Lake Almanor Fishing Report | August 4, 2025
The report at a glance
Depth
Baits running on downriggers from 30 to 45 feet depending on the water. Fish pushing into deeper, cooler water through the day.
Presentation
Match the hatch with minnow imitations. Run Trix Minnows and soft plastic Trix Grubs, scented with Brown Town to lay a minnow trail in the water.
Lures and baits
Trout Trix minnows and soft plastic grubs, scented with Brown Town minnow-based scent, fished on downriggers from 30 to 45 feet.
Water temperature
Low 70s, reading 71 at the dock.
Water level
Surface elevation dropping slightly but staying stable.
Weather
Mornings flat calm, with afternoon breezes and some thundercloud buildups and light showers.
Advice for this week
Bryan Roccucci says target the fish that are working the pond smelt. Get down into cooler water to find them, and take advantage of the calm, warm afternoons for the best experience.
What is changing
Trout are following the pond smelt around the lake, with big clouds of bait showing in the east basin, along the east shore, and on the eastern side of the peninsula. Surface elevation is dropping slightly but stays stable.
Next week
Look for this summertime bite to hold through August as the fish keep hunting deeper water while they wait for the fall cool down.
Notable catch
Browns coming to just short of 10 pounds, with a 9.5 pounder in the mix.
Lake Almanor trout are keyed on pond smelt in early August 2025, holding 30 to 45 feet on the downriggers along the east basin. Match the hatch with soft plastic Trout Trix Minnows and grubs scented with Brown Town. Browns pushed close to 10 pounds and rainbows topped 6.
What is biting at Lake Almanor right now?
Rainbow and brown trout are feeding hard on pond smelt across the east basin and the eastern side of the peninsula. Capt. Bryan Roccucci landed browns just short of 10 pounds and rainbows over 6 pounds this week, with 4 and 5 pound fish not uncommon.
What depth are the trout holding at Lake Almanor?
Run your baits on downriggers from 30 to 45 feet, adjusting to the water you are fishing. The trout are chasing pond smelt in that band, so get down into the cooler water where the fish and the bait are stacked together.
What lures are working at Lake Almanor in August?
Match the hatch with minnow imitations. Bryan is running soft plastic grubs and Trout Trix Minnows scented with a minnow-based Brown Town scent to push scent through the water column. Specific colors were not called out in this report.
How is Bryan rigging and presenting at Lake Almanor?
Slow-troll minnow-imitating soft plastics on downriggers set 30 to 45 feet down, right where the smelt-eating trout are holding. Scent everything with Brown Town for extra draw. These are minnow-eating fish, so give them minnow-imitating presentations and keep them in the strike zone.
What is the outlook for Lake Almanor?
Bryan expects the summertime bite to continue through August as the trout keep hunting deeper, cooler water while waiting for the fall cool-down. Water temps are in the low 70s, around 71 degrees, with calm mornings and occasional afternoon breezes or thundershowers.
Watch the full report
Lake Almanor August 4, 2025 FAQ
Downriggers from 30 to 45 feet, matching the depth to the water you are fishing and the pond smelt schools the trout are chasing.
Large schools of pond smelt. Match the hatch with minnow-imitating soft plastics like grubs and Trout Trix Minnows.
Browns to just short of 10 pounds (a 9.5 pound fish) and rainbows over 6 pounds, with 4 and 5 pound fish common.
Surface temps are in the low 70s, about 71 degrees, with a warming trend, calm mornings, and afternoon breezes.
A minnow-based scent. Bryan uses Brown Town to put scent in the water for the smelt-eating trout to follow.
In the east basin, along the east shore, and the eastern side of the peninsula where the pond smelt are schooling.
Capt. Bryan Roccucci of Big Daddy's Guide Service.
