Here comes fall, but for now, the fish are biting before 10 a.m.
Compiled by Mari Erin Roth
It’s more of the same up here at Lake Almanor, sunny skies, hot temperatures, warm water and dropping water level. “We have an excessive heat advisory in place through Thursday with daytime temperatures highs approaching the century mark,” said John Crotty of Almanor Fishing Association. “There has been no change to fishing as well, as fish are gorging on pond smelt and seeking refuge in deeper, cooler, oxygenated water.”
The bite has been tough and where there is a bite (Big Springs) you will find lots of pressure. Saturday there were more than 20 boats in and around Big Springs with boats anchored over the spring and trollers pounding Big Springs Cove along with the deeper water outside the cove to Hamilton Branch. Plastics and crawlers are the preferred method with a mix of boats fast trolling hardware. What little bite fisherfolk are seeing is over by 10 a.m. “There has been lots of pressure at Hamilton Branch as fish are stacked up throughout the branch,” said Crotty. “Fly anglers using small patterns are having the greatest success.”
Like most of California, Lake Almanor locals and visitors are looking forward to a reprieve from the heat, and it appears there will be a significant drop in temperatures beginning next Sunday, Sept. 11. The long-range forecast is calling for 90 degrees on Saturday, Sept. 10, and just 82 degrees on Sunday, Sept. 11, followed by 78 degrees on Monday, Sept. 12, and 74 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 13-14. Maybe fall is just around the corner. I’m ready, how about you?
