really productive spots that offer a place for the stripers to hang out without having to expend any of their energy.  Fishing live minnows has been very productive and when you find a good number of Stripers located where you anchor up, the bite can be fast and furious.  Drifting minnows in the Feather River has also been productive with the good water visibility.  Again, you have to choose your water carefully, because there are just a lot of places where the water is moving too quickly to hold these fish. 

Limits of Feather River Striped bass.

The Sacramento River is scheduled for a flow reduction from Shasta Lake and will see flows drop to 7,000 cfs by May 5th.  This will open up a lot of water for anglers and the fishing should see its best few weeks of the year.  This flow reduction will also likely improve Striper fishing in the delta on the Sacramento River side.  

Fishing on the edges of the river near slower moving water is key to catching Striped bass in high water.

My prediction is that this May will be a month to remember on both the Sacramento and Feather Rivers here in northern California.  Great opportunities exist for groups of all ages and skill levels to come out and experience this world class fishery.  If you would like to schedule a trip for your friends or family, now is the time to make that call or send me a message to get your day of Striper fishing scheduled.

Striped bass fishing report 4/22

Striped bass fishing continues to be quite good and limits continue to be fairly easily attained.  We are still having to adjust to river flows up on the Sacramento and Feather Rivers, and wind is the factor in the Ca. Delta near Rio Vista.  We spent the last two days on the Feather River and I expect to fish there again next week due to the good fishing.  The minnow bite has been good, but most of our fishing is done on anchor due to the high flows.  The season looks to be going strong and we will likely be fishing for Stripers through May.

Feather River striped bass.

Whiskeytown Lake Kokanee fishing report 4/18

Whiskeytown Lake Kokanee salmon.

Well its official, Whiskeytown Lake is already kicking out easy limits of Kokanee salmon.  I had been hearing some good reports, but hadn't been out to see for myself until today.  I had a chance to get out with a good friend and fellow fishing guide, Anthony Cox and his friend Terry.  We launched at Whiskey Creek at about 8:30 am and started fishing by 9:00.  We started trolling near the mph buoys and immediately had a rod go down.

Kokanee salmon!

The first takedown didn't stick and we continued to troll toward the 299 bridge.  There was a slight lull in activity until we made it out past the bridge.  Thats when the flurry of bites began and we experienced some double hook ups and even a few triples.  Kokanee were breaking up on the surface and it became obvious that we were in for another great season of Kokanee fishing.  At 10:45 we had 15 fish in the cooler and were packing it in for the day.

Anthony and Terry playing a double Kokanee hook up!

The Kokanee were located on the surface down to 20' where we caught the majority of them during the 1 1/2 hour trip.  It should be no surprise that the hot color was pink, but we did manage to hook several Kokanee on orange baits as well.  We used the Crystal Basin "wild thing" dodger in the chrome finish and as always it produced many bits as did the Spin N Glo rigs Anthony tied up for the trip.  Of course, none of these baits were sent down without a few kernels of shoe peg corn marinated in a garlic scents.  2017 will be another year to remember and with Kokanee already taping out at 16", this summer will be providing a lot of delicious Kokanee fillets for the dinner table.  I will start running my guided Kokanee fishing trips on Whiskeytown Lake June 1st, after my striped bass season comes to a close.  If you want to experience some of the finest Kokanee fishing in California give me a call and we'll set something up for you!  

Ca. Delta Striper fishing report 4/15

Ca. Delta Striped bass.

I spent part of last week in the California Delta fishing for Striped bass.  Overall fishing was quite good and everyone took home lots of fillets for fish tacos.  I spent the majority of my days fishing the San Joaquin River because of the current water conditions on the Sacramento River side of the delta.  Below the confluence with the Mokelumne River the San Joaquin is a bit stained, but above the Mokelumne, the water is fishing very well.

YoZuri deep divers...

I have been trolling deep diving YoZuri plugs in 15-20' of water and am finding the chartreuse/orange color combinations to be the most productive for me.  Boat speed has varied from 2.5-3.5 mph depending on tidal flows in the river.  During slack tides or low water exchanges, 3.0 mph has been the best to get bites.  Shallow diving YoZuri's can also be productive this time of the year and can be a good way to find scattered Stripers throughout the system.

Delta double hook up!

If I could change one thing about the conditions right now it would be the water temperatures.  The water is running a little on the cool side at 56-58 degrees and I think we should see a lot more bites once the temps jump into the low to mid 60's.  It looks like we are going to continue with some wet weather ahead with cooler temps.  I think there is some relief in the coming weeks in the form of warmer air temps.  That should do wonders for this fishery and I am looking forward to some great Striper fishing in the weeks ahead.  I will be fishing Striped bass through the first week of May.  If you would like to experience some Ca. Delta Striped bass fishing, please do not hesitate to give me a call.  

