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Scotts Flat Reservoir Fishing Report | February 22, 2026

Report by Capt. Cal Kellogg
Cal Kellogg is a Catch America pro-staff captain who fishes High Sierra and foothill waters from his kayak. Shop Cal Kellogg's tackle.
What is working right now

Scotts Flat Reservoir is loaded with rainbows in February 2026, and Cal Kellogg landed over 20 trout in a day. The clear 49 degree water fished best on an orange Trix Minnow run 7 to 8 feet deep on hybrid leadcore, plus an orange Trix Worm and a Trigger Bugger. Troll 1.7 to 2.5 mph and work river-arm mouths and submerged creek beds.

What is biting at Scotts Flat Reservoir right now?

Rainbow trout, and a lot of them. Cal Kellogg put over 20 trout in the kayak in a day on the clear, cold water. The lake is chock-full of rainbows, with big browns, smallmouth, and bonus largemouth also present, though Cal targeted rainbows.

What lures and colors work at Scotts Flat Reservoir?

Orange soft plastics dominated. An orange Trix Minnow was the standout all day, backed by an orange Trix Worm and a red Trigger Bugger. A pond smelt Junior Trigger Spoon drew no interest and came off early.

How deep and how fast is Cal trolling at Scotts Flat?

Shallow. Cal ran the Trix Minnow about 8 feet deep and the spoon about 5 feet deep on two hybrid leadcore rigs. He played with speed from 1.7 to 2.5 mph. Most fish came at 7 to 8 feet down over structure.

How is Cal rigging the soft plastics at Scotts Flat?

He threads the orange Trix Worm straight on the hook near the tail, sets a pair of bobber stops about a quarter inch off the nose, and adds Trigger Scent. On the Trigger Bugger he holds an action disc a half inch from the hook eye on 8 pound fluorocarbon.

Where should I fish at Scotts Flat Reservoir?

Target the mouth of the river arm, a natural pinch point where fish congregate, and work submerged creek beds. Cal found big schools of pond smelt on the bottom and caught fish repeatedly over creek channels, which act as travel corridors for trout and bass.

Watch the full report

From the report (Capt. Cal Kellogg): On this rod I am running an orange Trix Minnow about eight feet deep, and over here a pond smelt pattern Trigger Spoon Junior about five feet deep. Target speed anywhere from 1.7 to 2.5. The Trout Trix series of baits were absolutely devastating today. That is three strikes in 30 minutes, two fish to the net.

Scotts Flat Reservoir February 2026 FAQ

What is the best lure at Scotts Flat Reservoir in February 2026?

An orange Trix Minnow was the standout, catching trout all day.

How deep are the trout at Scotts Flat Reservoir?

Shallow, with most fish at 7 to 8 feet on hybrid leadcore rigs.

What trolling speed works at Scotts Flat Reservoir?

Cal played with speed from 1.7 to 2.5 mph.

What is the water temperature at Scotts Flat Reservoir?

About 49 degrees and very clear.

What species are in Scotts Flat Reservoir?

Rainbows, big browns, smallmouth bass, and some northern strain largemouth. Cal targeted rainbows.

Where do you find trout at Scotts Flat Reservoir?

At the mouth of the river arm and over submerged creek beds, which act as travel corridors.

How many trout did Cal catch at Scotts Flat?

Over 20 trout to the kayak in a single day.

Tags: cal-kellogg rainbow-trout scotts-flat-reservoir
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Sacramento River Fishing Report | August 1, 2026

