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Explosive Spring Fishing! Your Guide to Limits & Legends
The water hits 65°F, and suddenly—WHAM!—your rod doubles over. Right now, California’s lakes are serving up the easiest big-fish action of the year. Here’s how to get yours before the spawn ends.Collins Lake: Lightning Trout GoldmineThe Science: Warming shallows push trout into 10–15 feet to chase hatching midges. Pro Tip: pink mimics their eggs—hence the frenzy on Trout Trix Worms. Cal’s Killer Combo: Use a pink Trout Trix Worm with a Turbo Flasher. Hook the worm near the tail instead of the head—this makes it move more naturally in the water, especially when trout are just nibbling instead of biting hard. 2.0 mph troll speed—any faster and they ignore it "Douse it in Trigger Scent—our hookups doubled!" Sacramento Stripers: Live Bait = LimitsWhy It’s Prime Time: pre-spawn stripers are aggressive but picky. Minnows outfish lures 3:1 this month. Brett Brady’s Playbook; Drop a live minnow to the bottom and slowly lift your rod tip to let it drift naturally with the current—this keeps it right in the strike zone where stripers are waiting. Post-10 AM? Switch to chartreuse swimbaits (they’re keyed in on shad). "Look for nervous water—that’s where hens are staging." Danger: water hits 64°F? Fish deeper eddies—spawned-out stripers hide there. Pro Tip: The “Bug Buffet” EffectSpring = insect explosions. Match the hatch: Almanor: Red/gold spoons = midges. Don Pedro: Brown trout crush black leech patterns at dawn. Gear Cheat Sheet Target Best Bait Depth Can’t-Miss Spot Trophy Trout Pink Trout Trix 10–15 ft Collins Lake coves Stripers Live Minnows 5–12 ft Sacramento River eddies King Salmon Shad Harness 55–65 ft Don Pedro bird piles (Watch for groups of birds) Your Free Spring Fishing Toolkit Depth/Temp Map (downloadable PDF). Lure Rigging Videos (scan the QR code). Crew’s Picks: Shop our limited pink worm kits – 20% off this week.
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Spring Fishing Secrets: How to Cash In on the Hottest Bite of the Year
Picture this: it’s dawn, the water’s glassy, and your rod jolts as a 10-pound trout smashes your spoon. This is spring fishing at its best. Here’s exactly where the fish are feeding right now and the lures they can’t resist.1. Lake Beressa: The Spoon Strike Zone Big Nate’s clients hauled in 15 Eagle Lakers in a single morning. Why it’s hot: Cold mornings push trout to 30 feet, but by noon, they rise to chase baitfish. Pro Move: Troll chrome spoons at dawn, switch to stick baits as the sun warms the surface. "Fish the ‘scatter’: where you see birds diving, drop your rig fast!" — Captain Nate 2. Don Pedro’s King Salmon: Follow the BirdsKings are stacking deep (55–65 feet) near bait balls. Key insight: birds = baitfish = salmon.Rig for Success: Try trolling a simple shad rig—just a hook and a small baitfish (real or soft plastic)—behind a downrigger to keep it deep. Go slow, about 2.3 to 2.8 mph, so it looks like a wounded fish. Salmon can’t resist an easy meal. 3. Collins Lake’s Trout BonanzaCapt. Cal Kellogg’s clients limited out daily on lightning trout. The secret? Pink isn’t just pretty—it mimics spawning insects. Deadly Combo: Use a bubblegum pink Trout Trix Worm (that’s just a soft plastic worm). Hook it near the tail instead of the head—this helps when trout are just nibbling instead of biting hard. Douse it in Trigger Scent (Cal’s crew saw 50% more hookups). 4. Sacramento Stripers: The Minnow Trick Striper spawn is peaking but fish are spooky. Solution: live minnows fished downstream of current breaks.Adapt Fast: Flows jumped to 11,000 CFS? Fish eddies where stripers rest. "If minnows aren’t biting, switch to chartreuse swimbaits—post-spawn fish love flash." — Brett Brady Spring Fishing Cheat Sheet Species Best Lure Depth Pro Tip Trout Pink Trout Trix 10–30 ft Add scent! Kings Activity Shad Rigs 55–65 ft Troll near bird Stripers Live Minnows Current Edges Downsize hooks post-spawn Your Turn to Hit the Water Spring fishing is like a limited-time sale—the bite won’t last. Grab our free “Spring Tuning Guide” (with exact trolling speeds for your lake) here.
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Chasing Giants at Pyramid Lake: How We Hooked a 17-Pound Cutthroat on a Wild Desert Day
Giants Swimming in their Desert PoolIf someone told you the best trophy trout fishery in America was in the middle of a dusty desert in Nevada… would you believe them? Because we didn’t. At least not until we hit Pyramid Lake.This place looks like Mars and feels like magic. You're surrounded by burnt-orange mountains, salty air and prehistoric fish that have no business being this massive. And yeah, we’re talking about the legendary Lahontan cutthroat trout — fish that routinely top 10 pounds and sometimes break 20.Trolling Tactics That Trigger BeastsHere's how we got into the big ones: Speed Matters: Trolling between 1.8 to 2.0 mph was the sweet spot. Depth Zone: Most bites came at 25 to 45 feet — deeper as the sun rose. Gear Talk: We used Catch America’s own dodgers and trolling flies, fine-tuned for big-water trout. And let’s be honest — it wasn’t just gear. It was being in the right place, with guides who knew the patterns and fish behavior better than their own phone numbers.That 17-Pound Battle (Yeah, Seventeen.)Midday, rods go quiet. Everyone’s munching snacks. Then — BOOM — drag screams.One of Big Nate’s younger clients grabs the rod, and it’s on. The fish takes off like a torpedo, peeling line like it’s late for a date. The reel is howling, the boat’s in chaos— and Big Nate’s voice rises with the excitement. “Steady pressure! Let it run! Let it tire out!” Ten minutes later, the fish surfaces — and jaws drop. A 17-pound Lahontan cutthroat thrashing like a beast. We land it, the kid’s arms are jelly, and Big Nate’s got that look like, yep, that’s why we come out here.When to Fish Pyramid LakeIf you're planning a trip, here's the breakdown: Fall (Oct–Nov): Deepwater trolling shines. Fish are on the chew. Winter (Dec–Feb): Fewer crowds, but still excellent fishing. Spring (Mar–May): Peak season. Shore and boat fishing both produce. Summer: The lake is close for Fishing. Quick Pro Tips: Bring polarized glasses – sight fishing is real here. Fish early – wind picks up by noon most days. Don’t go light – these trout will snap you off like it’s nothing. Watch the Full AdventureWant to see the battle? You can watch the whole Pyramid Lake episode now on our YouTube Channel — trophy trout, desert chaos, and one seriously stoked kid. Ready to Plan Your Trip?If you’re chasing your own 17-pound monster, hit up Big Nate's Guide Service — he’ll put you on fish and probably hand you a granola bar, too. And if you're gearing up? We’ve got the trolling flies, dodgers, and trout-tested tackle you need. ➡️ Shop Catch America Gear
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