Fish Reports

EAST WALKER RIVER        The flows on the East Walker  are at about 134 cfs today. The fishing has gotten a bit tougher up there, mainly due to the heat lately. We’ve had some good reports from anglers fishing early in the morning, from say 7 to 10 or 11 then it just gets too warm and puts too much stress on the fish to be on the water much past that. The night time temperatures have been in the 40’s most nights so that has seemed to help the overall picture quite a bit. When the sun starts to go down in the evening the fish seem to be getting happy again each day and there’s been some decent dry action at that time of the day. In the mornings the streamer action has been good with sculpzilla, dead drift crayfish, ziwi, dali lama, as well as some nymphs like buckskin caddis, z-wing caddis, fox’s poopah, perdigon, zebra midge and copper John. Report courtesy of Kens Sporting Goods.

Folsom Lake Trout Bite Improves, Salmon Bite Challenging

FOLSOM – The rainbow trout bite has been much better at Folsom Lake than the salmon action lately.

“This week has been challenging, but has rewarded patience,” reported Wes Ward of Angling Wes Guide Service. “The salmon have been hard to find, but the trout bite has picked up substantially since early July.”

“The water level is dropping daily and the fish are on the move. I started the week chasing trout between Folsom Point and Mormon Island early and moving out to open water in the afternoons. Hoochies tipped with herring were consistent with an occasional spoon fish in the mix,” Ward stated.

“As the week progressed, the fish scattered to open water. By Wednesday, most of my fish were caught between Beal’s and the dam. Spoons trolled fast, covering water were the most effective.”

“By Friday, I had moved up the North Fork near Anderson Island to find pockets of trout. Slow plastic presentations were the only offering I could get bit on. The bass were way more active than the trout,” Ward noted.

“Saturday morning, the North Fork was totally dead. I had one really solid hit on a spoon that didn’t stick. We moved out to the peninsula and moved into the shallows. My one and only salmon of the week came on a green hoochie in 30 feet of water. Soon after the salmon, we picked up a very nice trout on the same hoochie,” he explained.

“Surface temperatures were 77+ by the end of the week with most of our bites coming between 45–65 feet.”

“I have a few dates available in August if you want to get out on summer Folsom fishing. It’s a great time to get the kids out on some mixed bag fishing. I averaged 5–7 trout per trip with a steady mix of bass on the line,” Ward concluded.

The open launch ramps are Granite Bay, Folsom Point and Brown’s Ravine.

Here are the new boating requirements:

Vessels completing the 30-day quarantine may return to Folsom and Clementine lakes, have the seal removed by authorized staff, and be allowed to launch. Boaters wishing to return to the lakes in the future will have the option to have their boat sealed upon exiting the water and will not be required to quarantine thereafter as long as the seal remains intact.

All trailered vessels are subject to the inspection, quarantine and seal program. Hand-launched, non-motorized watercraft, such as kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, rowing shells, outrigger canoes and rowboats are not subject to the inspection, quarantine and decontamination requirements. Hand-launched watercraft with electric trolling motors, such as fishing kayaks, are also exempt from these requirements.

As part of this new golden mussel prevention program, only hand-launched boats will be permitted on Lake Natoma. Trailered vessels will not be permitted. The existing 5 mph speed limit on Lake Natoma for motorized craft will remain in effect. All boaters, including paddlers and rowers, must arrive with their watercraft clean, drained, and dry.

DBW maintains a list of contacts at: https://dbw.parks.ca.gov/inspections.

Additional information on the golden mussel prevention program, including inspection site locations, frequently asked questions and hours, can be found at www.parks.ca.gov/FolsomLakeGoldenMussels.

Folsom Lake is holding 555,778 acre feet of water, 57 percent of capacity and 90 percent of average. The water level is 43.34 feet in elevation.

• Dan Bacher

French Meadows Reservoir The Trout Bite Is Early and Short

FORESTHILL – If you want to catch rainbow or brown trout, you need to fish early in the morning or late in the evening at French Meadows Reservoir.

“The bite is real early and short,” said Cal Kellogg of fishcalkellogg.com. “I got to the lake to fish from my kayak an hour after sunrise on my latest trip there. I caught four rainbows from 15 to 17 inches in the first hour. I hooked one fish on a Trigger Spoon Jr. deep and the rest on Trout Trix Minnows at 30 feet deep.”

“After that first hour, the bite died. The surface water temperature was 70 degrees. I hooked the fish between the two boat ramps. I saw lots of fish at 50 feet deep on my fish finder,” said Kellogg.

“There were very few fishermen out on the lake,” he added. “I saw one other boat and no bank anglers. The main campground is closed. The lake level is higher than average.”

• Dan Bacher

Lake Almanor

Good Fishing in beautiful conditions on the lake.

