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Shasta Lake Fishing Report | June 16, 2025

Report by Capt. Jeff Goodwin
Jeff Goodwin runs Jeff Goodwin Guide Service on Shasta Lake and is a Catch America pro-staff captain. Shop Jeff Goodwin's tackle.
What is working right now

Kokanee fishing is fantastic at Shasta Lake the week of June 16, 2025, with fish holding 45 to 50 feet and growing daily. Get any gear down to that depth and slow-troll at 1.2 to 1.4 mph. Rainbows with a few browns are showing 40 to 50 feet in the lower lake between the I-5 bridge and the dam, best at 2.2 to 2.4 mph. Kings are hit or miss on 8 inch flashers with Brad's Kokanee Cut Plugs.

What is biting at Shasta Lake right now?

Kokanee fishing is fantastic and the fish are growing every day, setting up big quality kokanee by late summer. Rainbows, with a few browns mixed in, are just starting to fire. King salmon is decent but hit or miss. Capt. Jeff Goodwin is putting 15 to 20 fish in the boat per day.

What depth are kokanee holding at Shasta Lake?

Look for kokanee in the 45 to 50 foot range. Jeff Goodwin is running downriggers, but any gear that reaches that depth gets bites. Rainbows and browns are holding 40 to 50 feet, best in the lower lake between the I-5 bridge and the dam.

What trolling speed works for Shasta kokanee and trout?

Notch the speed back to 1.2 to 1.4 mph for kokanee. For rainbows and browns, speed up to 2.2 to 2.4 mph, which draws the most bites. Match the speed to the species you are targeting for the best results.

What lures are working for Shasta kings?

King salmon are coming on 8 inch flashers paired with Brad's Kokanee Cut Plugs or Brad's Super Bait Skinny Minis. Add tuna packed in oil to the bait cavities for the best results. Keeping kings buttoned on the flashers can be a challenge.

What is Jeff Goodwin's outlook for Shasta Lake?

Goodwin expects the trout fishing to improve with a lot more action in the coming days. Kokanee keep growing and should be big and high quality by late July into September. The bite has been on and off week to week but is holding up well overall.

Watch the full report

From the report (Capt. Jeff Goodwin): Really good kokanee fishing. Kokanee fishing is fantastic. Look for kokanee to be in the 45 to 50 foot mark, and I am using primarily downriggers. We are just now starting to get into some really good trout fishing, the rainbows specifically, with a few browns in the mix, in the 40 to 50 foot range. King salmon is still pretty good, 8 inch flashers and Brads Kokanee Cut Plugs or the Skinny Minnys have been really good.

Shasta Lake June 16, 2025 FAQ

How deep are kokanee at Shasta Lake in June?

Kokanee are holding in the 45 to 50 foot range and growing every day, per Capt. Jeff Goodwin.

What is the best trolling speed for Shasta kokanee?

Slow-troll kokanee at 1.2 to 1.4 mph. For rainbows and browns, run faster at 2.2 to 2.4 mph.

Where are the trout biting on Shasta Lake?

Rainbows with a few browns are in the 40 to 50 foot range, best in the lower lake between the I-5 bridge and the dam.

What baits work for Shasta king salmon?

Eight inch flashers with Brad's Kokanee Cut Plugs or Brad's Super Bait Skinny Minis, with tuna in oil in the bait cavities.

How many fish is the guide catching per day at Shasta?

Jeff Goodwin is putting 15 to 20 fish a day in the boat depending on how many anglers are aboard.

Is king salmon fishing good at Shasta Lake right now?

It is decent but hit or miss, with some days off and some days really good. Keeping kings on the flashers can be tough.

Who guides Shasta Lake for Catch America?

Capt. Jeff Goodwin of Jeff Goodwin Guide Service.

Tags: jeff-goodwin kokanee shasta-lake
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