Among the rich coastal foothills of Sonoma County, Lake Sonoma provides not only solid warm water fishing for bass, crappie, and sunfish, but a beautiful natural scenery. Formed in 1983 by the construction of the Warm Springs Dam, Lake Sonoma was built to accommodate both recreational boaters and die-hard fishermen. The main body of the lake features high-speed areas for skiers and boaters, while its deeper arms post “no wake” zones which provide the tranquility and habitat ideal for fishing.

Submerged trees and rocky shores make up most of the fishing structure. Threadfin shad, squawfish, and Sacramento perch are the primary forage, feeding largemouth bass, catfish, and a resident few steelhead trout.

Bass fishing can be very good. Casting towards the vast amounts of submerged timber on the northern side can yield solid numbers, though open water casting can be spectacular when the fish are feeding on shad.

The catfish bite can get hot during the warmer months, in low to no-light conditions. Big ones lurk, but there are plenty of 2-3 pounders, perfect for the dinner table.

Regarding the steelhead trout population, trolling is the optimal method. But remember, these are wild fish, so catch-and-release is strongly suggested.