Almanor Fishing Report

Almanor Fishing Report

8/28/22

There has been little change on Almanor since last week’s report. Sunny skies will prevail with day-time highs reaching into the high eighties- low nineties for at least the next ten days. Water level continues to drop, and navigational hazards are popping up throughout the lake. If you are a novice to Almanor, Flag Island, Dakasu Island and the tip of the peninsula should all be on your radar, especially when winds are present.

As is typical for this time of year fishing can be tough, we will see an early morning bite before the fish get lock jaw. I have been slow trolling plastics and crawlers early, switching over to hardware when that bite dies. Some days there is no bite! Bank fishermen are picking up quality fish at Hamilton Branch. Trollers are targeting fish in deep water, Rec 2, Rec 1, Big Springs, Dorado, and the East Shore are all good places to start your day.

While it has been a grind, the grade of fish has been decent. The lake is full of Pond Smelt and all species of fish and birds are feasting on the tasty delicacy. The high protein diet provided by the Almanor ecosystem plays a significant role in the growth rate of these fish. In 2021 AFA tagged 1,000 of our pen fish, 950 of the West Virginia Rainbows and 50 of the Feather River Browns. The fish are typically ten to the pound when we receive them and two or three to the pound and eight to twelve inches when we release them in April. An angler reported catching one of the fish we tagged in 2021, the rainbow was caught at Rec 2, it was a little over twenty inches in length and over four pounds. The anglers didn’t notice the tag until they were cleaning the fish, please check (the dorsal fin, left side) and report any tagged fish you might catch (707-362-1899 or by email @[email protected]) we are interested in where the fish was caught, what is the color of the tag, length/weight, what condition the fish was in. AFA had all butt given up on the tagging as we were not getting any reports of tagged fish, it is exciting to see that our pen fish are thriving and growing at a rapid pace.

Labor Day is the last big weekend for boaters on Almanor, water temps will drop soon, and boat traffic will ease. Fall can be spectacular fishing and the weather should hold until the middle of November, it’s not too late to plan that fall fishing trip.