Summer has given up, and just like that, fall fishing is underway here in the Northern Sierras at Lake Almanor. Both the air temps and the water temps are cooling down bringing the fish shallower and opening up many areas of the lake to fishing. It hasn't been all smooth sailing, recently we have some big wind on the lake, and a week ago, a front that brought wind, some rain and even a little dusting of snow to the area that made conditions a little tough out there but over all the fishing has been pretty good.  When the fish begin to move shallow they also begin to feed more aggressively and fight harder. We are currently using a variety of techniques to intercept these fish. Both fast and slow presentations with baits including worms, trolling flies, and various types of spoons have all been bringing fish to the boat, sometimes all in the same day. We are currently seeing a mixed grade of fish, mostly Rainbows with a few Browns running from 2 to 6 pounds. Boat traffic on the lake has been extremely light and we might only see a couple of other boats all day.  As the conditions continue to cool look for the fall action to really heat up. Only a few days are left available this month, so contact us today to reserve your day and get in on this exciting fall action. 

Time to book your Eagle Lake dates for October and November. Contact us today

grade of the lake's Rainbow Trout with an occasional Brown showing. The fish have been running 3 pounds and up with the larger ones in the 5 to 6 pound class. There are a few quality King Salmon being caught on the lake as well, however we have been concentrating on other areas of the lake in the west basin where the numbers of Rainbows are higher as they feed on large schools of the pond smelt. Looking forward, as things begin to cool and the days get shorter, the options and possibilities of where and how to target these fish multiply substantialy. It is full steam ahead as we head into the fall season.  If you are looking to get into this action there are still dates available this month, contact us today to reserve your dates.

Eagle Lake trips start in a few short weeks, and this year as in years past we will be splitting the fall seson fishing both Eagle and Almanor. Eagle saw a pretty good bump in the water level this year due to a good winter and it is shaping up to be a pretty exciting fall season up there. Dates are still available in October and November for both light tackle trolling as well as fly casting trips, but they are starting to fill. Don't miss your chance to do battle with these hot Rainbows in the shallows. Contact us today.​

The summer bite continues here at Lake Almanor and there are plenty of beautiful fish coming to the boat. The weather overall has been pretty nice, featuring cool mornings followed by warm afternoons and light winds. We have had several rounds of "heat waves" over the last few weeks, and while it may seem a little on the warm side to us, folks coming from the valley and the 100+ degree temperatures find our high 80's and low 90's to be quite nice. As is the case for August at Lake Almanor, we are having to work harder to find and stay on the fish, and there have been a few days in the last several weeks that were grinds to get fish to bite, but overall the bite has been pretty good and the quality of the fish has been fantastic. In the last several weeks we have seen Bows over 6 pounds, Browns over the double digit mark and Kings over 5 pounds. The fish are primarily feeding on pond smelt now and moving around following the schools throughout the lake in both basins. Right now is a great time to be on Almanor to take advantage of the great weather and the much lighter fishing pressure and lake traffic. Looking ahead, things should only get better as we move out of August and into September. If your are looking to get in on some of this Trophy Trout action contact us today and get your dates locked in.

On the horizon is the fall action at Eagle Lake. Eagle had a pretty good bump in the water level as a result of the great winter and as we have seen in the last several years, better water makes for better fishing. Eagle Lake trips, both light tackle trolling and fly casting, will begin in late September and run through the end of November. The available dates for these Eagle Lake trips are filling up, don't wait contact us today and get you dates reserved.  

  When I say action, I mean multiple double, triple and even 4 way hookups, with the numbers bearing out 40 to 60 hookups by 8 or 9 am in the morning and usually early limits. In addition to the little salmon, the trout are biting as well in both the Bucks and Mill Creek arms of the lake with some smaller Mackinaw showing but for the most part the big Trophy Lakers a generally quiet this time of year.
If this sounds like fun to you, we have some open dates for Bucks Lake during August and September, contact us to secure your dates and lets go fishing.

