This report was updated on 11/29/06
Lake Almanor fish rating right now = good if you don't mind the temperatures
Conditions:
Temp: Highs in the
upper 40's to lows in the mid 20's.
Water Temp: surface temp in the
mid 40's.
Wind: From the
North-east 5-7 mph in the afternoon.
Well here we are in our typical Winter patterns. We enjoy a beautiful sunny day with the highs in the mid to upper 40's.
Trolling - Most of the
fishermen are trolling from 1-2 colors of 18 lb lead-core line with
a 20-30 foot
leader in ten to thirty feet of water. Try using blades with a worm, the medium
size blades seem to work the best right now. Also if you must troll try
just a worm on lead core with no flashers at all. The best trolling area right
now is at the South of the lake, concentrate near the Dam .
Just about all of the fishermen are going out around 9:00 am and in by 3;00 in
the afternoon. People are getting anywhere from 1 to 3 fish per person.
The size of the fish is between 2.5-5 lbs.
Bait fishing - Finally the still fishing has picked up a geratol cove at the dam, use power bait or a nightcrawler off the bottom. Other places to go and fish to catch, so try the Big Springs on the east shore also the causway has some fish stranded in the mudpuddles. Use a light leader with 1/2 of an anchovies tail for salmon. Most of the salmon are last years stockies and average about 1.5 lbs. The occasional three to five pounder has shown up this week which leads me to believe that the bigger ones are beginning to school up and the salmon fishing should only get better. If you really want to catch a fish and don't care about the size try Hamilton branch, all of the stockies are still around, with some of the big fish who eat the stockies too.
Fly fishing-
The fish are responding to any type of wooley bugger that is presented
slooooooow. Remember the water is really cold and fish move slow in the winter,
so adjust your presentation accordingly. If you see them rising it is most
likely to calebaitis flies that are in size 24. The Calebaitis are always hatching consistently near the dam. Like always try the olive or brown birds nest
flies on a sinking line. The Power house at Hamilton branch has been the most
consistent place on the lake to catch a fish on a fly. Some real beauties have
been caught lately one rainbow over five pounds on a hares ear nymph. A few fish have been working on the east shore
Use a floating lines with the olive birds nest or try Erv
Wheat's Almanor special fly, just under the surface. The best bet for flies are wooley
buggers olive or brown right now, you can also use a bird's nest on an
indicator near the creeks.
Bank fishing has been pretty good down at the dam. The fish have been in 10-25 feet of water which is reachable casting from the shore. The most success has come from throwing a white jig with a very fast retrieve. (I caught 11 in one morning doing this!!)When the big fish move back into the 40 plus feet of water the bank fishing slows down. If you don't have a boat and really want to give is a shot , try the power house, prattville jetties or the dam. As always float a night-crawler off of the bottom or try meal worms and crickets. Most of the fish are being caught at Hamilton branch and are browns from 1.5 to 3.0 lbs. If you are coming up try throwing a small rapala or castmaster from shore. Also you can never go wrong with the old stand by of the powerbait/ night crawler combo. It is best to use a sliding sinker and swivel so that when the fish picks up the bait they don't feel any resistance.
Why waste the first few days of your trip being out of the fishing? Let us book a guide for you and the rest of the trip you can enjoy the fishing with a little know-how under your belt. We will arrange a guided trip for you tailored to fit whatever you want, trolling, bait fishing, jigging or fly fishing for Trout, Salmon or bass.
If you would like to purchase some flies or other fishing tackle please visit our friends at Orvis. They have the best fly fishing tackle in the world and every purchase you make from them through our web-site helps to pay for this fishing report. Thanks!!
mailto:kwilson@digitalpath.net
Reservations are happily accepted. Please call us at: (530) 259-2267.
or Write us at; Wilson's Camp Prattville, 2930 Lake Almanor Dr. West, Canyon Dam Ca. 95923
