Lake Almanor Fishing Report | October 6, 2025
The report at a glance
Depth
Primarily 30 to 40 feet; 20 to 25 feet picking up as trout move higher
Presentation
On windy days go fast with Trigger Spoons and Optimizer Juniors scented with Brown Town. When fish group up, switch to a slow program with Trout Trix Minnows trimmed slightly to match the pond smelt.
Lures and baits
Trigger Spoons and Optimizer Juniors (fast), both scented with Brown Town scent
Trout Trix Minnows, trimmed a quarter to a half inch (slow program)
Other techniques
Switch between fast and slow trolling programs based on conditions
Water temperature
Just over 60 degrees and slowly dropping
Water level
Declining as they draw down for winter
Weather
Recent fronts brought rain and thundershowers
Advice for this week
Let the conditions pick your program. Fast when it is windy, slow when fish are tightly grouped. Trim your minnows to match the size of the pond smelt you are seeing.
What is changing
Recent fronts brought rain and thundershowers, leaving the bite unsettled; lake level declining as they draw down for winter; the 20 to 25 foot range has picked up the last few days as trout move higher.
Next week
Look for this bite to continue as fall progresses. Cooling water should keep pushing trout higher in the column and keep the smelt feed going strong.
Lake Almanor trout are keyed on pond smelt and holding 30 to 40 feet, with some moving shallow to 20 to 25 feet as water cools past 60 degrees. On windy days, fast-troll Trigger Spoons or Junior Optimizers on Brown Town scent. When fish group up, switch to a trimmed Trix Minnow. The bite swings from slow to red hot in a day.
What is biting at Lake Almanor right now?
Trout, keyed heavily on the lake's pond smelt. Capt. Bryan Roccucci reports the bite has been unsettled after weather fronts with rain and thundershowers, ranging from slow to red hot all in the same day. Fish usually turn on at some point during the trip.
What depth are the trout at Lake Almanor?
Mainly 30 to 40 feet down, whether fishing fast or slow. Bryan is also starting to pick up fish shallow, at 20 and 25 feet, as cooler water pushes trout a little higher in the column. Watch for smelt getting chased out of the water.
What lures and colors are working at Lake Almanor?
On windy days, fast-troll Trigger Spoons and Junior Optimizers scented with Brown Town. When fish tighten up, switch to the slow program with Trix Minnows, trimmed a quarter to half inch to match the pond smelt, also on Brown Town scent.
How is Bryan deciding fast versus slow at Lake Almanor?
He lets conditions dictate. Windy periods call for the fast presentation with spoons. When conditions calm or fish are tightly grouped, he goes slow with a size-matched Trix Minnow. Both programs get the Brown Town scent treatment.
What is the outlook for Lake Almanor?
Bryan expects the smelt-focused bite to continue as water keeps cooling and trout feel better and move higher. Lake level is slowly declining on the fall drawdown. Water temperature is just over 60 degrees. Exact clarity was not specified in this report.
Watch the full report
Lake Almanor October 6, 2025 FAQ
Mainly 30 to 40 feet, with some fish moving shallow to 20 and 25 feet as the water cools.
Fast-trolled Trigger Spoons and Junior Optimizers scented with Brown Town.
A Trix Minnow trimmed a quarter to half inch to match the pond smelt, on Brown Town scent.
Just over 60 degrees and slowly dropping as fall progresses.
The lake's pond smelt population, which the baits are matched to imitate.
Capt. Bryan Roccucci of Big Daddy's Guide Service.
