From the Lake Almanor Fishing Association

Lake level is dropping slowly, and water clarity is 20’. We are seeing a transition to a fall weather pattern with day time highs predicted to be in the mid-seventies and nighttime lows in the low-forties for at least the next seven days. Boat traffic remains light as does fishing pressure.  Water temp has been ranging from the low to mid seventies and you won’t find a significant change in temp until the 40’ deep mark. With the cooler temps and shortening days we will continue to see a slow decline in water temps.

Fish continue to feed on pond smelt, and you have to weed through a few smaller fish to find fish of size. Pond smelt imitations and crawlers trolled at 1 mph with or without flash seem to be the most productive method. I have heard of boats picking up speed and trolling hardware which will become the norm as water temps continue to recede. Trollers are targeting fish at both Rec #1 &2, the A-frame to Big Cove and Big Springs to Dorado with lots of down time between fish.
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Fish continue to seek refuge over springs and at the Branch, based upon the vehicles parked at the Branch those fish are seeing lots of pressure. Bank fishing is tough at best this time of year anywhere other than the Branch. Bass fishermen are targeting fish off deep structures with plastics.
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From the Lake Almanor Fishing Association
August 5, 2018

Lake level remains unseasonably high and water temps reached 78.5 degrees last week during another week of excessively hot weather. We are currently experiencing a cooling trend, it is 46 degrees this morning as I write this report and our daytime high will be in the low 80” s. A warming trend will return this coming week and temps will creep back into the high 70’s.
Fish are migrating around the lake searching for feed and cooler water. There has been a substantial amount of boat traffic between Big Cove and Rec #1 in water 60 feet deep. Most boats are slow trolling Gulps and crawlers with a mixture of naked/dodgers on size 6 to 8 hooks. Salmon and Rainbows are being caught 35 plus feet down. The bite dies early, and fishing can be tough with long lulls between fish. I have seen some boats fast trolling hardware and I assume they are seeing similar results.

I found a couple of large schools of Pond Smelt yesterday one right off the Plumas Pines marina. The fish I cleaned had a mixture of insects and Pond Smelt in their bellies, the smelt are less than 2 inches long and provide a healthy food source.
Get on the water early, fish slow and deep in 50-60 feet of water and you stand a good chance of getting fish. Start at the A-Frame, Hamilton Branch, Big Springs, Rec #2 or Rocky Point and search for Pond Smelt.

Like most of Northern California we are experiencing a smoky haze with some days worse than others. The Whaleback fire at Eagle Lake has been contained and mop up crews are falling hazardous trees along the roadway. As a fisherman that loves and support’s Eagle Lake and its residents my heart goes out to the communities of Spaulding, Bucks Bay and Stones as they deal with another devastating set back.