El Dorado County Fishing Reports

Tahoe’s spring bite is red hot, and conditions couldn’t be better. Water clarity is the best locals have seen in decades... glass-clear... with surface temps holding steady in the low to mid 50s. That combo has the big lake firing on all cylinders.

Mackinaw are stacked deep and hungry. Most boats are running either tube jigs tipped with sucker meat or deep-diving stickbaits between 80 and 110 feet. Both techniques are putting fish in the box. The southwest and north ends have been consistent producers.

Kokanee are starting to stage but still sitting deeper than usual for spring. Look for them between 60 and 75 feet, especially where you can mark bait. Trolling wedding rings behind dodgers is working well, especially early when the light’s low.

Nearshore action is picking up too. Rainbows and browns are pushing shallow, particularly in the mornings and late afternoon. Long casts with spoons or a slow roll with a streamer can pull strikes from cruisers nosing the banks.

Folsom is about to shut down for all trailered and motorized boats from April 14 to May 13 due to golden mussel prevention efforts. Everything with a trailer is going to need a 30-day quarantine and inspection, with seals being issued at Beals Point starting the 14th. It’s a frustrating time for a closure, because the bite is heating up fast.

Bass have finally kicked into full gear. Warming temps are pushing fish up in the water column as they stage on the outside of coves, getting ready to spawn. A recent kayak tournament had an astounding winning limit of 97.50 inches... so there are plenty of big fish to be caught right now. Crankbaits, lipless, and jerkbaits are pulling fish in the staging zones, while dropshots, shakey heads, and jigs are doing work on the ones already moved into the shallows.

Trout action isn’t bad either, despite the last plant being back in mid-March. Shore anglers are still picking off decent numbers with PowerBait and inflated crawlers. Trollers are staying deep... 50 to 60 feet... finding quality holdover trout and the occasional king salmon on spoons.