Striped bass fishing report 4/10

Fishing for Stripers in the Ca. Delta remains consistant.  I will be fishing this week on the San Joaquin River and have open days available.  If you are interested in getting out this week, give me a call or message me and I will get back to you.  

 

Whiskeytown Lake Kokanee fishing report 4/8

Its that time of year again to start thinking about California's finest Kokanee fishing opportunity which happens every year on Whiskeytown Lake.  Water levels and temp's have hit the mark and the Kokanee salmon bite is officially on.  Limits of Kokanee have been fairly easily attained and their size and quantity this year are once again exceptional.  Kokanee to 14-15" have been caught and its very early in the season.  With this early indication of above average size Kokanee, we are in for one heck of a year.  This fishery will last well into fall and the size of these fish will only get better and better.

Whiskeytown Lake Kokanee salmon

The best place to launch is currently at the Whiskey Creek boat launch.  Oak Bottom is still closed for the winter so save yourself the trip up there for now.  The Whiskey Creek arm is already producing Kokanee from the surface down to about 20'.  I drop my lines in as soon as I get into 25-30' of water and start trolling.  Use a 50'-100' setback for lines above 10' and pull them back to 25'-30' off the ball when fishing deeper.  Trolling speeds in the 1.2-1.5 mph range are always a safe bet on Whiskeytown Lake so keep an eye on your boat speed for the best results.  I like to run pink and orange baits on Whiskeytown, but other colors will work as well.  I have exceptional success running Dick Nite UV orange and pink dodgers during the Kokanee season.  I find that attaching a bait with a 12-14" leader works great unless you are trolling micro hoochies (10") or Dick Nite spoons (24+").  Don't forget to tip your hooks with garlic scented shoe peg corn kernels, it really makes a difference.

These are killer baits for Whiskeytown Lake Kokanee salmon!

I will begin running guided Whiskeytown Lake Kokanee salmon fishing trips by the end of May after my Striped bass season comes to a close.  These trips are a lot of fun, especially for families or for that parent that wants to introduce their child to the sport of fishing.  The action is always steady and the kids absolutely love their day on Whiskeytown Lake fishing for Kokanee salmon.  Its also a great way to learn this Kokanee fishery without spending day after day trying to figure it out for yourself.  I live just 15 minutes from Whiskeytown Lake and can make these trips very affordable.  The limit is 5 per person with a possession limit of 10 per person.  As always, I include my 5 Kokanee limit for my clients to take home with them as well.  Come join us for a day of great Kokanee salmon fishing, you'll be surprised at just how much fun it really is.   

Cooler full of Whiskeytown Lake Kokanee salmon.

Striped bass fishing report 4/6

We have started our Striped bass season and I'm happy to report that fishing is quite good just about everywhere Stripers migrate to spawn.  I have been down fishing on the San Joaquin River in the California Delta and had three very good days down there.  I am mainly trolling diving plugs over the shoals and ledges in the San Joaquin and have been getting some pretty violent bites in doing so.  Its a very fun technique for fishing Stripers and I can't wait to get back out on the water after the weekend stormy weather.  

Unfortunately, I had to cancel Friday and Saturdays trips because of bad weather and it looks like the rain may blow out the Sacramento River again.  The Feather River has been fishing very good as well and its a great option as long as it maintains its current flows.  I'll be fishing for Stripers through the first week of May and expect to continue to see some great fishing.  If you would like to fish the Feather River or the Ca. Delta for Stripers send me a message or give me a call to set up your day of fishing.

2017 Striper season beginning soon!

The winter of 2017 has been relentless here in northern California and our waterways are all currently busting at the seams after months of heavy rains.  Our reservoirs are full and our rivers are pushed the banks with dirty storm water.  A week before Striper season is set to begin, it looks as though another storm tonight will spike the flows in the Sacramento River once again.  This will certainly create some challenges for this years Striper fishery in the beginning, but will surely provide for a long season looking ahead.

I will be fishing high and low in the Sacramento River system to start the year, but will likely settle on an area to focus my efforts as the best water conditions and Striper numbers are identified.  The California Delta has started to produce some descent numbers of Striper, but the conditions are less than favorable now and will remain so as long as we continue to get the heavy rains in the valley.  The 10 day forecast shows some nice weather ahead and not too much rain as of now.  Lets hope it stays that way and we see some appreciable drops in flows and a bit of increased visibility up river and in the delta.

Sacramento River Striped bass.