Pleasant summertime conditions have made for some great fishing out on Lake Almanor. Below average temps and an occasional thunder shower have been the weather headlines as of late. The water level continues its slow decline currently sitting at 4488.4 A drop of about a foot in the last several weeks. Flows on all the lake’s tributaries are at seasonal norms. Water temperatures are currently running in the low 70’s ticking up into the mid 70’s during the days. Bug hatches continue in many areas of the lake, even a few hearty Hex Flies continue to pop at various locations around the lake, with fish in those areas still keying in on them as evidenced by the stomach contents of several Rainbows. Some fish including trout and Smallies have shifted their attention back to the lake’s pond smelt population. The trout are now widely spread throughout the entire lake. Action for trollers is happening at many locations around the lake, from the dam to Big Springs as well as the area around the mouth of Hamilton Branch. Both sides of the peninsula have also been giving up fish as are the deeper pockets of the west shore like Rocky Point giving anglers plenty of locations to visit. Trout have been caught on a wide variety of offerings recently. Slow trolled worms and plastics along with fast trolled spoons in bright as well as bait fish patterns have both produced fish this week. 35 to 45 feet seems to be holding the bulk of the active fish. The catch continues to be a mix Rainbows and Browns along with a few salmon. Bait fishermen have been netting a few fish at several locations including the dam and east shore. Suspended baits like worms, crickets and meal worms close to the bottom will get the job done. Fly anglers suspending nymphs under indicators are tempting the fish that are keyed in on the aquatic larvae. Bass anglers have been throwing jigs on rocky points and shorelines for smallies keyed in on smelt as their food source. Lots of trout stacked up in Hamilton Branch. Shore anglers are connecting with some, but timing is everything and the bite can be fickle. The weatherman is calling for a bit of a warming trend but nothing drastic and conditions should stay conducive to maintain the classic summertime fishing.

Lake Tahoe   Summer Bite is On!   Fishing is strong on Lake Tahoe for those targeting deeper water. Surface temps are in the low to mid-60s°F, warming slightly in sheltered areas. Mackinaw are stacked at 400–600 feet and biting for anglers jigging or trolling. Kokanee are showing around 100 feet in South Lake Tahoe, taking bright spoons and hoochies. Rainbows and browns are cruising near creek mouths, with trout fishing best at first light or late evening while trolling 30–40 feet along the west shore. Fly anglers can find action with nymphs early and dries during calm evening hours. The folks at Tahoe Sportfishing reported an outstanding month with 648 Mackinaw and 1187Kokanee caught during July, plus a big fish of 14.51 lb Mackinaw. The mackinaw were caught mootching live bait on the bottom in 100 to 200 feet of water The kokanee were found from 40 to 80 feet down in many parts of the lake. Red wedding ring spinners tipped with white corn was the best offering.

Los Vaqueros Reservoir Catfish Plants Boost Summer Fishing Success

LIVERMORE – There have been five plants of catfish in Los Vaqueros Reservoir so far this summer. The latest plant by Tsai Enterprises was on August 5 when 1,000 pounds of catfish were stocked in the reservoir. They also stocked 1,000 pounds of channel cats on July 15.

For those targeting catfish, chicken liver and anchovies are the best choices of bait. There has been a steady number of catfish being caught around the reservoir. South Cove, Cowboy Cove and Oak Point are some of the popular spots, according to the Los Vaqueros Marina. Expect to catch channel cats averaging 2 to 5 pounds, along with some bigger fish.

“Striper fishing is mixed with both shakers and legal sized fish being caught from around the reservoir,” the marina reported. “Cut anchovies or shad are the baits of choice, either from shore or a boat. Cowboy Cove and Howden Cove seem to be the hot spots for stripers. Just a reminder: stripers need to be 18 inches or more to be legal. Please release the small fish as quickly and carefully as possible. They are the future of our striped bass fishery.”

Although trout plants are suspended until the fall, there are still plenty of rainbow trout out in the lake for anglers to catch. The last plant of the spring of 2,000 pounds of Mt. Lassen trout went into the lake on May 14.

“Shore anglers have the most success using garlic scented PowerBait followed by night crawlers. Trolling is doing fairly well, especially in the backs of coves. Light tackle is important for catching trout. 4-6-pound test is plenty. Fishing has been good. On days the winds allow boats we have seen a number of limits as well as anglers with just a couple. Remember: Limit is 5 per angler for the day,” the marina stated.

If you are interested in renting a boat, the marina recommends calling ahead to check current wind conditions as they are unpredictable and can impact the ability to safely rent boats to visitors. Wind speeds change suddenly and boat rentals are typically suspended when they exceed 15 MPH and when heavy gusts are forecasted. Remember – rental boats are first come, first served. Weekends and some weekdays sell out quickly.

The reservoir is holding 145,000 acre feet of water. For more information, call (925) 371-2628.

New Melones Lake Big Channel Cats Go On Bite

ANGELS CAMP – While fishing at New Melones Reservoir for late season kokanee salmon remains very good, the catfish have gone on a superb late summer bite at night.

“We changed things up and left the kokanee alone and chased catfish last night,” reported Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Sportfishing. “We fished the shallow flats with cut bait for 22 fish to the boat and 18 retained, while enjoying Lockeford sausage on the BBQ.”

“If you’re looking to escape the heat and enjoy a laid back fishing adventure with nobody on the lake this is for you,” he noted.

On his latest kokanee trip on the reservoir, Wise reported top-notch fishing, “with limits in minutes.”

“I had Mr. Njrich reach out to me to take out the grandkids and learn how to fish for kokanee. We absolutely accomplished both before 8 a.m. with limits and a bonus brown & rainbow trout.

Late season tactics paid off with a few fish being caught up in the water column. “If you’re looking to fill the freezer/smoker or learn a few tricks, we’re going to run a little longer this year,” Wise added.

