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Shasta Lake Fishing Report | June 23, 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 especially good at Shasta Lake the week of June 23, 2025, with fish in the 45 to 50 foot range. Run downriggers with small dodgers and Uncle Larry's spinners. Gold 6 inch Catch America dodgers, especially with UV tape, have been really good. Browns and rainbows are showing up and surface bait is piling up. Kings have been scarce.

What is biting at Shasta Lake right now?

Kokanee fishing is especially good, though the overall day was a little slower than normal. Kings have largely vacated their usual areas and are scarce. Browns are showing up, some big ones in nearby boats, and rainbows are showing up pretty good. Surface bait is finally piling up.

What depth are kokanee holding at Shasta Lake?

Check the 45 to 50 foot range for both kokanee and rainbows. Capt. Jeff Goodwin is running downriggers to reach that band. As surface bait schools continue to grow, expect the bite to strengthen in the coming weeks.

What lures and dodgers are working for Shasta kokanee?

Run small dodgers with spinner hoochies and Uncle Larry's spinners. The 6 inch Catch America dodger has been really good, especially in gold and with UV tape added. When the bite slows, switch to smaller 4 inch or teardrop dodgers.

How do I adjust when the Shasta bite slows midday?

When kokanee stop biting during the day, downsize your dodger. Jeff Goodwin switches to really small teardrop-type dodgers or 4 inch dodgers, which can produce when nothing else works. Keep working the 45 to 50 foot range on downriggers.

What is Jeff Goodwin's outlook for Shasta Lake?

With bait piling up on the surface, Goodwin expects the bite to keep improving in the coming weeks. Kokanee fishing is holding up really well despite a slightly slower day. Kings should return as conditions settle.

Watch the full report

From the report (Capt. Jeff Goodwin): Kokanee fishing is especially good. We tried for kings a little bit today, and the kings seem to have vacated some of the areas they like to hang out in. Best techniques for the kokanee have been downriggers and just running small dodgers, spinner hoochies, spinners like the Uncle Larry's spinners. Six inch dodgers, Catch America dodgers, have been really good, especially the gold, but some UV tape on them is really good too. Check that 45 to 50 foot range.

Shasta Lake June 23, 2025 FAQ

How deep are kokanee at Shasta Lake in late June?

Kokanee and rainbows are in the 45 to 50 foot range, reached best with downriggers.

What dodger color is working at Shasta Lake?

The gold 6 inch Catch America dodger has been really good, especially with UV tape added.

What do I do when Shasta kokanee stop biting midday?

Switch to smaller dodgers, such as teardrop-type or 4 inch dodgers, which can produce when nothing else works.

Are king salmon biting at Shasta Lake right now?

Kings are scarce. They seem to have vacated their usual areas, so success has been limited this week.

Are the browns and rainbows biting at Shasta?

Browns are showing up, with some big ones caught in nearby boats, and rainbows are showing up pretty good.

Why is the Shasta bite expected to improve?

Bait is finally piling up on the surface, which should help get the bite going in the coming weeks.

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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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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