Slow showing for Shasta Lake Kokanee.

Beautiful Kokanee salmon caught this week on Shasta Lake!
Photo Credit: Jeff Goodwin

by Jeff Goodwin
6-22-2022
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Shasta Lake experienced a pretty good Kokanee fishing season last year and it all began in late April and lasted well into August.  This year has been a completely different story and althogh Shasta is seeing very little pressure, the anglers that are fishing Shasta regularly are seeing very few Kokanee thus far.  I haven't been targeting Kokanee specifiaclly most days this spring but I can't afford to be chasing unicorns all day when there are rainbows and browns biting well most days of the week.  Not only are we not catching Kokanee consistently, we're not marking very many either which makes it hard to justify targeting them right now.  Shasta Lake is behind schedule and water temps are at least 10 degrees cooler than last year at the same time.  That can explain why the fishing is slower than normal for this time of the year in my experience.  I believe we will see some significant changes in the next week or two now that we're seeing 100 plus degree temps daily for a week or more.  (Note the water temps and the Kokanee schools marking on the atached sonar screen shot from the same time last year). The Kokanee we have caught have all been very nice fish and have been perfect specimens.  If we see them show up relatively soon we should still be able to salvage our Kokanee season on Shasta Lake.  I have a few July dates open before I fish my last Shasta trip for the year on July 14th.  If you want to spend a day on Shasta Lake fishig for salmon and trout with me now would be the time to book whats left on my schedule.  We will have another boat or two available through August if you cant schedule before then.  Jaynie can be reached at (530) 510-2925 for more information on fishing reports and available dates in July and August.  Thank you!

Captain Jeff Goodwin

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.