Boaters interested in participating in the new seal program can obtain a quarantine seal to attach to your boat and trailer at this time. Please visit the Glory Hole boat launch location between 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to obtain one from a park ranger free of charge, to begin the 30-day quarantine period prior to any future boat launching at New Melones.

For questions about this suspension and the new protocol, contact a New Melones staff member at 209-459-7290 or visit the New Melones website.

New Melones is holding 1,709,940 acre feet of water, 71 percent of capacity and 119 percent of average.

• Dan Bacher

Lake Oroville King Salmon and Rainbow Trout Bite Sizzles!

OROVILLE – Lake Oroville is “on fire” right now for landlocked king salmon and rainbow trout, reported Bret Brady of Bare Bones Guide Service.

“Most bites are happening 55–85 ft deep,” Brady said. “Morning’s the best time, but you can score late morning too.”

Brady has been trolling Uncle Larry’s hoochies in white or green. He recommended adding scent, anchovy, or sardine for extra strike.

“Oroville today produced an insane bite,” Brady reported on a recent trip to the reservoir. “We went 19 fish landed for 24 hook-ups. We pulled a great double hook-up in our first few minutes of fishing this morning and it never stopped.”

“We trolled 45 to 85 feet deep – the bait was everywhere. Our big rainbows went up to 4.5 lbs. We also had a king that went 4.5 pounds. What a morning,” Brady advised.

“Track those bait schools on Oroville—they’re the hot spot,” he added.

Ron Rickman reported top-notch king salmon and rainbow trout action on the Lake Oroville Fishing Reports Facebook Page.

“My Buddy Richard Kowski, Ron, John and I had a great day fishing on the Fish Machine,” said Rickman. “We landed 6 kings and 6 rainbows to 18 inches.”

DWR’s mussel inspection program in Oroville continues to protect State Water Project (SWP) infrastructure, according to the California Department of Water Resources.

Mandatory watercraft inspections are required prior to launching at the Oroville Facilities (Lake Oroville, Thermalito Forebay, Thermalito Afterbay). Watercraft that pass the inspection will receive a seal and can launch during designated ramp hours.

Watercraft Inspection Location/Decontamination Services are only available at the North Thermalito Forebay at Garden Drive and HWY 70 in Oroville. Hours of operation are daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Watercraft inspections and decontamination services at DWR’s Oroville facilities are free. To pass an inspection, watercraft and trailers must not have any attached mussels and be clean and 100 percent dry. Watercraft with ballast bags/tanks, bilge, and motors must have a working battery and be operational to complete required inspections.

Be sure to bring your vessel’s keys!

Sealed Vessel Launching: All trailered and personal watercraft with an intact blue seal will be permitted to launch at the following boat ramp facilities during the hours listed. Boat ramps at the Oroville facilities will no longer be open 24/7. Launching trailered boats or personal watercraft is not allowed at any other location.

The launch ramp hours are daily from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Spillway and Bidwell Canyon ramps.

The Limesaddle and Loafer Creek facilities are open daily from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Thermalito Afterbay at Monument Hill ramp is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to one hour after sunset.

The Thermalito Forebay at the North Forebay ramp is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Lake Oroville is holding 2,645,376 acre feet of water, 77 percent of capacity and 115 percent of average. The lake level is 845.22 feet in elevation.

• Dan Bacher

Rio Vista/Delta Trollers Lay Into San Joaquin River Stripers

RIO VISTA – The striper bite for trollers in the Delta has been excellent, according to avid trolling expert Mark Wilson. Mark tells me that if the wind cooperates, he’s been catching his fish mainly on the San Joaquin River from the Three Mile Slough Bridge east to the Antioch Bridge.

On his last trip, Mark and his friends caught 37 keeper stripers averaging 5 pounds up to 14 pounds, releasing all but their limit. Mark continued to tell me that all the stripers were caught using deep diving Yozuri lures. Mark said that any deep diving Yozuri with green worked the best for him on this particular day.

Mark further said that the Sacramento River was holding fish on the West Bank and off of Decker Island, but that there were more concentrations of stripers on the San Joaquin River, so that is where he’s been fishing. Grass is definitely a problem on both rivers, so he suggests checking your lines often.

There is no sturgeon report this month as sturgeon fishing closed on June 30th from the west side of the Carquinez Bridge east to downstream of the confluence of the Feather River on the Sacramento River and downstream of the I-5 bridge on the San Joaquin River. Sturgeon fishing will resume again on October 1, 2025, so look for a sturgeon report once the fishery opens after October 1st.

If you’d like a change of location, but would still like to target striped bass, then Guide Dennis Grossi of Grossi’s Guide Service is the person to call. Guide Dennis Grossi trolls the Napa River for stripers, departing from Cuttings Wharf on the southwest corner of Napa County in the Carneros region.

Dennis tells me that the stripers are starting to arrive in the river, and on his last trip his clients caught 16 keepers averaging 5 pounds. Dennis told me that he’s been trolling 1 oz. Rat-L-Trap lures, in silver and chartreuse colors, 120 to 150 feet behind the boat, for the best action.

