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Shasta Lake Fishing Report | August 18, 2025

Report by Capt. Jeff Goodwin
Jeff Goodwin of Jeff Goodwin Fishing guides trout, kokanee, and salmon on Shasta Lake and the Sacramento River as a Catch America captain. Shop Jeff Goodwin's tackle.
What is working right now

Shasta Lake is fishing really good in mid-August 2025. Big rainbows are holding 70 to 80 feet down near the dam and I-5 bridge, while thick, football kokanee are schooled deep at 100 to 125 feet near structure. Run dodgers and small spoons, or pearl white Trix Minnows with a white 360 flasher. Uncle Larry's spinners in pink and orange are hot for kokanee.

What is biting at Shasta Lake right now?

Fishing is really good, led by a lot of big rainbows that turned on about a week ago, plus a handful of browns and strong late-season kokanee. Capt. Jeff Goodwin says now through the end of September is the time for the big-rainbow spectacle on Shasta Lake.

What depth are Shasta Lake kokanee and rainbows holding?

Kokanee are deep, schooled at 100 to 125 feet close to structure, and easy to spot on the graph. Rainbows are shallower, in the 70 to nearly 80 foot range, and Jeff is fishing them lower in the system toward the dam and the I-5 bridge area.

What lures and colors are working at Shasta Lake?

Dodgers and small spoons are very productive. Pearl white Trix Minnows shine, especially paired with a white 360 flasher. For kokanee, Uncle Larry's spinners in gold, orange, and pink are strong. Keep spoons small since the shad are barely 2 inches right now.

How should I present baits at Shasta Lake in August?

Run a dodger with a small spoon or a pearl white Trix Minnow behind a white 360 flasher. If you do not want to dodger fish, pull a spoon off a downrigger or a diver and you will still get them. Match the small shad with compact lures.

How do the Shasta Lake kokanee look?

Most kokanee run around 18 inches and are exceptionally big and thick across the back, like footballs. They are starting to turn, getting darker with hooking jaws and full bellies of eggs or milt, but they still cut and eat nicely. Late-season is the time to target them.

Watch the full report

From the report (Capt. Jeff Goodwin): The fishing remains really good. We're really getting a lot of big rainbows. Kokanee, you need to look down deep for them, in that 100, 125-foot mark now. The rainbows, mostly in that 70, starting to push that 80-foot mark. Trout Trix Minnows are pretty darn good, especially the pearl white colors.

Shasta Lake August 18, 2025 FAQ

How deep are Shasta Lake kokanee in August?

Schooled at 100 to 125 feet, close to structure.

How deep are Shasta Lake rainbows holding?

In the 70 to nearly 80 foot range, mostly toward the dam and I-5 bridge areas.

What is the best trout lure at Shasta Lake now?

Pearl white Trix Minnows run with a white 360 flasher, plus dodgers with small spoons.

What color spinners work for Shasta kokanee?

Uncle Larry's spinners in gold, orange, and pink.

How big are the Shasta Lake kokanee?

Around 18 inches, very thick and football-shaped, though starting to turn dark.

Why keep spoons small at Shasta Lake?

The shad are barely 2 inches, so small lures match the forage best.

Tags: jeff-goodwin kokanee rainbow-trout shasta-lake
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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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Northwest Oregon Fishing Report | July 2026

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