Shasta Lake still a little fickle

Ron Shaffer got his big brown trout again this year during one of our Pautzke Bait Co. family fishing days on Shasta Lake.
Photo Credit: Captain Jeff Goodwin

by Jeff Goodwin
6-20-2019
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We fished Shasta Lake the past few days and found a pretty spotty bite, literally.  The Spotted bass bite is rediculous right now over deep water and getting baits past them and in front of trout has been problematic.  The full moon surely had something to do with the bite the past few days, but it normally just puts the major bite period into late morning or afternoon.  There are Shad balls moving into the main body now and thats a great sign.  They are still on top so the trout are coming up to feed.  For this reason, the trout are still biting in 20'-30' for me.  The water is getting a lot of color from higher winds this week and using solid color baits or metallic baits in copper or gold are producing best.  Adding scents like Atlas Mikes UV Gel scents also helps, as does rolling bright Pautzke Fire Brine Shad in chartreuse or even red is working well.  All the signs confirm the lake is behind schedule, but there are plenty of big trout around to make your efforts worthwhile.

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.