I have been scheduling the majority of my trips in April this year, but have the confidence to book trips well into May this year.  I have a good number of dates available in both April-May and expect this year to provide some very good Striper fishing for those of you who may want to get a trip scheduled.  I will be offering some dates to fish down in the Ca. Delta and some dates to fish up in the Colusa area on the Sacramento River.  I will only be running one trip a day, so that means your party will get the boat for the whole day.  Striper fishing is fun, relaxing, and is easy for all ages and skill levels.  If you would like to book a Striped bass fishing trip, give me a call @ (707) 616-1905 or leave me a message on the "book a trip" section of this website and I will be contacting you to set up a day of Striper fishing or just answering questions you may have about this awesome Striper fishery.

Shasta Lake fishing report 3/4

Shasta Lake continued to experience a rapid drop in levels with a continuous and persistent release of water at Shasta Dam by the Bureau Of Reclamation.  Flows of 70,000 cfs into the Sacramento River from Keswick Reservoir which lies between Shasta Dam and the lower Sac, has reduced the current lake level to 34' below full pool.  Previous winter storms and snow melt during warmer high elevation temperatures wreaked havoc on Shasta Lake by filling it with wood and debris while also turning its water color to a very dirty brown.  The lake water temperature continues to hover around 48-49 degrees making for a tough bite just about everywhere in the lake.  The one exception seems to be the creeks flowing into the main body of Shasta, especially during and after significant rainfall.  Creeks spilling dirty water and even creeks which tend to run clear, continue to attract the best numbers of bass and even the rainbow and brown trout.  

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Shasta Lake Spotted bass caught near a creek mouth this week.

Cleaner water in the main body of Shasta Lake and a rise in water temps will likely be what it takes to turn on the bite again.  March the past few years has provided some very good fishing on Shasta Lake, but with current conditions this year, its looking like April may be when things really begin to turn on for the bass and trout fishermen.  Forecasters have indicated that we will continue to see a continued wet weather pattern in the foreseeable future so I would expect to see the same conditions for weeks to come.  

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Spider grubs are a great bait during dirty water conditions on Shasta Lake.

Keeping your presentations moving slow is key in this cold water still and the darker colored baits also show up for these lethargic bass in the low visibility water.  There are a lot of techniques that will trigger a bite so don't stick to one bait unless its really working during your day on the water. Covering lots of water and finding concentrations of bass will up your odds for success.  If you find some clear water spilling into the lake, fish the mud line, its been a go to location for many bass anglers the past few weeks.  

Just remember, you can't catch fish sitting on the couch so get out there and try to find some great bass for the live well!  Larger specimens of bass don't have the luxury of examining your baits for very long in this dirty water so catching bigger fish this time of year is quite common and possible even for the occasional angler.  If you do get out on Shasta, please remember that there is a lot of debris still in certain sections of the lake and can be very hazardous when running your boat.  Keep an eye out for any signs of debris or large pieces of wood, including logs, and keep your boat speeds down so you have time to react if necessary to avoid a collision.  Always wear a PFD (life vest) while under way and always pay attention to conditions on the lake.  Shasta can get very "big" on the main body and can be hazardous when the winds kick up during a storm.

Shasta Lake fishing report 2/25

Shasta Lake Has seen an unprecedented amount of water so far this winter season and could have easily filled to capacity on one of several his water events we have experienced.  Federal water managers have continuously released record flows from Shasta Dam to keep lake levels below full pool.  This has caused a continuous rise and fall of lake water which can play a major role in fishing productivity.  

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Shasta Lake Spotted bass caught this week.

Spotted bass fishing has been very good in the turbid water at the mouths of creeks entering Shasta.  Spotted bass will gravitate to the creeks during periods of rainfall where they know food sources will be flushed into the lake from the rising flows in the creeks.  Often times the creek water temps will exceed the lake temperatures which also draw in the bass.

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Shasta Lake Spotted bass!

Overall Shasta Lake is fishing quite well right now and should continue to get even better as we head into March which is typically the start of the best bass fishing of the season.  As the lake water warms and clears, fishing will be great for bass, trout, and King salmon in the lake.  Swim baits, spinner baits, crawfish imitations, and worm rigs are all working right now.  The water is still cold so keep your presentations slow and you will see more bites throughout the day.  There are a lot of fish that are still suspending and shouldn't be overlooked if you are marking them with your electronics.  My favorite way to chase suspended bass is to drop under spin rigs over them or jig a spoon above them.  

Shasta Lake bass fishing report 1/26

We have had a nice break this week from the relentless winter storms on Shasta Lake and its much more conducive to comfortable days on the water.  Fishing for Spotted bass has been good this week and limits are often easily attained during a day on the lake.  Water temps are in the high 40's currently so that tends to slow the bite down a bit this time of the year, but if you find the bass and put in the time, successful days can be had.

