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Updated July 16, 2026

LAKE BERRYESSA — Darryk Ataide with Blind Squirrel Sportfishing (https://blindsquirrelchannel.com) reports the kokanee bite is improving and the fish are getting bigger and fatter.  Target the main channel north of the big island.  The water level is down about 5 feet over the past two weeks with recent water releases impacting the thermocline and driving the fish deeper in the water column.  Trout and kings are being caught power trolling Speedy Shiners south of the big island.  Ataide provides Lake Berryessa fishing reports on the Blind Squirrel Channel on YouTube. The lake dropped slightly to 90%.

BULLARDS BAR — There hasn’t been much interest in kokanee as most area trollers are finding much larger fish at Shasta, Berryessa, or Whiskeytown. 10-fish limits of small fish are the rule at depths to 100 feet. With no tournaments on the schedule, trollers have opted for other bodies of water. Spotted bass continue to suspend offshore, but reports from anglers are scarce at ‘Lake X’. All boats must be clean, drained, and dry prior to launching. The lake has dropped to 88%.

CAMANCHE LAKE — Boaters have only the option of quarantining their boats for 30 days as there is no decontamination unit operable at the lake. The Shore Shore is the only available marina, and it reached capacity over the July 4 holiday, not allowing boats to launch after a certain number was reached. Contact the South Shore Marina at (209) 763-5121 prior to arrival for details. Robbie Dunham of Koke Machine Guide Service will be able to guide for holdover rainbows by the end of July. The holdover rainbows can be found in the main river channel with Speedy Shiners run naked.  Bass fishermen are targeting spotted and largemouth bass at depths to 30 feet with crankbaits, jigs, Senkos, or Creature baits are best. Private boat launching will end October 1. Rentals are available at the Marina! (209) 763-5121 option 2 The lake dropped to 91%. 

CLEAR LAKE — The lake is loaded with largemouth bass, and it’s a matter of seeking numbers or size. Unlimited numbers of smaller bass to 4 pounds are taken on red crankbaits, chatterbaits, or Senkos as the fish on the rockpiles are feeding heavily on crawdads. A three-fish limit at 22 pounds won a recent weekly Wednesday night tournament, so there are big fish for those specifically targeting them. The algae bloom is thick in the Rattlesnake Arm, and a die-off of various species has occurred with dead fish littering the banks. Water clarity is all over the board with clear water at the Narrows to pea soup in the Rattlesnake Arm. Catfish are a major player here, and interest in trolling for the big whiskerfish continues to grow. There are 5 bass tournaments on the scheduled in July. The lake is dropping steadily, and it is currently 5.05 feet on the Rumsey Scale.

COLLINS LAKE — There are still plenty of holdover rainbow trout to 7 pounds in the lake, and they can be found at depths from 25 to 40 feet in the main river channel by drifting Power Bait or trolling minnow-imitation plugs. Spotted bass are found offshore from 15 to 30 feet with a variety of plastics, jigs, or jerkbaits. Redear perch and bluegill are a solid option for just catching fish. 

McCLURE LAKE — With the dropping water levels, the kokanee that were scarce last week have been found in the main river channel hugging the bottom. Stick weights on the downriggers are the key to finding the larger kokanee to 17 inches on structure. Prior to the holiday weekend, Calaveras Trout Farm rainbows will plant 1120 pounds at McClure Point. For bass, Aaron Jones reported a 15-pound limit was landed in the upper river on topwater lures in the Bagby area. As the bass have moved out into deeper water, jigs, deep-diving crankbaits, or plastics are all working at depths around 30 feet. The Reel Deal Market is now open daily from 10am – 5 pm on weekdays and 10 am to 6:30 pm on weekends. The Barrett Cove Café is open weekends through September 7. The lake dropped 4 feet this week to 830.08 feet in elevation and 77%. There are no bass tournaments scheduled through the end of July. 

LAKE McSWAIN — Calaveras Trout Farm planted 2240 pounds of rainbow trout prior to the holiday weekend, and limits are possible within a few days of the plant with Chunky Cheese or rainbow Power Bait, nightcrawlers, or Kastmasters. Holdover rainbows can be found in the cooler waters of the river arm below the Exchequer Dam with Wedding Rings tipped with a nightcrawler behind a dodger, Kastmasters, or blade/’crawler combinations on a long set back. The Splash-N-Dash Water feature dominates interest on the lake. Information on the Splash N’Dash is available at: https://mysplashndash.com/. The Reel Deal Market & Cafe is now open every day the Splash N’ Dash is operation, Mondays thru Fridays from 10 AM to park close; Saturdays from 8 AM to 7 PM; and Sundays from 9 AM to 7 PM. 

LAKE SHASTA — Michael Ruth with Ruth Sport Fishing Guide Service (https://ruthsportfishing.com) reports Shasta Lake is still fishing incredible with limits of big kokanee being caught in the main body and lower Sacramento arm around Waters Gulch from 50 to 75 feet at 1.3 to 1.7 MPH.  Orange spinners paired with Peak Performer dodgers and wonder break Peak Performer dodgers with red micro shrimp have been the color combos for the past couple weeks.  The rainbow bite is pretty good right now with some beautiful browns mixed in from Waters Gulch to Digger Bay.  The kings are moving around chasing shad.  Ruth said “if you see deep marks on your graph (100 feet or deeper) those are your kings hanging out”.  Ruth added, “you can’t beat Shasta Lake right now!” The lake is releasing water, and it is currently at 75%.

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