• Ken Baccetti, President of the California Striped Bass Association (CSBA), Isleton-Delta Chapter

Russian River Lower River Yields Quality Largemouths

GUERNEVILLE – While smallmouth bass have drawn many anglers to fish the Russian River during the summer over the years, the lower stretch of river has been producing beautiful, chunky largemouth bass lately. King’s Sport and Tackle reported a memorable day of largemouth fishing during his latest trip:

“I took out a client, Shawn, today. It was a birthday present from his mother-in-law, the owner of the wonderful ‘Inn on the Russian River’ in Monte Rio. And it was very much like fishing with one of my buddies growing up.”

“Shawn grew up in Alaska fishing and lives in Washington. That fishing lineage scares me every single time but I had nothing to worry about. Shawn was totally happy fishing for bass, relaxing on the Russian.

“It started slow with one hookup. The morning fish bite just hasn’t happened often this summer. But in the end he reeled in around eight plus bass and lost two bigger bass, one due to a smart fish and the other due to the guide’s knot tying ability (Palomar knots rarely fail me. I still think it’s the strongest and easiest knot to tie). I was bummed.

“But Shawn’s last fish of the day, just 100 yards from his dock, ended up being 4 lbs 12 ounces, beating the previous largest bass of the season so far by one ounce!

“Good trip. Good company. I could do with a little better morning bite but overall, I call it Russian River successful!”

During a previous trip, King’s Sport and Tackle reported:

“Steve, the current record holder for biggest bass this season from a week ago, asked me to take him and his old fishing buddy Dave out on Tuesday. What a blast those two were, with a game of first fish, last fish, biggest fish, smallest fish, most species! They had me in stitches.

“Our adventure was way down river on a trip I wouldn’t do for a casual fisherman: long day, stretches of no to very little fish, sun blazing and wind which blew us around like kites at times.

“Fishing was okay, a lot of fish were caught where I least expected and some of my go-to spots were empty/nobody home. In the end Steve had 8 bass, and Dave had 6 with some fish missed.

“The biggest was over three pounds and the smallest was sucking on the tail of a D Shad. We spent some time trying for pikeminnows in a school but they wouldn’t hit; sometimes they are the most aggressive fish and sometimes they go basically dormant.”

• Dan Bacher

Shasta Lake

Trout and Kokanee still on the bite.

Shasta Lake water level is sitting at 55’ to the top and water temperature is about 78-79 degrees. The water level report is out and they say it will go down to 80’ to crest by October 1st. The water temperature is a little bit cooler for this time of year, generally it’s been around 81-82 degrees. It’s been kind of an interesting year, Kokanee started off to really well. People were catching them all over the lake. Kokanee fishing is getting a bit tougher now, they’re starting to change color a bit as well as developing the kype nose. The hot spots were by the dam, as well as Gooseneck on the Sacramento arm and McCloud was doing good. We were picking them up in the main body, but this has pretty much stopped. For a while it was getting pretty crowded in some areas. The guys that are still going for them are still using orange and reds as their go to colors, and still doing 1.3-1.8 mph and down 55-60’. The last 4 days I’ve been out I haven’t marked any in the areas that I’ve been. This year the trout bite is behind schedule. This July wasn’t as productive as it usually is, and August usually is off the charts. The fish usually have put on some weight and have fattened up. We have been getting mostly 14”-16” fish. We’re are seeing some good size fish but not as many for this time of year. We had another shad hatch last week and this changed their feeding habits once again. They were primarily feeding on 1” hatchlings so we had to change to a small spoon like a Viper, Dick Nite or Sockeye Slammer. We were running these in a white or silver. I was having great luck with a Popped Eye spoon and I have run these for 5-6 years now. The trick when they’re feeding on small bait is not to put the bend in the spoon this slows down the action. I take them out of the package and remove the red treble and replace it with a Matzuo sickle siwash hook. On the Viper or Dick Nite I use a #6 and Popped Eye a #1. We’ve been fishing in the 55-60’ range and marking lots of bait balls. We still haven’t had great bites that last for hours. It’s been good for 15-20 minutes and slows down and we peck away at them, but the early morning it’s been a bass bite until 7:00 am. Then as the sun rises it slowly becomes more of a rainbow bite. As we come off the full moon and this hot weather returns, many of us are hopeful that the bite winds up and goes full throttle. Report courtesy of Rob Hower, Shasta Lake.

Trinity River Community Unites for River Clean Up As Flows Threatened by Water Plan

GUERNEVILLE – Hoopa Valley — On Saturday, July 26, a Trinity River Clean-Up organized by Save California Salmon and the Hoopa Valley Tribe brought together over 50 community members, Tribal leaders, youth, and environmental advocates.

“The day began at the Hoopa Tribal Office with a morning ground clean-up, followed by a rafting clean-up on the Trinity River and a community lunch,” reported a press statement from Save California Salmon (SCS). “Volunteers removed bags of trash and debris from the riverbanks and waterways, helping restore critical salmon habitat in one of California’s most important and endangered rivers. Organizers said they are finding less trash every year.”

Joe Davis, Hoopa Tribal Chairman, said, “On behalf of the Hoopa Valley Tribe, I would like to thank Save California Salmon and everyone who contributed to this year’s ever-important clean up. Let’s keep the momentum going and continue our strong role as Hupa People to be the stewards of the Trinity River.”

The event centered Indigenous leadership and stewardship, bringing youth and families together to care for the river while educating participants on the deep cultural and ecological significance of the Trinity River, along with current threats to the river’s flows from the Trump administration, according to SCS.

