May 26 Fishing Report - Lake Almanor

May 26 Fishing Report - Lake Almanor

Location & Conditions

  • Body of Water: Lake Almanor
  • City / Region: Not specified 
  • Date of Report: May 26th
  • Weather Conditions: Stabilized weather, mostly sunny skies, flat waters, light breezes (after dealing with high wind warnings and unstable conditions).
  • Water Temperature: Not specified 
  • Water Clarity: Good visibility, improving every day. No muddy runoff flows.
  • Water Level / Flow: Lake is sitting about 2 feet from full.

Fishing Overview

  • Overall Fishing Rating (1–5): ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (described as "much more consistent bite," "fantastic," "spectacular fishing," "fast-paced bite")
  • Target Species: Browns, Rainbows, King Salmon, Catfish
  • Most Active Depth Range: Mostly 15–25 ft down for high-speed trolling.
  • Most Effective Presentation: Trolling (both fast and slow methods are working well). High-speed trolling (2.75–3.5 mph) for rainbows.
  • Best Time of Day: Last few mornings (for fast-paced bite).
  • Successful Lures or Baits Used: Optimizer Juniors, Trigger Spoons. Darker color spoons (blue and silvers) and bright oranges and coppers. Brown Town scent.
  • Other Techniques That Worked: Not specified
  • Notable Catches: Feisty rainbows (about half going airborne on hookup), some browns in the mix.


Guide’s Tips & Notes

  • Advice for This Week: Try both fast and slow trolling methods. For high-speed trolling, use Optimizer Juniors and Trigger Spoons at 15-25 feet deep, running between 2.75 and 3.5 mph. Scent your spoons with Brown Town scent. Branch out and fish other areas of the lake especially if boat traffic is high.
  • Changes You’re Seeing: Weather has stabilized leading to a much more consistent bite. Increased boat traffic due to the holiday weekend. Aquatic bug hatches are "going off."
  • Predictions for Next Week: Another week of fairly stable weather and a slight warming trend, which will keep aquatic bug hatches active and the fish "ramped up into spring feed mode." Looking forward to another exciting week of fishing.
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