Almanor Fishing Association: The Lake Almanor Community has received more than twenty feet of snow this winter with reports in excess of twenty-two feet on the west shore. It appears we are going to add a couple more feet to the total this week. We have a winter storm warning in effect beginning Monday night lasting through Wednesday, with chances of additional snow through Friday. Lake level is up fractionally as cold weather continues to slow snow melt.
We have enjoyed a couple of short glimpses of spring and when we do get a break in the weather, anglers are eager to hit the water. Trolling has been difficult at best as bank fishermen stand a better chance of catching fish. Conditions at the branch have improved and the coves around the dam are producing fish. Water temps remain in the mid-thirties and the fish are not anxious to play. We will once again be moving snow this week instead of fishing and travel into Plumas County will be challenging.
What a difference a year makes, last year our golf courses were preparing for an April 1st opening, this year we have multiple feet of snow on the ground with more on the way. This weather has certainly impacted our community, anglers, and fishing. As we prepare for spring and summer with (hopefully) many of you planning that epic fishing trip to Almanor the big question remains how will the cold wet winter impact our spring and summer fishing.
Forty-degree water temps typically get the fish feeding, the last few years we saw forty degrees in early March, when we see forty this year is a guess at best. For you fly anglers, the third week in June is typically a great time to spend some time on Almanor fishing the famous Hex Hatch. I am cautiously optimistic our winter will be over soon, we will finally see fifty-degree weather and by the time June comes around, all will be well on Lake Almanor and there will be Hexagina’s hatching along the shoreline of Lake Almanor.
