Shasta Lake is fishing pretty good in early October 2025, mostly rainbow trout with a few browns and little salmon. Capt. Jeff Goodwin is finding most of his fish deep, around 125 feet, with the water still 69 degrees up high. He recommends white presentations, white dodgers and white flashers trailing spoons or little grubs. Browns should move higher come November and December.
How is the fishing at Shasta Lake right now?
Pretty good, per Capt. Jeff Goodwin. It is mostly rainbow trout with a couple of browns. He is not seeing much salmon and has not targeted kings, and the kokanee are pretty much done after the last rains pushed them out of his areas.
What depth are the fish holding at Shasta Lake in October?
Deep. Jeff got most of his fish around 125 feet in early October 2025. The surface is still 69 degrees up high, so the fish are staying down. He fished shallower last week and mostly found bass, so he recommends going deep.
What lures and colors work at Shasta Lake now?
White presentations. Jeff runs white dodgers and white flashers with something trailing behind them. Spoons are great and little grubs are great. He says white is always a good call this time of year on Shasta as the lake transitions toward fall.
What is the outlook for Shasta Lake?
Jeff expects the pattern to shift as the weeks pass and the lake cools with new, cold water. He says browns should start showing higher in the system come November and December. For now the rainbow trout fishing is solid for anglers willing to fish deep.
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Shasta Lake October 6, 2025 FAQ
Mostly rainbow trout with a couple of browns, per Capt. Jeff Goodwin. Salmon and kokanee are scarce.
Deep, around 125 feet, where Jeff got most of his fish.
About 69 degrees up high, so the fish are still holding deep.
White dodgers and white flashers trailing spoons or little grubs.
Jeff expects browns higher in the system come November and December as the water cools.
No. Jeff says the kokanee are pretty much done and left the areas he had been fishing.
