Catch America – Fishing Report
Location & Conditions
Body of Water: Lake Almanor
City / Region: Chester, CA – Northern Sierra Nevada
Date of Report: May 19, 2025
Weather Conditions: Highly variable – calm, windy, cloudy, rainy (often all in one day)
Water Temperature: Low to mid-50s°F
Water Clarity: Improving – nice green color
Water Level / Flow: Near full (only 2 feet below max pool)
Fishing Overview
Overall Fishing Rating (1–5): ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Target Species: Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout
Most Active Depth Range: 15–30 ft (some fish down to 35 ft)
Most Effective Presentation:
- Fast approach: Trolling 3+ mph with hardware
- Slow approach: Finesse plastics with nightcrawlers
Best Time of Day: Not specified
Successful Lures or Baits Used:
- Optimizer Juniors (scented)
- Trigger Spoons (scented)
- Soft plastics tipped with nightcrawlers
- Brown Town scent effective on soft plastics
Other Techniques That Worked:
- Matching aquatic insect hatches
- Varying trolling speed and presentations depending on the conditions
Notable Catches:
-
A beautiful 27" Brown Trout released after smashing a soft plastic soaked in Brown Town scent
Guide’s Tips & Notes
Advice for This Week:
- Be cautious—water temps are still cold, and safety should be a priority, especially on boats.
- Get on the water early before the afternoon winds pick up.
Changes You’re Seeing:
- Hexfly larvae are starting to show up in stomachs—a key sign the spring bite is ramping up.
- Fish are responding to both fast and slow presentations, depending on weather shifts.
- Bug hatches are triggering short-lived surface feeding events.
Predictions for Next Week:
-
Expect improving action as the spring bite continues to build.
- Look for even more consistent brown trout appearances, especially with aquatic bug life ramping up.
- Keep working that 15–30 ft zone—adjust depth as temps continue to stabilize.
