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Folsom Lake Fishing Report | December 2025

Report by Jerry Lampkin
Jerry Lampkin runs TNG Guide Service and reports from Folsom Lake and Northern California waters.
What is working right now

Folsom Lake was slow in early December 2025. Jerry Lampkin ran the North Fork, the dam, and the South Fork and marked fish deep, but they would not commit to trolled lures. The water was a clean, calm 63 degrees. The day ended with a rainbow trout and a bass hitting as the lines came up. A tough day, but not a skunk.

How is the fishing at Folsom Lake right now?

Slow. Jerry Lampkin ran the North Fork, the dam, and the South Fork and found fish holding deep, but they were not interested in the trolled lures. It was a grind, but the lines produced a rainbow and a bass right at the end of the day.

Where are the fish at Folsom Lake?

Down deep. Jerry Lampkin marked fish on the bottom way up the North Fork and a few more at the South Fork, but did not even mark a fish at the dam. The fish were there but would not bite trolled offerings.

What are the water conditions at Folsom Lake?

The water is a beautiful, clean 63 degrees and calm, with no floating debris despite recent storms. Only about 10 to 12 boats were out. Conditions looked great even though the bite did not cooperate.

What did produce at Folsom Lake?

A rainbow trout and a bass hit as the lines were being pulled up at the end of the day. Specific lures, colors, and depths were not specified in this report.

What is the outlook for Folsom Lake?

Jerry Lampkin hopes for a better bite next week. The fish are present and the water is in great shape, so it is a matter of them turning on.

Watch the full report

From the report (Jerry Lampkin): We found some fish down on the bottom way down deep up the North Fork. They weren't interested in anything we could throw at them. We headed for the dam and didn't even mark a fish. Now we're up at the South Fork and we marked a few fish, but nobody's interested in biting. The water's a beautiful 63 degrees.

Folsom Lake December 2025 FAQ

How is the Folsom Lake bite in December 2025?

Slow. Fish are holding deep and were not interested in trolled lures, per Jerry Lampkin.

What is the water temperature at Folsom Lake?

A clean, calm 63 degrees.

Where were fish marked at Folsom Lake?

Deep up the North Fork and a few at the South Fork, with nothing marked at the dam.

Did anything get caught at Folsom Lake?

Yes, a rainbow trout and a bass hit as the lines were pulled up at the end of the day.

What lures worked at Folsom Lake?

Specific lures and colors were not specified in this report.

How busy was Folsom Lake?

Light traffic, only about 10 to 12 boats out on the water.

Tags: folsom-lake jerry-lampkin rainbow-trout
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