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SHASTA SPOTTED BASS & RAINBOW TROUT ...
The trout and bass fishing at Lake Shasta has backed off a little. Having said that anglers are still catching handsome fish, whether their preference is to plug for bass or troll for trout.
“I would have to say that bass fishing is okay right now, but it isn’t great,” related Tony Messer at Phil’s Propellers. “Early in the morning and late in the afternoon and evening you can do well while working surface lures. The chartreuse back Zara Spook has been the best topwater bait recently. In the afternoon there has been a pretty good crankbait bite for guys working mud lines on the main lake.”
“During the midday hours, working plastic worms rigged on darter heads is the best method. Most guys are fishing steep points on the main body, but if you want to run all the way up the arms to the point were the cold inflowing water mixes with the warmer lake water you can do well. Spinnerbaits are the top lure to use in the areas where the water is mixing,” added Messer.
Gary Miralles of the Shasta Tackle Company reported that the thermocline has now broken at Shasta and that has effectively scattered the trout across the water column. When that happens it can be difficult to locate the fish.
Many of the trout are inactive at this time. To encounter the most active fish you’ll want to focus on working either the top 20 feet of the water column were there are good numbers of shad, or deeper water in the 80 to 100 foot range were the temperature is most comfortable for the trout.
Miralles advises anglers to employ UV Sling Blade Dodgers teamed with UV Hoochies, Hum Dingers or Cripplures for the trout. The hottest trolling area has been the long stretch from the dam to Bridge Bay.
As of press time, Lake Shasta was 148 feet from maximum pool and dropping.
Mike Elster of Mike Elster Guide Service reported that the kokanee season at Whiskeytown is just about over for the year. “The hot setup this season was a UV Sling Blade teamed with a pink Apex, orange UV Pee Wee or a nickel/pink Cripplure. I’m really looking forward to next season when all the dinks we were catching this year will be over 14 inches,” related Elster.
This area offers a wide variety of fishing. Among the more popular fishing spots are the McCloud River and the upper Sacramento River. These two rivers feature native trout and are favorites of fly fishermen. Shasta and Claire Engle lakes are man-made, large, and populated by largemouth and smallmouth bass, trout, and the usual assortment of sunfish and cats. These lakes are great for camping. Boat traffic can be a little heavy during peak season. Whiskeytown Lake has the coldest lake water in the area and the smallmouth and trout fishing can be excellent. There are alpine lakes, many almost unfished because they are in wilderness areas. Some, however, are only a short walk from the trailhead. You can find brook, cutthroat, and rainbows in these lakes. Fish and Game has had a program for about 10 years stocking some lakes in the Trinity, Russian, and Marble Mountain Wilderness areas with golden trout. These alpine fish are on the small side but there are a lot of them. Kangaroo Lake near Callahan has a handicapped campground and concrete sidewalks on one side of the lake for wheelchair fishing. There are some 4 pound rainbows to be caught there. The upper Klamath River around Yreka boasts fantastic trout fishing in late spring and summer months. The fall run of salmon can provide nonstop action for fish in the 10 to 12 pound class. There is also a healthy steelhead run. Because the fish are smaller than other rivers in the area, the run doesn't get as much attention or fishing pressure as other Northern California rivers. |
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