Northern California Fishing Reports

If you’ve been waiting for a “can’t miss” year on Shasta Lake, 2026 is it. With another full lake, cool clean water, and strong bait populations, conditions are lining up for phenomenal fishing all season long. Water Conditions: Another Full Lake After several strong water years, Shasta is once again at or near full pool going into the 2026 season. That means:– Plenty of cool, oxygen-rich water throughout the spring and summer  – Stable boat launching at all major ramps  – Lots of structure, flooded brush, and coves holding bait and game fish   Full water equals more habitat, more food, and more […]

Whiskeytown Lake continues to shine as one of Northern California’s most productive kokanee fisheries, and all signs point to 2026 being no exception. For anglers who love hard-fighting fish, cool mountain water, and beautiful scenery, this lake should be at the top of your list. Why Whiskeytown Lake Stands Out Whiskeytown has quietly earned a reputation as a kokanee powerhouse. Consistent plants, strong survival rates, and great water quality have combined to create a fishery that produces:– Good numbers of kokanee– Quality size, with plenty of fish reaching respectable lengths– Stable action across much of the season, not just a […]

2021 Recap Northern California Lake Fishing Lake Oroville 2021 Recap Lake Oroville salmon season started as expected with beautiful and healthy Landlock Kings which lasted all summer long. We kicked off the early spring in the Lime Saddle arm of Lake Oroville. The main tackle we trolled with was Brad’s cut plugs and 8 inch Pro-Troll flashers around 25 – 55 feet. Later in the season as the fish dropped we were running around 100 feet +. Due to historic receded lake levels we did most of our mid/late summer trolling near the dam and main body of Lake Oroville. Shasta Lake 2021 […]

Yes, you read that right! We are catching both Trophy Rainbow Trout and Landlocked King Salmon in Shasta Lake. Both of these species of fish are prevalent in Lake Shasta and this time a year there is very little fishing pressure. If you don’t mind bundling up a little you can enjoy an uncrowded lake and excellent fishing opportunities. Trolling tends to be the technique of choice for both fishermen and fish. One moment you are holding your rod enjoying one of the most spectacular views in Northern California and the next moment your rod is bent almost in half […]

September 2019 Northern California Fishing Trips Below is the information about AC Guide Service’s September 2019 Northern California Fishing Trips including where and what bait was used for successful fishing trips. Whiskeytown Lake – September 20th, 2019 The May Family limited out on Kokanee and this was Peyton’s first Kokanee as he starts his journey in the sport of fishing. We had wonderful success with Brad’s cut plugs and Gulls Custom tackle at 1.3 – 1.5 mph at depths of 55 – 65 feet since the fish were a bit deeper. We switched to Atlas Mike’s Kokanee Glow scent for corn for additional success in our […]

August 2019 Northern California Fishing Trips Below are the details regarding AC Guide Service’s August 2019 Northern California Fishing Trips which include locations and recommendations regarding successful techniques and baits utilized. Whiskeytown Lake – August 24th, 2019 Whiskeytown Lake was on fire today! I had the great pleasure of taking out the highest bidders from the NCGASA annual dinner. We hooked some big Kokanee with a total of 35 fish over the rails. The mixture of fish sizes indicates the easy fishing is going to continue for a while. My best lures were Brad’s Kokanee Cut Plugs along with Gulls Custom Hoochie […]

2019 Northern California Fishing Reports These Northern California fishing reports have been prepared by your AC Guide Service Captain Anthony Cox to help you catch the most fish possible. Shasta Lake Trophy Trout Fishing Everybody knows Shasta Lake was a slow start due to heavy rains and the thermocline not being established, these two factors resulted in a slow bite and long days for me and my clients. As we move forward into the summer months, conditions have improved greatly and we are finding a little more of a consistent bite in deeper water. Preferred tackle has been small spoons […]

The Whiskeytown August Fishing Report continue to be outstanding.  Whiskeytown Lake and Trinity Lake still continue to produce some very nice Kokanee.  Our clients are getting easy limits early in the day to beat the Heat. Kokanee are landlocked salmon and spend their lives in Whiskeytown Reservoir.    During the summer months the fish sit in about 40 feet of water and are running in small schools.   Trolling for Kokanee is the best way to fish for them.  You also need to mix up your presentation and frequently change lures and colors.  What the Kokanee may be biting early […]