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San Luis Reservoir Fishing Report | July 21, 2025
2025-07-21

San Luis Reservoir Fishing Report | July 21, 2025

Merced County
★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
San Luis
Not specified

Water Conditions

Weather
Weather
Unstable with frequent west winds; mornings windy, afternoons calmer but wind picks back up later in the day
Water Temp
Water Temp
Not specified
Water Clarity
Water Clarity
Not specified
Water Flow
Water Flow
Dropping dramatically—down nearly 100 vertical feet and about one million acre-feet since April. Recent drop of about 1 to 1.5 feet per day over the last week and a half.

Fishing Overview

Target Species
Not specified
Depth Range
Around 70 feet (trolling depth)
Presentation
Trolling at 70 feet; vertical jigging with small jigs also produced some bites but not consistent
Best Time
Not specified
Successful Lures
Small vertical jigs, trolling lures
Other Techniques
Covering flats by trolling

Guide’s Tips & Notes

Advice for This Week
Consider waiting for more stable conditions; trolling to cover water is currently the best method; if fish aren’t biting, move on and keep searching. Small jigs may work occasionally but no consistent success.
Changes We’re Seeing
Dramatic water level drops causing fish to scatter and behave protectively in globs rather than schools; unstable weather with wind making fishing difficult; fish appear to have recently spawned.
Predictions for Next Week
Cooling weather and persistent wind expected; hoping for lake stabilization, water inflow, and calmer winds to improve fishing conditions.

Recommended Gear for This Trip

Max Wiggle Rings - Kokanee Ring - Double Hook

Regular price $4.50 USD
Sale price $4.50 USD Regular price

The Max Wiggle Rings Double Hook takes the proven Wiggle Ring kokanee presentation and adds a trailing second hook for improved hookup ratios on short-striking fish. Kokanee frequently nip at the tail of a lure during slow trolling, and the double-hook configuration catches fish that a single hook would miss entirely. Each ring features the same Trigger Disc design that differentiates the Wiggle Ring from a standard Wedding Ring, producing the wobbling, pulsating action that kokanee find irresistible at slow-troll speeds. Available in 22 color patterns across the full Wiggle Ring range.

Anchovy Bait Head - 2 Pack

Regular price From $10.66 USD
Sale price From $10.66 USD Regular price $0.00 USD

The Catch America Anchovy Bait Head is engineered to give you the natural roll-and-scent presentation of a cut-plug anchovy without the mess and inconsistency of working with real bait. Its UV Blue Violet finish enhances visibility at depth and in low-light conditions, while the precisely molded anchovy profile produces the same rolling action that salmon and trout have been keying on for generations. The two-pack format means you always have a fresh bait head ready to swap in when the action picks up or a hook change is needed. Available rigged and unrigged to match your preferred leader setup.

Trigger Spoon 2.25" - Trout, Salmon & Bass Spoon

Regular price $5.45 USD
Sale price $5.45 USD Regular price

The Trigger Spoon is Catch America's flagship trolling spoon, tuned to draw aggressive strikes from rainbow trout and landlocked salmon at 1.5 to 3.5 mph, and it doubles as a proven bass spoon. Spotted bass and smallmouth grab Trigger Spoons at Berryessa and Rollins, whether trolled for trout or cast and jigged over structure. The 24K gold and chrome finishes maximize flash across the forage patterns that produce in Western fisheries. Available in over 50 colors.

Popped-Eyed Spoon - All-Brass Flutter Spoon

Regular price $5.25 USD
Sale price $5.25 USD Regular price $0.00 USD

The Popped-Eyed Spoon is a premium all-brass flutter spoon with an exclusive 24K gold plating option that produces maximum flash and attraction at a wide range of trolling and jigging speeds. Its distinctive popped-eye profile creates an erratic flutter action that mimics a dying baitfish, the exact trigger that produces strikes from rainbow trout, landlocked salmon, and walleye when they’re feeding actively near structure or in open water. The all-brass construction ensures the spoon holds its shape and action through repeated strikes and hard fish all season long without deforming.

Speed Spoon 2.5" - Trout, Salmon & Bass Spoon

Regular price $2.63 USD
Sale price $2.63 USD Regular price $5.25 USD

The Speed Spoon is purpose-built for power trolling at speeds that leave most spoons spinning out, and the same heavy 2.5 inch, 0.5 oz body that tracks true at speed also casts long and jigs deep. Rainbow trout, brown trout, and landlocked salmon chase it on the troll. California reservoir anglers cast and jig it for spotted and smallmouth bass on points and open-water schools. Guide Cal Kellogg picks up bass on the same Speed Spoon he pulls for trout. Run it solo, jig it over structure, or pair it with a Catch America flasher.