Report by Capt. Jeff Goodwin Jeff Goodwin runs Jeff Goodwin Guide Service on the upper Sacramento River and is a Catch America pro-staff captain. Reach him at (530) 510-2925 to book a trip. Shop Jeff Goodwin's tackle. What is working right now The upper Sacramento River king salmon season opened August 1, 2026 at the world-famous Barge Hole near Anderson and Cottonwood. It was a slow opener with under a dozen fish caught, but Capt. Jeff Goodwin says prime fishing is only 2 to 3 weeks out. His go-to is back-bouncing Brad's KillerFish KF15 and KF16 plugs on 10 ounce weights, double-wrapped with fresh sardine and wild prawn. What is biting on the upper Sacramento River right now?King salmon are the target at the Barge Hole near Anderson and Cottonwood. August 1, 2026 was the official opener, and Capt. Jeff Goodwin called it a light, slow opener with fewer than a dozen fish caught. His daughter Gracie boxed the first fish. More salmon are arriving as the run builds. What technique is working for Sacramento River king salmon?Back-bouncing Brad's KillerFish KF15 and KF16 plugs on the bottom. Jeff runs 10 ounces of weight to reach bottom in the deep water, with 12 to 18 inch droppers and about a 48 inch leader. The lead gets the plugs down where the fish hold since they will not dive that deep alone. How do you wrap plugs for Sacramento River salmon?Double-wrap the plug with fresh sardine and a piece of wild-caught prawn. Jeff also wraps tuna and squid. Start with a loose wrap that keeps the hooks free so you do not tie them to the plug body, then add a couple of wraps on top. More bait draws more bites as long as it does not kill the action. How do you tune a Brad's KillerFish plug?Wrapping bait shifts the center of gravity, so a plug that ran straight can start leaning one way. The fix is the eye: if the plug swims to the right, turn the eye to the left. Test it beside the boat until it dives straight and dances side to side. Out of tune plugs will not get bit. What does massaging the plug mean?It means keeping continuous action on the plug so it never sits dead on the bottom. Pull up on the rod to make the plug dart to one side, then drop the tip so it flutters back. Salmon often hit on that flutter, so be ready for a hard, full-on strike that takes line right away. What is the guide's outlook for the Barge Hole?Jeff says the area is about 2 to 3 weeks out from really good fishing. August, September, and October are the prime months, and a late fall run from November through the end of December produces some of the biggest fish of the season. Eggs, boondogging, and hover fishing come later in the run. Watch the full report From the report (Capt. Jeff Goodwin): One of the favorite techniques for fishing out here in the Barge Hole is to back-bounce Brad's Killerfish. Today, we're using 15s and 16s as far as the size goes. We're running 12 to 18-inch droppers, and then about a 48-inch leader. We're using 10 ounces of weight today because we've got quite a bit of water, and we let out enough line to get down to the bottom. Sacramento River August 1, 2026 FAQ When did the upper Sacramento River salmon season open in 2026?The Barge Hole area opened August 1, 2026. Jeff notes his openers have always been July 16th and August 1st, though an open river does not mean the fishing is great yet. Where is the Barge Hole?On the upper Sacramento River near Anderson and Cottonwood, California, just below where Battle Creek dumps in. Salmon stack here and hold until the first October rains, then turn up Battle Creek to Coleman National Fish Hatchery. What weight do you use to back-bounce at the Barge Hole?Jeff ran 10 ounces of weight on opening day because there was quite a bit of water, letting out enough line to stay on the bottom. What leader and dropper lengths does Jeff Goodwin use?About 12 to 18 inch droppers and roughly a 48 inch leader, sometimes into the 50s. What baits do you wrap on Brad's KillerFish plugs?Fresh sardine and wild-caught prawn are the go-to, and Jeff also wraps tuna and squid. How do you know a plug is tuned correctly?Pull it up toward the bow of the boat. If it stays alongside the boat and dances side to side while diving straight, it is tuned. If it swims to the right, turn the eye to the left. When is the best salmon fishing on the upper Sacramento River?August, September, and October are prime, and a late fall run from November through the end of December brings some of the biggest fish. The opener itself was slow, about 2 to 3 weeks from really good fishing. Who guides the upper Sacramento River Barge Hole?Capt. Jeff Goodwin of Jeff Goodwin Guide Service. Call or text (530) 510-2925 to book. Shop the Tackle Brad's KillerFish KF15 Brad's KillerFish KF16 Shop Capt. Jeff Goodwin's Tackle Shop River Salmon Gear

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San Luis Reservoir Fishing Report | July 27, 2026

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