“I’m proud to support the Trinity River Clean-Up,” said Hoopa Valley Tribal council member and local raft guide Joseph Marshall. “It’s important to keep our riverways clean and take pride in our homelands. The youth and community are involved in this cleanup so future generations will learn to keep our valley and river clean. It is our responsibility to take care of our home.”

The organizers said the clean-up was “part of a larger effort to protect salmon populations and honor Tribal stewardship in the face of pollution, drought, and increasing diversion pressures.”

The Trinity River, the largest tributary of the Klamath River, is home to endangered coho salmon, as well as fall and spring-run Chinook salmon and steelhead. It is considered a vital part of the Hoopa Valley Tribe’s culture and subsistence.

“A new diversion plan/endangered species plan, called a Biological Opinion, for the Trinity River is expected to come out for public comment this fall,” said Regina Chichizola, Save California’s Executive Director. “It will be very important for the public to get involved in this comment period as it will be the first one to be subject to the Trump administration’s new Executive Orders about maximizing water diversions to Central Valley farmers. Currently the Yurok and Hoopa Valley Tribes are co-leads in the process.”

“We’re thankful to everyone who showed up. The annual clean up is an opportunity to connect with, learn about, and help the Klamath River’s largest tributary,” added Chichizola. “Restoring the Trinity River is one of the most important things we can do for the Klamath salmon now that the dams are down, but unfortunately over half of the Trinity’s water is still diverted to the Central Valley, and the flows that remain in the river are now threatened by the Trump administration.”

She said engaging in the upcoming public comment periods on Trinity River flows is the best way the public can help the river. “We hope the community will be inspired by the clean up and testify for flows for fish on the Trinity when the new flows plan is released,” Chichizola concluded.

• Dan Bacher

Truckee Area Lakes Donner and Stampede Kokanee Fishing Tapers Off

TRUCKEE -

Donner Lake: Fishing at Donner Lake has been fair, with the best action coming early in the morning. Surface temps are sitting in the mid-60s°F, and while the Kokanee bite has slowed, a few pods are still hanging at 40–50 feet—pink or chartreuse hoochies behind a dodger are your best bet. Mackinaw are deeper at 120–130 feet and responding to white tube jigs and silver spoons. Shore anglers have had luck at the west-end ramps and China Cove with worms and PowerBait. As the sun climbs, boat traffic and warming water tend to quiet the bite down.

Boca Reservoir: Boca continues to produce for both boat and shore anglers, though summer heat has tapered off the Kokanee bite. Trout fishing is still solid, especially near the dam, with worms, salmon eggs, PowerBait, and small spoons getting the job done. Surface temps in the low 60s°F are pushing fish deeper as the day warms. The lake remains full, providing plenty of access and good fishing opportunities all around.

Stampede Reservoir: Stampede is full and cool, holding surface temps in the lower 60s°F. Kokanee action has slowed, but trout are still feeding near coves and rocky points in the early hours. Bass are steady at 20–25 feet and hitting finesse presentations. By mid-morning, most fish slide into deeper water, so focusing on structure and shade lines during first light will give you the best shot.

Prosser Creek Reservoir: Prosser has been producing consistent catches for both trout and bass anglers. The reservoir is around 95% full, with surface temps in the low to mid-60s°F. Shore fishing near the dam at sunrise and sunset with worms, salmon eggs, or PowerBait has been productive, while trollers are finding suspended trout around 50 feet. As with most area lakes, the morning hours are the most reliable.

Jackson Meadows: Jackson Meadows remains a good option for shore anglers despite limited access. The lake is full, with water temps in the mid-60s°F. The dam area continues to be the hotspot, with nightcrawlers and PowerBait catching most of the fish. While boating restrictions remain in place for invasive species prevention, bank anglers are finding success early and late in the day.

Report courtesy of Mountain Hardware and Sports

Truckee/Little Truckee Rivers Hit The Canyon for Best Trout Action

TRUCKEE -

The flows on the Truckee River have dropped around 100 CFS at the Farad gauge. As of today, this section of river is sitting at 550 CFS, which is just a bit above average for this time of year. The cooler than normal days have also kept the water temps peaking at 66°F around 5:00pm along this same section of river, which will often be the coolest on the entire river because of the tailwater releases out of Boca.

Remember, trout are a coldwater fish and prefer cooler temperatures. Because of this we are highly recommending to fish down in the canyon right now. If fishing upstream of the Boca confluence, continue to carry a thermometer with you and call it when temps exceed 66°F to give the fish a break when the water gets warm. This will also be the same for those fishing West Reno and down as water temps will warm back up once you hit Verdi.

At this point in the year, it’s safe to say that the best fishing is early in the morning anyways, so get on the water early and off by mid-day. The flies dejour are a mix of crawdads, large stonefly patterns imitating the nocturnal stone (size 4-6), and small flies such as PMDs, BWOs, midges, and caddis pupa.

We have also noticed an uptick in the fish’s willingness to take a streamer this week, and using most methods of presenting have been working. Stripping, swinging, and dead drifting sculpin, whitefish, baby trout, or crawdad patterns have been putting fish in the net. Just be sure to use heavy flies, a sink tip line, or even just a bunch of split shot to present your flies on or near the bottom.

