Lake Almanor Fishing Report

Water temps are now pushing toward the 70s at Almanor, but the mixed bite remains fantastic if you know what you're doing. The water is crystal clear, which comes with its own challenges, as fish can be very spooky. But the big trophy brown and rainbow trout are there, along with aggressive smallmouth.

The hex hatch is happening as we speak, and fly anglers are taking advantage... throwing Hex Parachutes and Hex Nymphs from 5 PM all the way until dusk. Nymphs early, then dry flies as the sun dips. The west shore is typically best for these hatches. Non-fly anglers are still pulling fish on crickets and mealworms too.

The smallmouth bite has also been very good... near the dam or along any steep rocky shoreline. Crawdad imitations have been best... small jigs or tube baits are working well.

There's a solid trout bite at Almanor right now as water temps bump to the low 50s. Both rainbows and browns are moving up the water column feeding heavily on pond smelt from the surface down to 40 feet. Trollers are finding good numbers running needlefish, Speedy Shiners, and Rapalas either flatlining or using lead core line (or downriggers) to get in that deeper range. 1.5–2mph trolls have been most consistent. Shore guys are finding some big trout soaking floated nightcrawlers on a sliding sinker in the early mornings on the west side.

Almanor is still fishing well into December due to generally mild weather and conditions. Water temps have slid into the mid-40s, though trout are still roaming and feeding instead of tightening up in their winter pattern. Pond smelt remain the main driver, which is keeping fish spread through the water column from the surface down into the 30-foot range. The bite is increasingly number-heavy, with smaller aggressive rainbows showing up often and better browns and heavier rainbows mixed in. Trolling techniques remain the same as the last report... worms, plastics, trolling flies, and spoons in baitfish patterns. Calm conditions have pushed the bite toward slower presentations across the board, and anything rushed is getting mostly ignored.