Fishing is fine, it’s the catching that’s tough
Compiled by Mari Erin Roth
Lake Almanor
Plumas County is about to receive some much-needed precipitation, including some snow. While snow at lake level will be measured in inches, Mount Lassen will see anywhere from a foot to a foot and a half of snow over the next few days. “Lassen is currently void of snow and has been for a while, we can only hope this is the beginning of a long wet/white winter,” said John Crotty of Almanor Fishing Association on Oct. 30. “Snow level will drop to 4,000 feet with this storm, and we will also see temperatures drop into the high teens – low 20s, you will need to carry chains if traveling to Lake Almanor.”
Lake level is unchanged from last week at 4475.88 (basically unchanged for the month of October). Water quality is poor at best, and visibility is limited as algal blooms continue to spread throughout the lake. Water temperature has dropped five degrees over the past week, currently sitting at 55 degrees. Brrr!
Fishing remains inconsistent as fish continue to migrate around the lake. There is no rhyme or reason to where a fisherman will find fish. Best tactic is to cover ground, some days lots of it. “On Saturday I started my day at Rec #1 to the A-Frame for a few fish, moved to Dorado for a couple of bites, picked up and went to Red Bank for two small rainbows and finished up trolling from the tip of the peninsula to Rec #2 for three bites,” said Crotty. “A tough day on the water.” Hey, but just about any fisherman would agree, fishing beats working, right?
“I was slow trolling plastics and crawlers, after speaking with other anglers fast trolling produced similar results,” said Crotty. “We fished in water between 10-40 feet deep and varied presentations from the surface to 35 feet deep.” Bait is getting tougher to find as well. Hamilton Branch remains the best chance at catching fish from shore. With the dropping water temps and upcoming weather changes, fish should begin migrating into the coves around the dam.
Canyon Dam is the only available public boat ramp. Plumas Pines ramp is available for a small fee.
