Placer County Fishing Reports

Mackinaw season is in full swing at Tahoe, and the big fish are showing up. Guides and locals have been consistently putting giant macks in the net over the past month, targeting 120–150 feet of water with 1–2 oz. minnow-style jigs or trolling live minnows / flashers.

On the east side, the rainbow and brown trout bite has been very good as well... in the top 30 feet. Boat anglers and shore casters alike are working Rapalas along rocky structure and finding quality fish. NDOW also stocked cutthroat last week. Look for the Kokanee bite to pick up in another few weeks.

Folsom is churning out some excellent fishing right now for both spotted bass and salmon, as they both key in on shad. Spots are still in spawn and shallow. Many are on beds, but some are easing off into post spawn behavior pushing deeper and following shad schools. Still, most fish are sitting in that 5-15 foot range, hitting dropshots, swimbaits, and small jigs.

The King salmon bite has been good as well for trollers running Apex lures or Speedy Shiners in the 20-30 foot range in the main body near the dam. A few shore guys have also hooked a few kings heaving out jerkbaits and large kastmasters off points into deeper water. The king bite should continue to improve throughout early May.

Flows are up and off-color on the upper reach due to snowmelt, so good water is getting tougher to find... but trout are there. Barbless artificial lures only right now until May.

Lower river is transitioning into striper season but it's still early... mostly small fish. Steelhead window is wrapping up. Shad not yet, but should pick up late April then peak in mid-late May. Probably another couple of weeks before the striper bite gets worth chasing... but it's close.