Shasta County

Trollers are having a blast out at Shasta for both trout and salmon, but most notably for rainbows. Some say it's the best trout fishing at Shasta in more than a decade for both size and quantity. Folks are pulling spoons & flashers down to 35-50 feet and getting fish up to 8-10 pounds (with many quality 3-4 pounders). It's still all about the shad... find the schools and you'll find fish.

Bass are also targeting shad around the lake. Mornings and evenings are seeing an excellent topwater bite. As the midday heat pushes them deeper, drop-shotting or Senkos have been best.

The Kokanee action at Whiskeytown is some of the best it's been in years. Guides continue to get quick morning limits. Reports indicate that trolling anything orange at depths between 45-60 feet will get you fish. Bass action has also remained good as the fish transition to post-spawn. Jigs and Senkos are getting hit from 5-20 feet, and there's a decent early morning topwater bite as well.

The Upper Sac trout bite has been solid, with flows stabilizing. Dry fly action peaks early, transitioning to nymphs as the day progresses. An evening caddis hatch is sparking a lot of action late in the day.

The Lower Sac is cooling off for both shad and stripers. Shad can still be caught, but not for much longer. Your best bet is near the Rossmoor Bar. The best time for stripers is early morning and late evening, as boat traffic has really affected the bite midday.

The Mount Shasta Fish Hatchery, will host two Kids' Fishing Days on June 15 and July 20, 2024. The event is open to children 15 years old and younger, with registration available on-site from 8:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (no preregistration). Fishing will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Free bait and limited loaner tackle will be provided, but participants should bring a cooler or bucket for fish transport, with ice available.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) released over 2 million fall-run Chinook salmon smolts into the Klamath River in May 2024. The releases, consisting of 1.3 million smolts on May 15 and 800,000 on May 22, were conducted earlier than scheduled due to warming temperatures and concerns about C. Shasta disease.

The smolts were raised at the new Fall Creek Fish Hatchery, which exceeded its production goal in its first year. The removal of three dams – JC Boyle, Copco 1, and Iron Gate – is ahead of schedule and could open up hundreds of miles of new spawning and rearing habitat for returning salmon by fall 2024.

CDFW plans to release an additional 250,000 to 300,000 yearling fall-run Chinook salmon later in 2024, potentially directly into Fall Creek, which was previously inaccessible due to the Iron Gate Dam.

These efforts are part of the California Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future, aiming to support salmon populations through dam removal, improved hatchery practices, and stronger partnerships with tribal stakeholders.