Lake Almanor Fishing Report 3/10/25

Kevin G shows off a beautiful Brown before releasing it.

Cool mornings and pleasant afternoons have been the vibes on Lake Almanor as of late. Runoff flows have slowed, and the water level has seen little to no movement lately, currently sitting basically five and a half feet from full at 4488.6 ft. Water clarity, which has been very poor in the east basin, is definitely improving. Much of that water now shows green instead of “chocolate milk” brown. Hamilton branch continues to kick out dirty water reducing clarity the closer you get to the mouth.  The west basin along the peninsula has much better water visibility. Water temperatures are currently running in the upper 30’s to 40 degrees. Action for trollers is picking up in the east basin, from the dam to Dorado and even up by Big Springs, as the watercolor has improved so has the bite. The Rec 1 side of the peninsula is also showing signs of life. This week the fish have been biting from the buffet, with lots of options for anglers. Worms, plastics and trolling flies continue to work while hardware like spoons and Rapala’s are starting to get some attention. The fish have branched out, now using more of the water column to hunt for pond smelt and can be found from 10 to 35 feet. The catch continues to be a mix of Browns and Bows with rumors of some large fish making an appearance. Bank anglers throwing lures, bait and flies have been working the coves of the west shore with some success as is typical for this time of year. Fly anglers are getting grabs on slow stripped streamers in pond smelt patterns as well as cinnamon colors. Traffic on the lake is light with an increase on the weekends. The Canyon Dam Boat Ramp is currently open and useable. Looks like the milder weather pattern is about to change. Better get your fishing in today and tomorrow as winter is scheduled to return Wednesday bringing low snow and high winds. Always be prepared for winter conditions and be safe. 

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