shasta lake fishing report:

January-February-March: Trophy brown trout.

May-December: Trout and King/Kokanee salmon

12/16/24- December is typically an exciting time for angling enthusiasts seeking to land BIG rainbow and Brown Trout along with King Salmon in Shasta Lake. The fall/winter weather is typically on the cooler side, with temperatures averaging around 55-60 degrees most days, creating near-perfect conditions for a great fishing experience. We are currently catching mostly rainbows and browns with some bass and the occasional king salmon in the mix. We are trolling the he top 15’ of the water column with side planers and divers. Some days we’ll drop a few downriggers deep just to keep the fish honest. We will be fishing Shasta every week now through the end of March and will start our summer season in June.

King Salmon: June-September is usually a favorable timeframe to fish for King Salmon or Chinook in Shasta Lake. These months, you may likely find the King Salmon in deeper waters, around 80-140+ feet deep. Downriggers or Chinook Divers are recommended to get your lures into the strike zone. Try trolling with dodger/flasher and Brads cut plug combinations or large plug cut baits to mimic their primary food source, threadfin shad. Notably, early mornings are the best times to fish for Kings on Shasta Lake.

Trout: As for the trout, the cooler conditions mean they are generally located between 10-30’ feet deep in the lake. Because the fish are shallow in the winter and spring, we most often use divers and side planers to catch a majority of our fish. In the summer months we usually fish deeper in the thermocline which varies from 60’-130’.

Please remember to respect bag and size limits, and follow all state fishing regulations, as these are vital for maintaining a healthy fish population in Shasta Lake. Also, bringing a cooler with ice can help keep your fish in good condition for eating after a great day of fishing.

Remember, every day is unique, and weather conditions can often influence fish feeding habits and activity levels, so patience and consistency are key! So grab your gear, head out to Shasta Lake in August, and enjoy the wonderful fishing opportunities for Trout and King Salmon.

shasta lake summer king salmon

Shasta Lake is the main attraction in Shasta County, drawing visitors from all over California, especially avid anglers. Located just 10 miles north of Redding and 170 miles north of Sacramento, Shasta Lake is easily reachable by car on Interstate 5. It hosts dozens of fishing tournaments, especially in winter and spring, with the FLW tournament series and the Wild West Bass Trail among the most important.

Landlocked steelhead Rainbow trout, and brown trout, King salmon, and Kokanee salmon.

Even with the wide variety of fish species in Shasta Lake, rainbow trout, brown trout, and landlocked King and Kokanee salmon are the most frequently sought after due to their abundance and above average size.  Every trip out on Shasta Lake holds the potential of catching a trophy trout or land locked King salmon. 

shasta lake brown trout Fishing!

now booking 2025 spring brown trout trips!

Guided brown trout fishing trips on Shasta Lake are most often successful, as the fish population is bolstered both naturally, and by fish stocking programs. The key to catching trout on Shasta is knowing where to find them during certain times of the year and by using the right baits and presentations to get them to bite.

In early spring, late fall, and winter, brown trout prefer to stay right under the surface, and most trolling methods will work. In late spring, throughout the summer, and in the beginning of autumn, brown trout hold deeper near the thermocline, so downriggers and other depth control devices work best for getting your gear down to where the big browns are.

In terms of bait, these brown trout respond exceptionally well to time tested lures and bait products we have utilized through our network of tackle and bait manufacturers.  Having direct contact with industry leaders in the tackle and bait business gives us an edge on the water each and every day!  

Shasta Lake STEELHEAD AND rainbow trout Fishing!

It takes a passionate, experienced, and a dedicated fishing guide to ensure the success of any fishing trip. A guide that knows the lake intimately and continuously expands upon his fishing knowledge to find success on this sophisticated body of water. Captain Jeff Goodwin will stop at nothing to ensure a great fish catching experience for everyone in the boat. Shasta fish can be finicky, but no one knows the lake and has the success we do on Shasta Lake. Do you have any questions? Would you like to schedule some unforgettable Shasta Lake guided fishing trips? This is the year to contact Jaynie Goodwin at the reservations desk to get your Shasta Lake fishing trip arranged for you!

shasta lake salmon fishing guide

Shasta Lake has received both King and Kokanee salmon plants over the last several years. We will start to catch some excellent King salmon and Kokanee salmon this year and fully expect the summer season to be very good! It will be the second year in a long time that we plan to offer King salmon and Kokanee trips on Shasta Lake. I fully expect to have a great year of salmon fishing on Shasta Lake in 2023! We should start to see some good numbers of Kings in late spring and it will build well into July-August.

shasta lake kokanee salmon!

We’ve been catching several Kokanee salmon in Shasta Last already this season, and this year will present the first adult class harvest of Kokanee on Shasta Lake since 1977. We’re excited to see how this Kokanee fishery does in 2021 and beyond! To book your 2021 Shasta Lake King and Kokanee salmon fishing trips, please click the link below! Thank you!

shasta lake summer kings!

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