Montana Fish Report

Areas that have not been underwater in a decade are now submerged, and we have not really tapped into the snow pack yet. Surface temps have been  all over the place, from 58 degrees up to 64 degrees. Water clarity is improving from good to excellent with about 12 feet of visibility. Lake Almanor is considered full  when levels reach 4,490 feet. Last Frdiay it reached 4,493 feet and water managers expect it to rise another 3 feet.

Salmon Watch.

The famous salmon hole known as the snag has been producing some decent kings up to 4 pounds, With most fish running a little smaller averaging, 2.75 pounds.

The Almanor silver rockets are the best fighting fish in Plumas County. Anchovy tails are getting the most fish, but night crawlers are also getting their attention suspended about 4 feet off the bottom.

Trollers are still scattered all over, and so are the fish. No areas seems to be on fire, and fish are coming to the net in a random order - one here and one there. Just keep your lines in the water and they will come.

Night crawlers, Needlefish, Seps Pro Secrets, Shiners, have all been getting hits. Boats are running Flashers, and dodgers down deeper and getting limits of fish..Slip bobbers and powerbaits off the bottom have been effective. The marine band radio channel # 69 crackles with life, as happy anglers share there good news along the airwaves.

Goose Island to Rocky Point, the A-Frame to Rec.#2, Canyon Dam to the Dorado Inn, Prattville to the USFS ramp are all good areas to work to troll.

Big Browns

Shallow areas that are have usually warmed up by now, like Bailey Springs to Catfish Beach and toward North Shore Campgrounds, have not.  These are places where large Browns are will take small baby geese, mice, catfish and Smallmouth bass fry. And as long as these shallow areas remain cool this can, and will happen.

Bailey Creeks is still gushing cold water, Bailey Springs is pouring more cold water into these flats, and to the west there's the North Fork of the Feather River, providing more cold water. and the Feather is running high and fast.

So with all this cold water coming in fish will hold here in the shallows longer, and big fish like big meals.

Another good " Out of the Box" spot to troll that has been producing limits has been from Goose Island, south toward shore and into those flats. Insect hatches have been keeping big rainbows, browns and salmon feeding. The fish have been running from 1.75 to 4 pounds, but again it’s all about how long theses shallow areas remain cool.

The Hex Hatch. It would appear that will be delayed this season. It usually goes off in late June and into early July, but that "aint gonna happen this season".

Everything is about 3 weeks behind this year because of all the extend winter weather and snowpack. Locals feel it will be mid July and into August.

 Access accurate Lake Almanor data at http://www.project2105.org/lake_levels.htm.  Doug Neal (530) 258-6732 http://www.almanorfishingadventures.com