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Deep water Spotted bass caught on a finesse jig.

I have been fishing some of my favorite points up on the Sac arm of Shasta Lake and have found thats its a good area to start my days.  The use of sonar can be very helpful and finding the bass is at least half of your success.  Once you do find them, stay on top of them and don't stray too far, especially if you are marking good numbers.  I have had success recently fishing a spider grub in the green pumpkin candy color.  I'm also fishing a drop shot rig in deeper water and am finding the same success with the green pumpkin candy or watermelon colors.

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Deep water bass caught on a spider grub!

Shasta Lake is in very good shape and I'm looking forward to a great season.  Bass fishing should remain solid as always, but look for the pre spawn period in early March to be very good!  I'll be available for this great fishery until late March when I switch gears and head south to fish for Striped bass in the Ca, Delta.  With all the ran water we have in our lakes and rivers, spring bass fishing should be off the hook everywhere.  Call or msg me to secure prime dates for your spring fishing trip!

Shasta Lake trout fishing report 1/19

Trout and salmon fishing on Shasta Lake is holding up very well and so is the water.  With the exception of a few locations on the lake where some of the larger creeks come in, the water is a nice green color and perfect for trolling for trout and land locked King salmon.  Finding keeper size King's has been tough this week, but the big Shasta rainbows are still on the bite!

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19 1/2" Shasta Lake rainbow trout.

I've been finding the best trout and salmon fishing near Shasta Dam.  Its almost always a safe bet to fish this section of Shasta Lake during most months of the year due to the fact many fish are planted at the Centimudi boat launch nearby.  Todays efforts paid off again near the dam and most of the fish we caught were deep at 70-80' feet.  Normally this time of the year the trout fishing is done in the top 15' feet of the water column, but that hasn't been the case for me this season.  I'm consistently marking fish in the 70-100' range and although the bites come slow, thats where I'm getting them most often.  I'm trolling large dodgers in front of the 2.5" squid skirts on a double hook rig.  Anchovy fillets are a great addition to the squid baits, but anchovy scents are effective additions as well.  Most of my bites came at a trolling speed of 1.7-1.9 mph.  Trout and salmon fishing should remain a good bet as long as the lake remains clear so don't be afraid to get out there and try your luck!   

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Very fat 19" Shasta Lake rainbow trout!

Shasta Lake bass fishing report

Shasta Lake continues to produce some great Spotted bass fishing with limits being the rule every trip out so far.  The water is a little cold at 49 degrees, but the bass are still biting.  Water color is very good and although there is currently water being released from Shasta Dam to keep lake levels at bay, there is plenty of water and its likely Shasta will fill if water managers allow it.  As spring approaches and water temps begin to rise, bass fishing will be very, very good!

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NOW BOOKING SACRAMENTO RIVER STRIPED BASS!!!

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Sacramento River Striped bass!!

Its that time of year again to open our books for the 2017 Striped bass fishing trips!  I will be starting my season in the Rio Vista area this year in mid March.  Stripers will be moving through the lower system in massive numbers on their way up river to spawn in the Colusa area.  I will be launching out of Vieiras Resort in Isleton, Ca. daily and will be offering full day trips for up to 6 anglers.  With water conditions being very good this year, we expect this season to be very good!  If you are interested in reserving a day of Striped bass fishing, please contact me for available dates.  Currently, March 30th thru April 6th are filled.  Call (707) 616-1905 or msg me on the contact link on this site.  Thank you!

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Shasta Lake fishing report 1/1

Well 2017 has officially arrived and as usual, January brings tournament bass fishing season to Shasta Lake.  Shasta Lake is looking very good and water levels are above average for this time of the year.  The boat ramps are seeing some good activity from bass anglers and on any given day you will see several rigs in the parking lots at Shasta.  Access is available at nearly every launch and this is helping spread out the crowds. I've been launching at Packers Bay and its in great shape.  

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Shasta Lake Spotted bass!

I had the opportunity to get out last week and do some bass fishing on Shasta Lake and while its far from red hot, the bass fishing is pretty darn good for this time of the year.  Mornings have been a bit windy on the main body and in the straights of the Sac and McCloud arms.  I started out looking for bass on the main points and found that the wind against my big boat was a bit too much to deal with.  fishing finesse baits for winter bass can be tough when your boat is getting blown off every point you try to fish.  It didn't take long before I was headed into some calm water areas in search of some biters laying in calm water.  As luck would have it, my first stop produced a nice 16" bass and my Lowrance was showing lots of bass below.