The dropping of flows on the Little Truckee has begun this week. As of today, we are seeing it sit around 80 CFS, but the odds are this will continue to drop. If planning to fish out here, we advise you to take a look at the flows out of the dam before heading out. You can find them easily here on our website. When they do drop the flows down to the forecasted 45 CFS we will be recommending to fish elsewhere and give these fish a break.

As they step down flows, this will slow the fishing down a bit because the fish will need to move around and adjust to their new surroundings.

For those looking to dry fly fish, you can expect the best hatches to be at the uppermost stretch of river, with PMDs coming off daily. As the season progresses, we have been downsizing our imitations of this mayfly to more of a size 18. This is due to both the pressure the fish have seen recently and because the naturals are getting smaller as well. BWOs, midges, and worms are continuing to fish well for those going subsurface.

The LT is a tailwater, the fishing will be good all day, and we recommend getting out during those odd hours to avoid the crowds.

• Miles Zimmerman, Trout Creek Outfitters

TWIN LAKES                   The Twins are still producing pretty well lately with some good reports coming in from trollers fishing lead core and getting out 6 or 7 colors, they’re getting into a lots of kokanee as well as some good rainbows. The kokanee seem to be running a little on the small side this season but there seems to be plenty of them. Needlefish, Rapalas and Thomas Bouyants have all been doing well for the trolling. Bait anglers have been bending some rods wth power bait, mice tails, pinched crawlers and inflated crawlers. We haven’t heard much from the fly anglers but mini leeches, soft hackles and wooly buggers should all do well up there, especially if you’re running a sinking line.  Report courtesy of Kens Sporting goods

VIRGINIA LAKES                  The Virginias are still enjoying very good action, especially from the fly anglers fishing from kayaks and tubes. They’re doing excellent with intermediate sink likes dragging small wooly buggers, mini leeches, soft hackles and damsel nymphs. There’s some ok bait action with pinched crawlers and mice tails and early or late in the day there’s been some good fish caught with Kastmasters and Thomas Bouyants.  Report courtesy of Kens Sporting Goods

WEST WALKER RIVER              We’ve still been getting quite a few good reports from the West this past week with anglers reporting the best action in the Canyon along Hwy 395 up closer to the town of Walker and some decent action in the Pickle Meadows area off of Hwy 108. Bait anglers are using eggs, mini crawlers and power eggs, lure anglers are doing the best early and late in the day with Panther Martins and Roostertails. Fly anglers can fish throughout the day with hopper dropper rigs and have good action as long as they’re sneaky enough.     Report courtesy of Kens Sporting Goods

Bodega Bay/Tomales Bay Rockfish and Lingcod Action Sizzles, White Seabass and Stripers Boated in Bay

BODEGA BAY – The New Sea Angler continues to find topnotch shallow water rockfish and lingcod fishing off the Sonoma County Coast, while anglers are catching a mixture of halibut, striped bass, and white seabass in Tomales Bay.

On his most recent trip, the 16 anglers aboard the New Sea Angler bagged 160 rockfish and 15 lingcod up to 16 pounds.

“After running research trips the last three days, we went back out again today,” Powers reported. “The 16 anglers caught full limits of great quality rockfish, all bottom grabbers with no school fish. They also boated 15 lingcod to 16 pounds. Conditions were good, with no wind and light seas conditions.”

On his previous trip, the 18 anglers aboard the New Angler bagged 180 rockfish and 36 lingcod up to 18 pounds.

The anglers have been catching quality canary, brown, copper, and vermilion rockfish. Anglers are hooking the fish while using shrimp flies baited with squid strips, bars, jigs, swimbaits, and other offerings.

Meanwhile, anglers fishing inside Tomales Bay have been catching a mixture of halibut, white seabass, and stripers, although the fishing has been challenging at times.

“So what do you do when you’re on vacation but the weather turns to gale force winds? I guess you troll the back by Marshall for bass,” Willy Vogler of Lawson’s Landing reported. “I guess that because the only boat we launched today did that and caught bass – white seabass and striped bass. Flatfish are hard this year, and likely will continue to be hard for a few years if the past salmon closure is any kind of indicator.”

“Gage and I were looking at the halibut results, year over year, from Sportfishingreport.com, and they showed a drop of 50% or better in the catch per fisherman since 2023. Go catch what’s biting, is the result of that, and the twins show it. Two stripers near Pelican and two white seabass near Marshall were the catches of the day. You go, Alexanders, Johnny Sandbar (a Gerard Fitzgerald nickname if there ever was one) and Martha. The catching may suck, but certain people figure out how to catch nonetheless. Nice. Fricking. Fish,” he quipped.

On another day, Vogler reported, “Gage took his girlfriend, Amanda, out fishing this evening. Gage caught, well, nothing. But he gaffed a nice halibut on Amanda’s line. This fish was caught on a jig on the bar after 7:00 PM. Not an early bite but a good fish.”

On another day, Swampy sent over this report: “Evening Willy. Spent the day on the bay with good results. Easy anchovy bait near the yellow marker. 6 halibut to 12 pounds for three anglers north of Hog with the tide change being key. Glad to get some meat this trip. See you next time.”

Vogler’s response? “The halibut fishing may be down, but not out. There were several other halibut caught today with ‘north of Hog’ also being in common. Also, most of the fish were caught in the afternoon. My guess is that some fish came in. Hopefully there’s more following them. Nice work on the fish, Swampy and crew,” wrote Vogler.

