Shasta Lake Fishing Report

The bass bite at Shasta is still hot, with fish pushed shallow and locked into full spawn mode. There’s no shortage of 1–2 pounders, but some big ones are hanging just off the beds in slightly deeper water. Reaction baits are working far better than bottom-contact soft plastic rigs. Jerkbaits, swimbaits, and underspins in natural shad patterns are getting the most attention... and even picking off a few quality trout up shallow.

The trout bite is still very good for healthy-sized rainbows and big browns. The Pit River Arm has reportedly been a great area to target.

Shasta Lake is in a transition phase, and while the fish are there, getting them to commit has been the challenge. Bass have been finicky—spinnerbaits have drawn some action shallow, especially when it’s windy, but actual hookups have been inconsistent. Anglers are also dropping swimbaits and other soft plastics for suspended fish around dropoffs and points in 25 feet and finding a few bites, but nothing worth getting too excited about. Water temps are still hovering in the mid-40s, which isn’t helping.

On the trout side, browns have been the most active, according to guide Jeff Goodwin, but rainbows should start to show more as the weather warms. The CDFW has dropped in a few big stocks lately as well. Right now, trolling has been best, with side planers and divers getting lures in front of fish. Goodwin reports that smaller spoons and stick baits have been the most effective. Bait has been hit-or-miss, so it’s best used as a backup plan rather than the main strategy.

With a warming trend on the way, expect a better bite in the coming weeks. Bass should respond to improving conditions, and rainbows will become more active as insect activity picks up.

Lake Shasta’s been on the rise after some heavy rains, jumping nearly 20 feet in just a month. Despite rising water levels, conditions are still good. Guide Jeff Goodwin reports water temps are in the low 50s, which has brought fish feeding closer to the surface—great news for anyone running side planers. Downriggers set at 30-40 feet are still picking up the occasional deeper fish. Spoons are doing most of the heavy lifting right now, along with stick baits. Ideal trolling speeds are in the 2.8-3.2 mph range.

For fly anglers, the brown trout action from shore has been very good lately. If you’re after spotted bass, they’re still biting, but cooler water is slowing things down a bit. Dropshots and small swimbaits fished from the surface down to 30+ feet are your best bet.

Conditions look promising for both browns and rainbows heading into late December and should stay good well into spring.