Lake Almanor Fishing Report | September 22, 2025
The report at a glance
Depth
32 to 42 feet, as deep as 45 feet (same for slow troll and high-speed)
Presentation
Two programs: slow troll Trix Minnows cut to match pond smelt scented with Brown Town, or high-speed troll Trigger Spoons and Junior Optimizers in darker green and baitfish or rainbow patterns.
Lures and baits
Slow troll: Trix Minnows scented with Brown Town.
High-speed troll: Trigger Spoons and Junior Optimizers, also scented with Brown Town.
Darker green and baitfish or rainbow patterns have been best.
Best time
Late morning through early afternoon.
Water temperature
Around 67 degrees, even in the mornings, rising slightly under sunny skies.
Water clarity
A little cloudy; not quite as clear as a few weeks ago.
Water level
About 10 feet from maximum pool and dropping around a tenth of a foot per day.
Weather
A few clouds and an afternoon breeze with a chance of thunderstorms, but mostly mild weather and flat conditions.
Advice for this week
Time your day around the late morning to early afternoon bite. A little cloudiness in the water means scent matters, so dose your plastics and spoons with Brown Town to help the fish track your lure. Book Bryan through Big Daddy's Guide Service.
What is changing
The water has a little cloudiness, so clarity is not quite as good as a few weeks ago. Rainbows are leading the catch lately.
Next week
The fall trout action should keep rolling with the mild weather and steady pond smelt feed. Both the slow and high-speed programs are dialed in at the same depths, so anglers can fish to their strengths.
Fall trout are biting at Lake Almanor, holding 32 to 45 feet on the lake's pond smelt. Match the hatch with a scaled-down Trix Minnow scented with Brown Town, or cover water fast with a Trigger Spoon or Junior Optimizer. Best bite runs late morning through early afternoon.
What is biting at Lake Almanor right now?
Fall trout action keeps rolling, with a great grade of mixed browns and rainbows, lately leaning more rainbow. Capt. Bryan Roccucci reports exceptional fishing in mild, flat conditions. Water sits around 67 degrees and the lake is about 10 feet from maximum pool on a slow fall drawdown.
What depth are the trout holding at Lake Almanor?
Run your gear 32 to 42 feet down, sometimes as deep as 45 feet. That low 30s to low 40s band is holding fish for both the slow and the high-speed programs. The bite really takes off from late morning through early afternoon rather than first thing.
What lures and colors are working at Lake Almanor?
For the slow program, run Trix Minnows cut down to match the pond smelt and scented with Brown Town scent. For fast trolling, pull Trigger Spoons and Junior Optimizers in darker greens or a baitfish rainbow pattern, also scented with Brown Town.
How is Bryan rigging and presenting at Lake Almanor?
It has been dealer's choice. Slow-troll a size-matched Trix Minnow on Brown Town, or high-speed troll spoons to cover water. The water has some cloud, so adding Brown Town scent helps fish track the lure down. A specific trolling speed was not specified in this report.
What is the outlook for Lake Almanor?
Bryan expects the exciting fall bite to keep going as the smelt-focused feed continues. Fish are healthy and the mix of browns and rainbows stays strong. Water clarity is a little cloudy but not bad. Exact water temperature trend beyond the 67 degree reading was not specified in this report.
Watch the full report
Lake Almanor September 22, 2025 FAQ
Fish are running 32 to 42 feet down, up to about 45 feet, in the low 30s to low 40s range for both slow and fast trolling.
A size-matched Trix Minnow scented with Brown Town for the slow program, or Trigger Spoons and Junior Optimizers for high-speed trolling.
Late morning through early afternoon has been the prime window. Mornings pick up a few fish, but the bite really turns on later.
They are keyed heavily on the lake's pond smelt, which is why matching the hatch with smelt-sized baits works.
About 67 degrees in the mornings, rising slightly under sunny, flat conditions.
Capt. Bryan Roccucci of Big Daddy's Guide Service.