The recreational groundfish regulations in the San Francisco Management Area (from Point Arena to Pigeon Point) are available here: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=185056&inline

• Dan Bacher

Fisherman’s Wharf/Berkeley Take Your Pick of Stripers, Halibut or Rockfish

SAN FRANCISCO – Captain Craig Hansen of Argo Sportfishing reports navigating from his berth at Fisherman’s Wharf and drifting live bait with customers at various bay and ocean locations depending on tides and weather. Capt. Craig has been finding stripers at Racoon Strait, and boating halibut at F-Buoy on the Berkeley Flats and on the North or South Bars outside the Golden Gate.

Meanwhile, Captain Ron Koyasako of Nautilus Excursions has been putting customers on striped bass at Angel Island and Red Rock in the bay while drifting live bait. He has also been heading outside the Gate to drift live bait at Seal Rock near the Cliff House and the North and South Bars for halibut. Weather and tides dictate his fishing spots.

This author also spent two special days on the water recently thanks to the Roger Thomas Grant. Roger Thomas, former owner and captain of the fishing vessel Salty Lady out of Sausalito, left a trust that funds trips to take children fishing. The Golden State Salmon Association (GSSA) manages these funds, which are available to children’s organizations to take youngsters—many for the first time—out on the water. As a board member of the Salesian Boys’ and Girls’ Club (SBGC) in San Francisco’s North Beach for more than 22 years, I’ve been arranging trips for the SBGC for the past five years.

This month I assisted Captain Don Franklin of SoleMan Sportfishing on two trips. We fished live bait—another first for the children—in San Francisco Bay for halibut, striped bass, and rockfish. The excitement on the children’s faces as they reeled in fish and saw them netted aboard was priceless. These outings were truly special thanks to the late Captain Roger Thomas.

Meanwhile, rockfish and lingcod action off the Marin County Coast has been excellent.

“We experienced an absolutely phenomenal day up the Marin Coast,” reported Aaron Anfinson, Captain of the Bass Tub. “Underground Construction had amazing lingcod fishing as well as rockfish, scoring limits of both for 12 anglers plus some for the crew! These things were HUNGRY.”

“We had two trips out today,” reported James Smith, Captain of the California Dawn. “Both boats got onto some quality reds and lingcod while fishing in southern waters. They also landed jumbo blues and black rockfish.”

The California Dawn 2 checked in with 19 limits of lingcod (38) to 15 pounds, 19 limits of rockfish (188), and 2 cabezon. The California Dawn 1 had 21 limits of rockfish (210), 8 lingcod, and 1 halibut.

For contact information for these captains or guides, search online.

For more information about the California Striped Bass Association (CSBA), visit www.striper-csba.org to access information about the four CSBA chapters. New members pay $25, which includes a one-time $5 initiation fee. Annual dues are $20 thereafter. Membership helps strengthen our mission to protect striped bass and our fisheries. Some chapters offer a free gift for joining. The Isleton-Delta Chapter provides two free decals and a chapter hat to new members. Membership forms are available on the website—select your chapter, go to the membership page, complete the application, and send payment to the listed address. The Isleton Chapter also accepts credit cards online for memberships, renewals, and events. The website features newsletters, photos, articles, and useful links to help plan fishing trips.

• Ken Baccetti, President of the California Striped Bass Association (CSBA), Isleton-Delta Chapter.

Half Moon Bay Shallow Water Rockfish Limits Are The Rule

EL GRANADA – Rockfishing adventures are producing limits of colorful shallow water rockfish, along with some lingcod and an occasional halibut.

The Queen of Hearts reported 160 rockfish, 4 lingcod, and 1 halibut for 16 anglers on their latest trip out of the harbor. The boat returned the previous day with 250 rockfish, 1 lingcod, and 1 halibut.

Rockfishing trips on Wednesdays are departing at 10 a.m. and returning by 3 p.m. through the end of August.

The rockfish season is the same as last year:

• May through September and November is coastal rockfishing from shore to no deeper than 120 feet.
• April, October, and December are deep-sea rockfishing, fishing depths outside 300 feet.

The only regulation change from last year is that there is no minimum size limit on cabezon or seatrout (kelp greenling).

Recreational salmon season will, barring any unforeseen changes, DEFINITELY REOPEN FOR THE “FALL SEASON” on September 4, 5, 6, and 7. The separate “fall fishery” off the Bay Area coastline is scheduled for Sept. 4–7, 29–30, October 1–5, and 27–31, or until no more than 7,500 salmon are landed during that period. Limit is 2 salmon per person with a 20-inch minimum size. These dates are available on the online booking system—reserve spots as soon as possible as they go quickly.

Perch are showing along the coastline, and squid and anchovies are appearing outside the harbor. Anglers continue to catch rock crab off the fishing pier inside the harbor and on the jetty.

Recreational Dungeness crab season is closed until the first Saturday in November, but rock crab season is open all year using hoop nets or snares.

For those interested in monkeyface eel, there are plenty hidden in the jetty rocks for poke-pole anglers. Striper fishing along the beaches has slowed, but a few are still being landed. Halibut have moved in, with some good-sized fish in the mix.

