Lake Almanor Fishing Report 5/21/25

A little bit of everything as far as conditions go over the last week. We have seen sunny flat calm to big wind, clouds, rain, ect. ect. Inconsistent conditions have made for an inconsistent bite. The water level is on the rise currently sitting just below 4492 ft. or about 2 feet from full. Hamilton branch has seen dramatic improvements in water clarity flowing into the lake. Water temperatures are currently running in the mid to upper 50’s ticking up on the sunny days. Bug hatches are coming on strong all over the lake and fish tailing at the surface can be seen taking advantage of the fresh food supply. The trout are now widely spread throughout the entire lake. Action for trollers is happening at a variety of locations around the lake, from the dam to Dorado and even up by Big Springs, as the water color has improved so has the bite. Both sides of the peninsula have also been giving up fish as is the west shore from Rocky Point to Almanor West giving anglers plenty of locations to visit. Trout have been caught on a wide variety of offerings, with lots of options for anglers. Worms plastics and trolling flies along with fast trolled spoons have all produced fish this week. The surface to 30 feet seems to be holding the bulk of the active fish. The catch continues to be a mix Rainbows and Browns along with a few salmon. The Smallies are active as well in the shallows. Bait fishermen have been netting a few fish at various locations including Dorado, the dam and Red Bank. Fly anglers suspending nymphs under indicators are tempting the fish that are keyed in on the bug load coming off the bottom. Traffic on the lake is increasing as we approach the holiday weekend and more rentals and resorts are opening up. Boat ramps and docks that are in and useable include. (This list includes public and private facilities.)
Canyon Dam USFS West Shore, Plumas Pines (limited docks gas available 5/23), Almanor West, Rec 1, Rec 2, Multiple Resorts in Big Cove (gas available), Hamilton Branch HOA
The weatherman says we are in for a run of nice weather, look for the warmer temps to expand the bug hatches and ramp up the bite. 

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