McCloud Arm rainbows today!

Alex Ross with a nice, clean McCloud Arm rainbow caught while trolling the surface with a brown trout Bay Rat at 3 mph.
Photo Credit: Capt. Jeff Goodwin

by Jeff Goodwin
10-25-2018
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Today we fished Shasta Lake and spent the whole morning on the McCloud Arm trolling for trout.  Water temps are slightly cooler up near Hirz Bay so thats where we concentrated our efforts.  With a full moon last night I didn't expect a morning bite, and its a good thing because there wasn't one.  We trolled flies, spoons, and Bay Rats on the surface and eventually got some bites on the flies and Bay Rats.  With all the bait on the surface and 64 degree water, the spoon bite just isn't firing yet.  As soon as we see some cold water, the shad will leave the surface and scatter throughout the lake.  Thats usually when the big spoons come out and the big aggressive trout will chase them down.  We'll also start to see trout plants from CDFW with colder water which always bumps up the action on Shasta a bit as well.  I'll be fishing every other day or two until the bite turns on and then I'll start running my scheduled brown and rainbow trout trips.  Lets hope it happens soon!

Jeff Goodwin is a full time Northern California fishing guide.  He guides year round for salmon, trout, steelhead, Kokanee, and bass on Northern California rivers and lakes. He fishes many bodies of water in the Redding area, but also guides the Sacramento River and Feather River during certain times of the year. Jeff can also be found on the California coast chasing ocean fresh King salmon and steelhead each year. To learn more about the fishing trips Jeff has to offer, please visit Jeff Goodwin's Guide Service.  You can also find him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or please feel free to call him anytime at (707) 616-1905.