Shasta Lake Fishing Report | October 13, 2025
The report at a glance
Depth
Deep, 125 to 145 or even 150 feet; also the top 10 feet as the surface cools
Presentation
On Shasta, find deep fish on sonar and get trout lures and spoons to them, or work the top 10 feet with side planers and divers near shad boils. On the Sacramento River, drift bead presentations behind pockets holding Chinook.
Lures and baits
Deep running trout lures and small spoons on Shasta, worked on sonar or with side planers and divers up top. Bead presentations behind holding Chinook on the Sacramento River.
Other techniques
Casting to shore like a bass fisherman, or bead drifting on the Sacramento River.
Advice for this week
On Shasta, look for shad boils and trout working them. Cast to shore like a bass fisherman or troll, but stay closer to shore as the water cools. On the river, dial in bead color and place it behind pockets of salmon.
Next week
Shasta should improve as the surface keeps cooling. The Sacramento River rainbow and steelhead bite is strong now, with the hatchery steelhead run likely running through January or February.
Shasta Lake is a bit slower in the mid-October fall transition, but 2 to 4 pound rainbows are coming from deep, at 125 to 150 feet on sonar. Work the top 10 feet with side planers and divers as the surface cools, hunting shad boils near shore. On the Sacramento River, salmon in the Redding and Balls Ferry areas have trout and steelhead keyed on bead presentations.
How is Shasta Lake fishing in mid-October?
A little slower than peak, because the fall transition has fish spread out and harder to dial in. Even so, Capt. Jeff Goodwin is catching nice 2 to 4 pound rainbows. Most success is coming from deep water at 125 to 150 feet, marked and caught on sonar.
What depth are Shasta Lake trout holding now?
The main bite is deep, 125 to 150 feet, where you can spot fish on sonar. Some surface fishing is also on, working the top 10 feet of the water column with side planers and divers. That shallow bite should grow as the surface keeps cooling.
How should I fish Shasta Lake this month?
Target deep fish at 125 to 150 feet on sonar, or work the top 10 feet with side planers and divers. Look for shad boils and trout working them near shore. You can cast to those fish like a bass angler or troll, but stick closer to shore as it cools.
How is the Sacramento River fishing?
Good. Wild rainbows and steelhead are stacked around salmon in the Redding and Balls Ferry areas, waiting on dropped eggs. Bead presentations are number one, dialed to color and set behind pockets holding Chinook. Cast below spawning beds to pick up rainbows. The hatchery steelhead run likely lasts into January or February.
What is the outlook for Shasta and the Sacramento?
Jeff expects Shasta to build over the next few months as the surface cools and the shallow bite develops. Sacramento River rainbow and steelhead fishing runs nearly year-round. No Catch America products were named in this report.
Watch the full report
Shasta Lake October 13, 2025 FAQ
Mostly deep, 125 to 150 feet, marked and caught on sonar.
Nice specimens in the 2 to 4 pound range, mostly rainbow trout.
It is the annual fall transition, which spreads fish out and makes them harder to dial in.
Bead presentations behind pockets holding Chinook, dialed in on color.
Likely around January or February.
Side planers and divers in the top 10 feet, targeting trout on shad boils near shore.
