It is hard to believe the Labor Day weekend has come and gone as we start our march through the month of September. Looking back on the summer spent at Almanor with a couple weeks in August at Bucks Lake for Kokanee Fest 2025, the months flew by. Thank you to everyone that came onboard so far this year and helped make it a fantastic one. 

​June saw some red-hot Rainbow action along with solid bites on the lake's Browns. Most of these fish were feeding heavily on Almanor's aquatic bugs, so for us it was all about targeting fish in the areas seeing the bug activity.

 We also took some time in late June to welcome nearly 180 United States Veterans to the 8th annual Almanor Fishing Association's Veteran's Fishing Day held each year the Saturday following Father's Day. A big shout out and thank you to all the volunteers that turn out to make this the premier veterans fishing event on the west coast. A special thank you to my wife Brenda who did a ton behind the scenes helping to make this happen. While the weather was less than perfect, a good time was had by all. Mother nature gave us just enough of a break to pull off a fantastic boat parade at flag island and the BBQ at Rec 1. 

Then July came calling. We had a rocking good time in Chester on the 4th at the Almanor Fishing Association booth, and once the crowds cleared from the holiday weekend it was back to fishing, and as usual, Almanor did not disappoint. It was a mix of Browns and Bows, sometimes more of one than the other depending on where we fished. In addition to the normal aquatic bug load, these fish had the Hex flies and their larvae to feast on.

Of course, the last Saturday in July means the most popular fundraiser in the Almanor basin, The Almanor Fishing Association's Founders' BBQ at Rec 1.  Again, a big thank you to all the volunteers and my fellow AFA board members who dedicated countless hours to making this year's event a record setting success. During the event, I was surprised by long-time customers and big AFA supporters the Rollofsons and Hintons, as they presented me with a beautiful handmade antiqued American Flag. Thanks guys.

As July came to a close and August got started it was time to head to Bucks Lake for Kokanee Fest 2025. Each year I spend several weeks in the summer at Bucks Lake for the annual Kokanee harvest. For those of you who may not be familiar with them, Kokanee are freshwater Sockeye Salmon and the best eating things that swim in the Sierra lakes. The bite was wild with a lot of action and a lot of fish in the net. Grilled, smoked or canned these tasty fish can't be beat.

Following Kokanee Fest, it was back to Almanor to finish up the month. The mixed bite continued, with Browns, Bows and a few nice Kings all hitting the nets.  By this time many of the fish have moved back to a pond smelt diet so we adjusted accordingly. This has been one of the best late summer bites in recent memory, and it is continuing right into September. If you are looking to get in on this action, contact me soon, just a few days left available in September and October for Almanor. Contact us now to reserve your dates.

So, what does the future have in store? Well, I will continue running trips at Almanor for the next several months as well as mixing in some exciting Eagle Lake trips. Fall is prime time to hit Eagle Lake for the "big shouldered", hard charging Eagle Lake Rainbows. There are only a few days left for the mid-September and mid-October trips, following those, the next openings are during the first and second weeks of November. Contact us now to reserve your dates.

Well, that is a quick look back at some of this summer's highlights. Thank you again for your continued support and I look forward to seeing you on the water. Tight Lines!
Capt. Bryan Roccucci

​     The spring-time Brown Trout hunt is on! These are fast paced, fun filled exciting fishing trips in search of "Almanor Gold" where the rewards can be huge. There are still some dates available, so don't miss out Book Your Trip Now!
     Lake Almanor offers Northern California's most prolific trophy trout producing waters. Almanor, as a rule, features all the necessary ingredients to grow and maintain this outstanding population of fish, and this year is no different. Here we are, just a couple of days away from the first day of spring and the lake is in great shape. Water levels are up, giving us and the fish plenty of room to hunt. The water quality is looking good as well with clarity, once diminished by early year heavy flows, now good and improving every day. 
     Recent trips have produced almost exclusively Browns with only a couple Rainbows in the mix. The fish have ranged in size from 3 pounds to well over the double-digit mark.

     We encourage catch and release of these beautiful fish, it is one of the reasons the population and the quality of these fish in Almanor has not only maintained but actually increased. Sadly, not every fish can be released but we make every effort to return them to the water safely.  Propper handling and care will ensure the fishes survival for the future. Remember let's Keep Almanor Brown.

     Let’s begin with some background; A Golden Mussel or Limnoperna fortunei is a medium sized bivalve mollusk that lives in fresh and brackish water. Originally native to China, it has been introduced to other countries around the world including several in Asia and South America where it has proven to be an invasive species. Golden Mussels are small, usually less than an inch and a half in length, with shells that range from a light golden to yellowish-brown to brown in color. The mussels are generally found firmly attached to hard or semi-hard surface found in the water such as pilings and concrete infrastructure. Golden Mussels are filter feeders that consume very small organisms and organic matter. Each mature mussel is capable of filtering one liter of water in a 24-hour period, with their colonies able to reach densities of 80,000 to 200,000 individuals per square meter, they can have significant impacts to ecosystems.

