Fishing Season: Year round

Lake Almanor - CA

Fishing Outlook & Conditions

Water Temp:

60

Joe Garza's Tip of the Week

Start early on the surface with a floating leech or pond smelt pattern. Around 9am switch to balanced leech at 15', working your way down to 25'/30' as the day progresses.

Directions open in app

Map of Lake Almanor

Water Flow Data

Tidal Conditions

Orvis-Endorsed guides nearby

J.A.G. Fly Fishing

5-Day Outlook as of 12/5/25

Winter fishing is just getting started. There hasn't been a lot of traffic on the lake so it has been pretty quiet as far as pressure goes. A lot of quality fish are being caught on both the surface and subsurface. Pond Smelt, Floating leech, and wiggletails are producing well.

Techniques & Tips as of 12/5/25

Indicator nymphing, Intermediate, Full sink, Dry Fly.

Local Species Available Year round

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    Brown Trout

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    Rainbow Trout

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    Chinook Salmon

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    Sacramento Perch

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    Carp Chinook

Joe Garza's Recommended Fly Patterns

"Must-have" fly fishing patterns in descending order of importance:

Name: Colors: Size(s):
Real McCoy Foam Belly Hex N/A 8
Woolly Bugger Olive, Tan 8
Mad Bomber Chironomid Black 10
Bead Body Scud White 6, 8
Balanced Leech Black, Rust, Olive 8
Blood Midge Red, Olive, Tan 10, 12
Living Damsel Olive 10
Spotlight Caddis Emerger Olive,Tan 12, 14
Milt's Pond Smelt White/Grey 8
Gray's Stillborn Hex N/A 6

Real McCoy Foam Belly Hex

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Joe Garza's Recommended Gear

Description: About Lake Almanor

Lake Almanor offers great Stillwater fishing opportunities year-round. Located just two hours and fifteen minutes from Reno Nevada and two hours from Redding California Lake Almanor was formed when Canyon Dam was completed in 1914, and boasts a healthy populations of trophy brown trout, trophy rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, and Chinook Salmon. Lake Almanor is fed by Bailey Creek, Hamilton Branch, Benner Creek, Last Chance Creek, and Upper North Fork Feather River, as well as springs throughout the lake. These springs and tributaries help keep Lake Almanor waters cool during the hotter summer months. The cooler water and plentiful aquatic insect populations help these fish thrive and grow big fast. The average size of fish here is 18” – 22”, however, we catch 24” – 30” fish here consistently. Lake Almanor is the perfect place to learn advanced Stillwater techniques as we chase the hatches. April through May we fish for Smallmouth Bass. May through July we chase brown trout and rainbow trout during the Chironomid hatch. In June and July, we have the famous Hexagenia hatch. August into September we target Browns and rainbows with Damselflies. September through October we have the floating leech and floating pond smelt hatches. December through February the hatches slow, so we use advanced subsurface techniques to entice fish.

Nearest Airport:

Reno-Tahoe International Airport

Hatches:

Leeches, Pond Smelt, Chironomid, Damsels, Daphnia, Caddis, Mayflies, Crawfish.

Best Time to Fish:

7am to 12pm

Best Stretch:

Goose Bay

Best Access:

Plumas Pines