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Gracie Goodwin catches a Shasta Lake bass.

Lots of anglers are finding success with jigs and Senkos right now.  Drop shot baits are also a top offering right now as well, but I ended up finding a swim bait bite that was producing bass so thats what I stuck with.  The Shasta Bass Baits 3.5" aqua rainbow ring bait was getting bit consistently when slow rolled along the bank in 10'-40' of water.  I've been using the new Pro-Cure Super Sauce "bass" scent on my baits and it is definitely helping my baits get bit.  I kept mixing up my retrieve and that seemed to do the trick.  I could see fish stacked from the bottom up to 10' above bottom so I would work the baits right on the bottom looking for bites.  When the bites slowed, I would fish for the suspended bass until I found biters in the water column above bottom.  It was a steady, slow grind, but getting a couple limits of bass wasn't a problem.

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Gracie and Chuck with part of their 10 fish limit!

As I mentioned before, the water looks great and the temps were right around 52 degrees.  The water did warm up to 53 degrees by days end.  Visibility is good, perhaps too good.  Shasta could use a little color to help these bass relax a bit and to move up out of deeper water.  With at least a week of lows in the 20's ahead, I fear Shasta Lake water temps will drop a few more degrees in the days ahead.  This will undoubtedly play a role in how active these bass will become looking forward.  I would look for the bass fishing to remain good this next week and I think winter bass fishing tactics will continue to be deployed by anglers fishing Shasta Lake.  Remember to fish green baits, very slowly, add scent, and use your electronics to locate schooling bass.  Following these simple steps will help you catch more Shasta Lake bass on your next trip out.  Good luck and tight lines in 2017!

Sacramento River steelhead fishing report 12/26

Steelhead fishing on the Sacramento River got a boost this week when water managers bumped up the flows from Keswick Dam from 5,000 cfs to 10,000 cfs.  Simply put, summer time flows have been restored while Shasta Lake continues to receive copious amounts of water from recent rains in the region.  This has given us back the plentiful flows which enable us to fish more holding water for these fantastic trout and steelhead.

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Russ Holpuck of Redding, Ca. caught this 6.13 lb steelhead while back trolling Mag Lip plugs.

The fishing should continue to remain good with steady flows and as the fish become acquainted with their new holding water.  I have attempted many techniques when pursuing these fish, but back trolling plugs is still the top producer for me this time of year.  Fishing current seams has yielded the most fish.  Good plug colors have been the black/silver and the gold.  Anyone interested in fishing for these great steelhead and trout should take advantage of these unusually high flows this season.  I have plenty of open dates and can definitely put you on some good fish!

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Buddy Holpuck of Bend, Or. with one of several fish he caught while fishing with us!

Shasta Lake bass fishing report 12/15

The Shasta Lake spotted bass bite has turned on and local bass anglers have dusted off their gear and once again converged on the lake.  Shasta Lake has already hosted a few bass fishing tournaments, the most recent being the Unhooked Bass Anglers tournament on the 10th. Top anglers are now coming in with bag limits weighting in the high teens, but the best is still yet to come.  Shasta is sitting above historical averages already and the lake is booming.  The bass are very healthy and I'm sure that the abundance of baitfish and other sources of food for them is playing a major role there.  There are many more tournaments scheduled on Shasta Lake this winter and some great bass are going to hit the scales.

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I had a chance to fish Shasta this week and found some great bass out in the main body of the lake near where I launched at Packers Bay.  We concentrated on fishing small swim baits on Shasta Bass Baits under spins. Dropping those baits over suspended bass on points and submerged structure can be productive this time of the year for sure.  Jigs and shaky heads are also getting bit right now.  The water temps are in the mid 50's so definitely slow your presentations down to get the most bites. The bass have been hanging out in 25-35' feet of water and are suspending over areas likely to hold baitfish.  I'm not likely going to brave the storm over the area now, but for those who do, fishing should be very good.  The bass will be headed towards incoming water and will be working the mud lines from runoff and wind chop against the banks.  Under those conditions, throwing white spinner baits into dirty water can really pay off some days.  Another area worthy of some attention is the standing timber in the Pit Arm of Shasta where bass will suspend along the trees.  Fishing spoons is a wintertime favorite technique for many anglers who fish Shasta.

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Its going to be a great year on Shasta Lake this year and I am already getting excited about my favorite time of year to fish which is spring.  In the meantime, braving the cold and sometimes harsh conditions on Shasta, will most certainly be worthwhile and many bass will end up in the fish box this winter season.  On a final note, please remember that during winter storms and rising lake waters, floating debris is most certainly a hazard when operating a boat on the lake

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