    The calendar might still say summer but it is beginning to feel a lot like fall here at Lake Almanor. The cooler overnight temperatures have the water temps dropping, and the fish are turning their attention away from the bugs and gorging on the lake's population of pond smelt. This fall trend makes for some incredible action on board as the fish get increasingly more aggressive while feeding up before winter. Depending on the fish and conditions recent trips have found us offshore running both the fast and slow gear at various locations along the east shore and both sides of the peninsula for a mix of Bows and Browns from 2 to over 8 pounds. Look for this trend to continue as we wrap up the summer and move squarely into fall. Visit the Booking Calendar to check availability and book your trip. 

     It has been a great summer for Kokanee at Bucks Lake and there is one last day available the first week of September. (Tuesday 9/3). Fat and feisty Kokanee are the best eating fish that swim in the Sierras.  Visit the Booking Calendar to check availability and book your trip.

     Eagle Lake is a priority stop in the fall for all trout fishing enthusiasts. As in years past, Big Daddy's Guide Service will be running limited trips in September (one day left available), October (one day left available) and November.  ​Visit the Booking Calendar to check availability and book your trip.

June has been called "The gateway to summer" but lately it is feeling like it is the gateway to big Browns. Quality "goldfish" been hitting the net as of late. Opened up the month on the 1st with another double digit (Congratulations Curt) and a 9+ within 15 minutes of each other, and the parade hasn't stopped yet. The Browns and the Bows continue to be heavily focused on the lake's aquatic bug hatches that are now happening in many locations around the lake. Recent trips have been fishing different locations almost every day with fantastic results. I have to believe that another high-water year with its improved water clarity and quality goes a long way to making a healthy lake and healthy fish. So, what is on the horizon? I have one morning charter and some afternoon trips available throughout the rest of June get a hold of me quick to secure your dates. The first week of July is all full for Bucks Lake Kokanee Fest 2024 so i have opened up additional days starting on July 8th. I still have one day open at Bucks Lake the first week of August and will start locking down Kokanee days at Bucks the first week of September. Don't miss out on the best eating fish that swim in the sierras. See the Booking Calendar to reserve your dates. 

It's been all spring conditions here at Lake Almanor, cool mornings giving way to warm afternoons and the fish on a tear as they gorge on the lake's aquatic bug hatches. We have been finding a good mix of Bows to 6 lbs, Browns to 9 lbs and more salmon starting to show as well. The weather and wind have been very cooperative allowing us to fish multiple spots around the lake. Almanor is in great shape, sitting less than a foot from full and showing good water quality and clarity throughout the lake. I only have a few open days over the next month, don't miss your chance to get out on the lake and see what Almanor has to offer. Check out the Booking Calendar and lock down your days now. Also, for you "Kokanee Heads" there is only 1 day left in early July and 1 day in early August for Bucks Lake Kokanee Fest 2024. Don't miss out on the delicious Sockeyes.

It was a mix of beautiful spring conditions and brutal winds over the last week. The wind made conditions tough for a couple days out on the lake, with very few areas to hide from the big gusts and swells. Overall, we found good action on a mix of Browns, Bows and salmon with fish to 9+ pounds. Where we fished or where the wind allowed us to fish determined the make-up of the catch some days mostly Browns and some days mostly Bows. The lake is in great shape and is now less that 2 feet from full and continuing to slowly rise. We have what looks to be a pretty solid forecast with lots of spring-like conditions in our future, which will continue to ramp up the spring bite here on the lake. I only have a few open days in May and June, don't miss your chance to get out on the lake and see what Almanor has to offer. Check out the Booking Calander and lock down your days now. Also, for you "Kokanee Heads" there are only 2 days left in early July and one day in early August for Bucks Lake Kokanee Fest 2024. Don't miss out on the delicious Sockeyes.

Fun week of spring weather and good fishing. It's always nice to have options and right now there are several bites going on out on Almanor that put a bend in the rod and a smile on the face. We continue to see a nice mix of both Browns to 8 pounds and Rainbows to 6 pounds some days more of one than the other. Even a few salmon are starting to show with more regularity. The lake is on the rise and currently sits just 4.5 feet from full. water temps are ranging from the high 40's to the low 50's depending on time of day and location. Water clarity varies throughout the lake but is greatly reduced when you get near any of the tributaries which are all flowing at increased rates due to the snow melt. Look for these spring conditions and solid bites to continue. I have a few open days on the schedule, don't miss your chance to get in on this exciting action. Book Your Fishing Trip Now

Winter returned to the lake last week bringing morning temps in the low 20’s and off and on snow. The last few days however have been beautiful out on pond featuring cool starts but warm flat afternoons. With the milder conditions came an increase in traffic on and around the lake. Water temps that were locked in the low 40’s have now inched upward and are exceeding 50 most days. Lake level edged up slightly now sitting at 4484 feet. Despite these cold conditions early this week some bug hatches are happening, and trout have begun to transition from an all pond smelt diet to the readily available aquatic insects. It was a mix of average to “battleship” sized Browns and some impressive Rainbows this week, more and more Bows should begin to show as they finalize their spawning efforts. The weatherman says it’s back to “less than spring like weather” for a few days before warming up again next week. This is a fun time of year, multiple options around the lake allowing for the use of several techniques to get the rods to bend. There are a few open days on the schedule, don’t miss your chance to get in on the exciting spring fishing. Book Your Fishing Trip Now!