Collins Lake Fishing Report

Trout were on top, caught top lining 75' back from my kayak with Dynamic Lures HD Trout and Berkley Flicker Shads. HD Trout were great with the crappie, because they imitate minnows. The crappie were spread out, caught in depths of 10' to 20'. The trout were caught 10' to 15' from top and depth did not matter. My better half, Christy Wilson caught the biggest crappie and biggest Trout of the morning

The latest from Collins Lake: water levels are at capacity after recent storms, which pushed the lake up nearly 78 feet and caused significant debris and muddy conditions. Despite this, Cal Kellogg has been out guiding full-time and still putting fish in the boat. The water is cold, sitting at 47°F, and while the first day post-storm was tough with heavy rain and murky water, clarity has since improved.

Trolling has been productive using bright-colored 6-inch FishEye Dodgers in pink, chartreuse, and orange, trailed by threaded crawlers or gulp worms. The key? Slow speeds (around 1.5 mph) and heavy scent to get sluggish fish to commit. Trout are scattered, with some moving into unusual spots like the backs of coves and very shallow areas due to storm-driven currents. Fish are showing in big numbers on the graph—more than Cal’s ever seen before—but many are still semi-dormant. Once water clarity improves and temperatures rise, expect an all-out bite, making early spring a prime time for both trolling and bait fishing.

Checkout the video for his full Collins Lake report.

Trout fishing at Collins Lake is on fire! Recent trips have produced limits, with plenty of solid 3-4 pounders in the mix. Water temps are cold (46-47°F), and clarity is improving. While trolling is an option, bait fishing is the clear winner right now. Garlic-scented PowerBait is getting the job done, especially when paired with Gulp garlic pinch crawlers.

Most trout are holding deeper than expected, between 12-25 feet, so adjust accordingly. If a spot isn’t producing after 20-30 minutes, move a few hundred yards and reset.