Lake Almanor, CA
Lake Almanor Fishing Reports
September 13th, 2008
Provided by Doug Neal of Almanor Fishing Adventures
Surface @ 66 degrees
Water clarity : improved to 11 ft.
Bait fishing is the way to go this past week. There's always good trolling at Lake Almanor, but the bait bite has been just terrific! Observations and reports from other boats, all are the same, The trolling bite is a grind at best, you can get your fish, but plan on making a day of it. The best fish have been coming early morning from suspended baits 3 to 5 cranks off the bottom, using the big mealworms or crickets alone, or combined.
Its a great way to fish, and a very relaxing break from all the trolling we have done this summer. Fish are active all over the north east side of Lake Almanor, from the East shore the Hamilton Branch and over to Big Springs We have been catching everything this lake has in it! Smallmouth,Browns,Rainbows, Salmon,even Catfish all in the same place during the same morning.. The trolling bite is not totally dead, We got several solid limits the past week trolling red and gold Humdingers, Speedy Shiner's and Needle fish, Especially in bikini and Cop Car patterns. The down side is, heres allot of planted juvenile Salmon in these areas and the can become a nuisance, mostly because the are too small to pop the release and its possible to drag these little guys for miles and not know it.
We cleaned a few Brown Trout hens this week and egg development is rather advanced. we could see a earlier Brown Trout spawn this year. Hens should be released when ever possible and Avoid the using the net. Always take just enough for a dinner and release some too.
A-Frame The good old A-Frame is been a good spot to drown some cricket or crawlers, Several fish over 4 lbs. and under this past week. And several limits
Canyon Dam : Bait lots of bait, Trolling has been the method of choice. Several Rainbows over 3 lbs. from the Dam to the Snag and back. Dodger crawlers, flashers and Berkley power bait 2" Smelt, rolled and rigged deep is great!
Rec. 1 : Browns and Rainbows 60 yards out in front of the Osprey nest in 38ft.of water. Try mealworms/cricket, crawlers,Salmon eggs. find out what they want and make the switch!
Hamilton Branch:Bait Fishing just outside the mouth has been getting Rainbows most are on the small side running 15 to 17 inches, these fish are early season plants, however there are a few over 3 lbs. in the mix too.
Take all the usual stuff, crickets, mealworms, crawlers and even power bait..jig if fish are rolling.
We got several rainbows trolling UV Humdingers and gold Cripple lures 8ft. off the bottom, fast @ 3.3 mph
East Shore:Trolling Lake Cove is still productive, but slow, the fish are on the small side 16 to 19 inches.
Try any of the following lures, 1/4 oz. RGSS, Silver Humdingers or A gold Z-Ray W/red dots..
Add to the lures or bait some Pro-Cure Trophy Trout and Garlic scents blended together.
Spar Buoy: My pick of the week for quality fish. Jigging has been great! Bait fishing has been getting clean Rainbows and perfect Brown trout, most about 2.2 lbs and up.
Big Springs: Big Springs The spring fed cove in the back of Big Springs is drawing a lot of fishing pressure because there are so many fish holding in there. But all that pressure has given the fish a big case of lock jaw. You better get there early for the best spots, and be quite going in. Also this area has produced the best trolling action, with RGSS and Humdingers getting wacked often.
Rec.2 Slow but steady action, If you stick it out you will get hits.Try Jigging white or yellow jigs.
.Fish are packed in there right now, but so are the Smelt, so there's lots on food.. Bait fish off the bottom, or Jig.
Our best fish went for a threaded crawler with Pro-Cure Trophy Trout super gel and Balls o Fire Salmon eggs, mealworms and crickets, three cranks off the bottom.
Fresh Water Whopper Report.
Jack Nora of Lake Almanor with a 5.5 lbs Hookjaw Brown Trout that went for the mealwormcricket combo just off the bottom, near Rec.Area#1 along the Almanor penisula.
August 31, 2008
Lake Almanor
Lake Almanor Fishing Reports Provided by Doug Neal, of " Almanor Fishing Adventures"
Surface temp.@70 degrrees
Water clarity : Good to 12 ft.
The East half of Almanor is the place to be right now, water clarity is good to almost 12 ft.Compared to the west side which is a mess right now with floating grass, murkey water,and a warmer surface temp. The bait fish, pond Smelt, are everywhere from the Dam to Prattville and north to Big Springs and along the pennisula. Giant clouds of smelt are on the move as feeding fish push them all over the place.
Rec. 1 : Nice Rainbows all around 3 lbs. about 400 yards out in front of Rec.#1, about 51 ft. of water. Troll 1/4 oz. RGSS or silver and blue Humdingers. 6 ft. off the bottom @ 2.9 mph.
Bait fish in front of the Osprey nest for Browns that are active from fisrt light till 11:00 am. Try mealworms/cricket, crawlers,Salmon eggs. find out what they want and make the switch!
Hamilton Branch:Bait Fishing just outside the mouth has been the hot spot. Several reports of Rainbows limits, fast and early.
Take all the usual stuff, crickets, mealworms, crawlers and even power bait..
East Shore:Trolling Lake Cove is still productive, but the fish are on the small side 16 to 19 inches.
Try any of the following lures, 1/4 oz. RGSS, Silver Humdingers or A gold Z-Ray W/red dots.. Run these 4 to 8 ft. off the bottom 2.8 to 2.9 mph. We fished about 600 yds out in 48 to 55 ft. of water, however there were several boats working in closer. Add to the lures or bait some Pro-Cure Trophy Trout and Garlic scents blended together.
Spar Bouy: One day its hot, and the next day it not!, mostly Browns. crickets and mealworms,or double crickets off the bottom. This bite can go off early. I had 18 hits there in 5 hrs. and put 9 in the box, best fish was 4.8 lbs.
If theres fish rolling on top, try white or yellow jigs when the sun hits the water and into the afternoon can produce some solid strikes.
Theres not as much bait fish moving in and out of there this past couple of days, if its slow, you better go..
Big Springs:Big Springs Its still your best bet for the Salmon. Premium Anchovy tails with Pro-Cures Krill Scent, or Smelly Jellys Koknaee Feast 3 to 5 cranks off the bottom. Crawlers are good to have down there too. The trolling bite has been good as well, most all our hits came on Berkley 2" Power minnows in smelt. 14" behind a Seps 04 Silver Prsim Dodger. 30ft. down.
Rec.2 Try Jigging white or yellow jigs, we managed a couple of fish there the past week, Browns to 3.0 lbs, and some smaller. Fish are packed in there right now, but so are the Smelt, so theres lots on food.. Bait fish off the bottom, or Jig.
Our best fish went for a threaded crawler with Pro-Cure Trpphy Trout super gel and Balls o Fire Salmon eggs, three cranks off the bottom.
T
his weeks fishing tip: If You like trolling deep,start looking into lures and dodgers that feature ultra violet thin film. Fish can see light in that spectrum and are attrached to the flash..... Try UV scents by Pro-Cure on your own lures.....Go UV it works!
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