Shasta Lake Fishing Report
Brown Trout, Kokanee Salmon & What's Coming on the Sacramento River
If you've been thinking about booking a Shasta Lake fishing trip, now is a good time to make the call. As your Shasta Lake fishing guide, I can tell you the lake is fishing as well as I've seen it in a while — brown trout, rainbow trout, and Kokanee salmon are all active, and king salmon season on the Sacramento River opens July 16.
Here's what's been happening on the water.
Brown Trout and Rainbow Trout
The browns and rainbows have been the highlight of recent trips. Surface temperatures are running around 78 degrees by 10am and pushing to 80 by midday, which has pushed fish down to the 80 to 100 foot range. I've been targeting 25 to 30 inch fish, and the lures producing those bigger browns and rainbows have been 3 to 5 inch offerings — Yakima Cut Plugs packed with tuna have been the ticket.
The best area lately has been near the dam around Digger Bay. If you know Shasta Lake, you know that area fishes differently depending on conditions, and right now it's where the bigger fish are holding.
Kokanee Salmon Fishing on Shasta Lake
Kokanee salmon have been hitting out in front of the O'Brien Arm on the Sacramento River section of the lake. Depth has been 50 to 70 feet, and color has mattered — chartreuse, green, and gold have been the most consistent producers. As your Shasta Lake fishing guide I'll tell you Kokanee are one of those fish where the right color on the right day makes all the difference, and right now those warmer tones are getting bit.
Bass Fishing
Bass fishing on the lake has been steady, with good numbers of fish coming in consistently. Ned Rigs, Wacky Worms, and Senkos worked tight against the bank and in 25 feet of water have been the most productive setups. My favorite area lately has been the Pit Arm up toward Arbuckle Flats — worth the run if you want numbers.
Sacramento River King Salmon Season Opens July 16
This is the big one. King salmon season on the Sacramento River opens July 16, and we're expecting around 300,000 fish arriving in the system. If Sacramento River salmon fishing is on your list this year, now is the time to book — open days fill up fast once the run gets going.
We'll be drifting roe and back-trolling Flatfish lures to start the season. Then on August 1, the Sundial Bridge area opens, and drifting egg patterns in that stretch is going to be on fire. If you want to be on the water for that opener, give me a call now and let's get you locked in.
Book a Guided Fishing Trip
Whether you're after brown trout and Kokanee on Shasta Lake or king salmon on the Sacramento River, guided trips are available now. As a Northern California fishing guide and Sacramento River fishing guide based in Redding since 1988, I know where the fish are and what they're eating. Call or text (530) 515-5951 or follow along on Facebook and Instagram for daily updates.
-
Depth depends on surface temperature and time of year, but during warmer summer months when surface temperatures are pushing 78 to 80 degrees by midday, browns and rainbows tend to drop down to the 80 to 100 foot range. We target 25 to 30 inch fish at those depths using 3 to 5 inch lures, with Yakima Cut Plugs packed with tuna being one of the most consistent producers. As your Shasta Lake fishing guide, Kirk adjusts depth and presentation based on conditions that day, which is one of the biggest advantages of fishing with a guide on a lake this size.
-
Color matters more with Kokanee than almost any other fish on the lake. During summer months, chartreuse, green, and gold have been the most consistent producers, typically fished at 50 to 70 feet in the O'Brian Arm area on the Sacramento River section of the lake. Kokanee are a landlocked sockeye salmon and can be finicky — the right color on the right day is most of the work, and that's local knowledge that comes from fishing the lake as often as Kirk does.
-
King salmon season on the Sacramento River opens July 16, with the Sundial Bridge area opening August 1. We typically start the season drifting roe and back-trolling Flatfish lures, then transition to drifting egg patterns once the Sundial Bridge stretch opens. Sacramento River salmon fishing is one of the most popular guided trips we run, and open days fill up fast once the run gets going. If you want to fish the opener or the Sundial Bridge area in early August, call now to lock in a date.
-
Bass fishing on Shasta Lake has been steady throughout the summer, with the Pit Arm up toward Arbuckle Flats being one of the most productive stretches lately. Ned Rigs, Wacky Worms, and Senkos worked tight against the bank and in about 25 feet of water have been getting consistent numbers. Bass are available year-round on Shasta Lake, making it a reliable option on days when salmon or trout fishing is slower.
-
As a full-time Shasta Lake fishing guide who spends over 100 days a year on the lake, Kirk has fished every arm and every condition the lake offers. Current productive areas include the dam near Digger Bay for big brown and rainbow trout, the O'Brian Arm on the Sacramento River section for Kokanee salmon, and the Pit Arm up toward Arbuckle Flats for bass. Where we fish on any given day depends on recent conditions, water temperature, and what species you want to target — which is the conversation worth having when you call to book.
