Scotts Flat Reservoir Fishing Report | February 22, 2026
The report at a glance
Depth
Baits ran 5 to 8 feet down over water as shallow as 14 feet, with fish stacked near points and the mouth of the river arm.
Presentation
Two hybrid leadcore rigs at 1.7 to 2.5 mph. An orange Trout Trix Minnow about 8 feet down and a pond smelt Trigger Spoon Junior about 5 feet. The worm rig got a bump of Trigger Scent.
Lures and baits
Orange Trix Minnow (5-pack), pond smelt Trigger Spoon Junior, orange Trix Worm (5-pack) with Trigger Scent, and a red Trigger Bugger fly. The Trix baits were devastating.
Water temperature
49 degrees in the morning
Water clarity
Crystal clear
Weather
First storm front in about a month moving into Northern California; conditions looked just about perfect.
Advice for this week
Start with one bright bait and one natural bait, then let the fish tell you what they want. Once the pattern is set, commit to it. Fish submerged creek beds and river-arm mouths, which act as travel corridors for trout.
Next week
With clear water and a storm front moving in, conditions looked prime. Small out-of-the-way foothill reservoirs like this stay productive when you find the pond smelt forage.
Notable catch
Over 20 trout to the kayak, with two fish to the net inside the first 30 minutes.
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
Scotts Flat Reservoir February 2026 FAQ
An orange Trix Minnow was the standout, catching trout all day.
Shallow, with most fish at 7 to 8 feet on hybrid leadcore rigs.
Cal played with speed from 1.7 to 2.5 mph.
About 49 degrees and very clear.
Rainbows, big browns, smallmouth bass, and some northern strain largemouth. Cal targeted rainbows.
At the mouth of the river arm and over submerged creek beds, which act as travel corridors.
Over 20 trout to the kayak in a single day.
