Lake Del Valle Fishing Report

Trout are still around at Del Valle, especially early morning at East Swim Beach, but the window is short—once the sun hits, they move off fast. If you miss the morning bite, check deeper, cooler zones past the Narrows or on shaded banks. Bass are getting more aggressive as water temps rise. They can be seen cruising the shallows near the inflow and tucked into coves, and the bite should only get better as the spawn kicks in. Smallmouth are showing too, usually holding 5–10 feet deeper than the largemouth. Striper action is hit or miss, but the bite is quietly building as shad schools thicken. Soaking anchovies or sardines from shore can work, or try working swimbaits from a boat for better reach.

Del Valle is fishing very well right now, reports Chuck Wolf of Western Outdoor News, with a mix of trout, crappie, bass, and the occasional striper. Another 1,000 pounds of Lassen rainbows went in lasts week, on top of back-to-back CDFW plants. Trout limits have been common around the East Swim Beach, especially on MiceTails in pink/white or orange/white. Spoons in orange or red/white are also producing. Largemouth are cruising the shallows, and smallmouth are starting to show up too, hitting swimbaits along the shoreline or while trolling across from the marina. A few stripers have been picked off with cut bait or paddle tails in deeper water.

EBRPD Lassen stockings continue at Del Valle and the other lakes in the area, with the latest on Wednesday the 12th. Anglers have been consistently finding limits of quality rainbows (and a few lightning trout mixed in), using everything from PowerBait (green or chartreuse) to spoons, jigs, Rapalas, and other jerkbaits. The southern end has been most productive, particularly around the narrows and off the marina.

With water temps hovering around 56°F, bass are becoming more aggressive as they ease into prespawn mode. Dropshotting has been the most consistent, but anglers are also finding good bites on jigs, swimbaits, and spinnerbaits. Big healthy bellies on most of them

The storms this week will likely shift patterns temporarily, but once things clear, expect a clear path to an excellent spring.