• Half Moon Bay Sportfishing Center

Monterey Bay Halibut, Rockfish and Lingcod Hit the Decks

SANTA CRUZ – There are halibut limits being reported in the Monterey Bay Area. The halibut were caught up the coast near 4 Mile and down the coast near Moss Landing, reported Todd Fraser of Bayside Marine on August 9. The halibut are hitting drifted live bait and trolled baits and lures.

The Capitola area is producing some nice halibut and a few seabass, he noted.

“The rock fishing was great up the coast near Davenport. The swell was smaller and the winds were calm all morning,” said Fraser.

“There are people talking about looking for tuna Sunday and Monday. There is a boat from Half Moon Bay who has one albacore about 60 miles out,” Fraser said.

Boats out of Chris’ Fishing Trips in Monterey continue to focus on rockfish and lingcod in shallow water. The boats are returning with daily limits of rockfish, along with a few lingcod. Anglers are using shrimp flies baited with squid strips, jigs, bars, swimbaits, and other offerings to nail the bottomfish.

On August 9, the Checkmate checked in with limits of rockfish (200) and 12 lingcod for 20 anglers, while the Caroline came back with limits of rockfish (170) for 17 anglers. On the previous day, the Checkmate tied up at the dock with limits of rockfish (90) and 6 lingcod for 9 anglers.

The rockfish season will continue to run through Dec. 30, 2025. Here are the depth restrictions now in place:

• May 1 – Sept. 30: 20 fathoms inshore fishery

• Oct. 1 – Oct. 31: 50 fathoms offshore only fishery

• Nov. 1 – Nov. 30: 20 fathoms inshore only fishery

• Dec. 1 – Dec. 31: 50 fathoms offshore only fishery

• Dan Bacher

The water is warming and the fishing is heating up along the coastline! Bluefin tuna are being caught by those willing to put in the time and find warm water. Fish have been caught anywhere from Monterey to The Farallones. On the inshore waters, halibut, lingcod, and rockfish are in peak season. I recently took my kayak out in Santa Cruz County and had some good action on halibut in 40-60 feet of water. I was trolling a bounce ball setup in fairly clear water and the big fish of the day was this fat 40” halibut (pictured). Video from the day is live on Youtube!

SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES: Clear Evening Gives Up Single Channel Cat

4mph breezes and clear water greeted our fishing group on July 1, 2025. Fishing pressure stays modest on weeknights, and the fence line near the El Pollo Loco sign offers easy casting room starting around 5 p.m.

Cisco soaked a Carolina rig which included a 1oz egg sinker, one-foot mono leader, and 2/0 circle hook, baited with fresh cut mackerel. He lobbed the setup fifteen to twenty feet off the bank. At 8 p.m. the rod loaded up, and a two-pound channel cat came ashore after a short burst toward deeper water. No additional bites followed before lines-out at 11 p.m.

Expect the bite to rise as July heat pushes water temps higher. Bring plenty of mackerel or shrimp, refresh baits every twenty minutes, and keep casts short to shoreline cover once the sun drops.

HESPERIA LAKE – Shrimp & Mackerel Score Easy Cat Limits

Stained water on July 11 kept visibility low, putting the bite on scent-soaked baits. Anglers fishing shrimp, mackerel, or nightcrawlers enhanced with a dash of “Homeless Stench” attractant from the store filled five-fish cat limits from first light through late afternoon.

Most anglers caught catfish in the 6–8 lbs range, and the day’s top stringer weighed 132 lbs. Hesperia Lake staff noted recent sightings of 15–19 lb fish prowling the deeper channels.

Productive water starts at the aerator line and stretches along the north-shore picnic tables. Cast a ½-oz Carolina rig into 8–12 ft or drop a two-hook high-low straight off the main dock when algae mats drift in. Refresh scent every 20 minutes since shrimp scent fades fast in warm water.

Night sessions run Friday and Saturday; pack a lantern, heavy net, and extra ice. The five-fish limit remains in effect, and the bite should hold as long as water temps stay in the mid-70s and the turbidity persists.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY – Hot Rockfish and Lingcod; Halibut Inconsistent; Stripers Wide Open

Report from July 25 to August 4, with trips starting at 5:30 a.m. and fishing until limits or 2:30 p.m.

I have been fishing in San Francisco Bay between the San Rafael-Richmond Bridge and Bay Bridge for stripers and halibut. For halibut, we’ve also been targeting the north and south bars outside the Golden Gate Bridge. Rockfish and lingcod trips have been focused around Pacifica, Half Moon Bay, and Duxbury Reef.

Rockfish and lingcod fishing has been hot, with limits on both species achieved on most trips. Rockfish have ranged in various sizes and species. Lingcod have been particularly active, with days when we’ve limited out on lingcod even before reaching our rockfish limits. Lingcod have consistently been nice in size.

Halibut fishing has become more inconsistent recently. It’s best to target smaller tides. Most keeper-size halibut seem to be in the ocean or near the Golden Gate Bridge. In the bay and ocean, we are catching many small halibut, ranging from 6 to 15 inches, indicating a positive outlook for future years. Most trips end with slightly more than one halibut per angler, with several nice fish measuring between 30 and 35 inches.

Striper fishing on most days has been wide open in certain spots. Most stripers caught are between 20 and 22 inches, with a few larger fish mixed in. Limits can be achieved quickly if you’re in the right area. Slowly cruising around the islands and using sonar to locate schools has proven effective. When the fish are stacked up, they will bite just about anything presented.