Lake Berryessa Fishing Report | August 18, 2025
The report at a glance
Depth
50 to 100 feet
Presentation
Slow troll T-Pexes behind offset dodgers scented with Chrome Killer corn cure. At Camanche, fish deep-water points near the river channel with 10-foot leaders and PowerBait.
Lures and baits
T-Pex trolling lures behind offset dodgers, plus Chrome Killer corn cure. At Camanche, Senkos, Ned rigs, drop-shots, and small swimbaits for bass, small jigs and swimbaits for crappie, and chicken liver and squid for catfish.
Weather
Warm summer conditions.
Advice for this week
Run T-Pexes on your offset dodgers. At Camanche, rent a boat and hit the deep points on long 10-foot leaders for the remaining trout. No live minnows are allowed at Camanche.
Next week
Berryessa stays hot with daily kokanee limits. The warm-water bite is holding steady at Camanche, Pardee, and Amador.
Lake Berryessa is red hot in mid-August 2025, with limits of big kokanee the daily rule plus king salmon and trout. Everything is coming between 50 and 100 feet on T-Pexes run on offset dodgers. Tip them with Chrome Killer corn. Capt. Big Nate Kelsch calls the T-Pex the best lure on the lake right now.
What is biting at Lake Berryessa right now?
Kokanee, and it is red hot. Capt. Big Nate Kelsch is getting limits of big kokanee pretty much every single day, plus king salmon and trout. He is catching just about everything, with donkey-sized, fat kokanee the highlight of a fantastic mid-August bite on Berryessa.
What depth are Berryessa kokanee holding in August?
Everything is coming between 50 and 100 feet. Cover that band and watch your graph, since kokanee, kings, and trout are all in that zone. Once you are in the right depth, the T-Pex behind an offset dodger does the work.
What lures are working at Lake Berryessa?
T-Pexes on offset dodgers, plain and simple. Big Nate says the T-Pex has been the best lure and remains the best lure, and if you are not running them you are missing out. Tip them with Chrome Killer corn for the scent and cure that has been producing his daily limits.
How is Lake Camanche fishing?
Trout have slowed but are still available. Anglers are renting boats and reaching them at deep-water points near the river channel with long 10-foot leaders and PowerBait. From shore, warm-water species are readily available: bass on Senkos, Ned rigs, drop-shots, and small swimbaits, crappie on small jigs, and catfish on chicken liver and squid. No live minnows are allowed at Camanche.
What is the guide's outlook for Berryessa?
Big Nate says Berryessa remains hot with limits every day, and expects the strong kokanee bite to keep rolling. He is also running spoon kits for optimizers, trigger spoons, and trigger spoon juniors, and highlights Chrome Killer scent and the new Chrome Killer UV gel. Water temperature was not specified in this report.
Watch the full report
Lake Berryessa August 18, 2025 FAQ
Between 50 and 100 feet, along with kings and trout.
The T-Pex run on an offset dodger, tipped with Chrome Killer corn.
Yes, limits of big kokanee are the daily rule.
Slowed but available, best from rented boats at deep-water points with 10-foot leaders and PowerBait.
No, live minnows are not allowed at Lake Camanche.
Chrome Killer corn, Chrome Killer scent, and the new Chrome Killer UV gel.