Over the last two months we have continued to stay on good numbers of quality fish by following the bite and the food sources all around Almanor. The fish were feeding heavily on the aquatic bugs  which hatch at various locations around the lake. The Hex fly hatch started slow then came on strong and is now all but over. There are still a few hatching as we have been seeing small areas with shucks and dead larva floating on the surface, but the bulk of the hatch is over. The hex flies, as usual, drew large numbers of fish in to areas and adjacent to areas where the hatch was happening. Now with the largest of the hatches winding down, and the water warming to the mid 70's the fish have been transitioning to deeper cooler water and starting to feed on their other favorite food source, Pond Smelt. We have been fishing areas along the east shore and the peninsula that tend to hold bait and fish. During the recent trips the catch has been mostly made up of Rainbows from 2 to over 5 pounds with a few browns from 3 to 7 lbs. There are a few larger Salmon in the mix from time to time as well. Look for the action to continue as we are now reaping the rewards of the fantastic winter with higher water levels and a good flow of cold water still entering the lake.

There are still a few dates open during the month of August. Don't miss out on this exciting summer time fishery,  contact us today to reserve your dates.   ​

It has been all about the big Rainbows here at Almanor with a few Browns and Salmon on the menu as well. These brutes are cruising the waters of the lake and taking full advantage of Almanor's "food factory", the aquatic insects. Hatches are taking place at various locations around the lake including the east and west shores as well as up north, and tend to draw in actively feeding fish. Because the bugs come from the bottom of the lake and rise to the surface, fish can be found at all depths looking to feed. In recent trips we have been catching fish at a variety of locations from the surface to the bottom and just about every level in between. These fish have a special kind of attitude as they gorge themselves on the available hatches. Big runs, spectacular jumps, big bends in the light tackle rods. This is some exciting spring fishing. The lake is full and continues to see a good amount of cool fresh water rolling down the tributaries. Look for the solid fishing to continue as we move into summer with even more big hatches fueling these beautiful fish. Not many days left available this month, to ensure your chance at getting your dates on the boat, we recommend contacting us as soon as possible to lock down your reservation.

Check out the end of another epic battle at the back of the boat.

The "Spring Fling" continues here at  Lake Almanor! Beautiful days, light winds, warming waters, big bug hatches and lots of bent rods. Recent trips are still producing the "Almanor Trifecta" of Bows, Browns and King Salmon like the one pictures at left. Most of the fish in the lake are focused on the aquatic bug hatches taking place all over the lake, and while the fish are full, the hatches tend to draw numbers of fish into them. More fish more hook ups, and it is really just getting started. Water temps are running from the mid 50's to low 60's depending on time and location of the lake and have the fish just about at every level. Most of our fish are coming in the top 15 feet of the water column and are extremely hot due to the high level of bug protein being consumed.  Fast trolling has produced most of our action, however slowing things down if the conditions are right can also yield fantastic results. Some of these strikes are mind blowing, with fish getting 50 to 70 feet of line off the reel on their initial run. You would think they would be tired by the time they get close,  but nothing could be further from the truth, with most digging in trying to get under the boat and generally going some form of crazy before being slid into the net. This is light tackle fishing at its finest, hotter than average fish fought on the lightest gear on the boat. What's not to love? Want to get on board for some of this action? Contact us today by going to the Reservations Page, or call (530) 370-1001,  there are only a few days left in the coming month.

​In other news the Almanor Fishing Association released the pen raised fish about a week ago from Hamilton Branch, 50,000 Rainbows and 1,500 Browns. The fish have dispersed around the lake, so if you are fishing, be on the look out for light strikes, the fish are small but aggressive and will hit just about anything. Big thanks to AFA volunteers for all their work feeding and caring for the fish over the last 6 months.

So we have nice weather, rising water temps (now in the mid to high 50's) and a pretty good start to the aquatic bug hatch season. The bugs make up an important part of the food supply for the fish here at Almanor, and when they start coming off, you better believe the fish know it. The bug hatches tend to concentrate large numbers of fish which translates into some pretty exciting fishing for us. Recent trips have seen us hooking more than 20 fish per outing. By the way, this is just getting started and will keep on rolling right on into summer.

If you have been waiting for some nice weather to get your spring fishing fix look no further. There are a few open days in the next two weeks but once they are gone they are gone. Contact us today to lock down your spot by visiting www.bigdaddyfishing.com/reservations.html or call (530) 370-1001

So what is the outlook for the near future? Look for the spring fishing to continue as we are, in some respects, three weeks to nearly a month behind with conditions. Water temps are cool still in the low to mid 40's depending on where you are in the lake. Good run-off of the surrounding snow in the watershed has really just begun, Hamilton Branch is flowing at a good clip and the super ditch in Chester has just started flowing. The lake is on the rise, and the good supply of water should keep the fish happy for the whole season.  Interested in getting out and hunting some of these trophies? There are some open dates the next few weeks, contact us as soon as possible to lock down your date.