Northern California Fishing Season
Sacramento River Fishing Season
Shasta Lake Fishing Season
| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | July | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Landlocked King Salmon |  | | |  | | | | | | | | |
| Largemouth Bass |  | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Smallmouth Bass | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Spotted Bass | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Blue Gill or Sun Fish | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Crappie | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Trout | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Species | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Landlocked King Salmon | ||||||||||||
| Largemouth Bass | ||||||||||||
| Smallmouth Bass | ||||||||||||
| Spotted Bass | ||||||||||||
| Blue Gill or Sun Fish | ||||||||||||
| Crappie | ||||||||||||
| Trout | ||||||||||||
| More Info… | ||||||||||||
- Closed
- Fair
- Good
- Peak
Note:
These seasons are based on averages we have seen over the years. Because our weather is not the same every year, the seasons can vary due to changes in water temperatures, water depth, and severe weather conditions.
Your guide will always tell you when he sees a change coming.
January through December on the Sacramento River
Later into May, the bigger stripers show up—like bullies of the block—to help their little brothers and sisters pull your arm out of its socket. You might be sitting around, doing a spot of fishing, when all of a sudden out of the corner of your eye, you spot one. Then another, and another…until the surface is black with them. Bump! One hits the side of the boat and you think they want to sink the boat so they can eat the occupants. In reality, they are spawning and you have nothing to fear. Then as suddenly as they appear, they disappear back into the depths from which they came.
With the fading of the striper comes the rising of the Shad, with their brilliantly colored bodies flashing in the warming waters. It’s time to relax with a little spinning rod and a jig. You find a likely spot to anchor. You think this will be a relaxing afternoon on the water, but then a freight train gets a hold on your line and begins stripping line like it’s in a hurry to get to all-points-south on time. As you coax him to the boat, you notice he’s brought a friend along. So another jig is offered, and bang! the friend you thought was just a passenger was the stand-by conductor and he has an urgent schedule to some far-off place, and he had to be there yesterday. With the sun setting and the light fading, you think to yourself, “just one more…” and so the day ends.
Now it’s July, and with the waning of the shad, you start thinking about the coming of the Kings salmon. The days seem to go on forever as the nights flash by.
August… and the kings have arrived. As though they were an invasion coming in chrome silver armor, they strike out at Kwick Fish and lay waste to Roe that get in their path. First they come in small numbers as if they were scouts…
Then September comes, and the armies start massing. Battling upstream to a sure victory. Like an opposing force we back-troll our Kwick Fish and bounce our Roe. Crash!! He’s on!! He takes our breath with runs while we watch the line disappear off our reels. “Chase Him!” is now the battle cry, for we’re losing ground. The rest of the lines are cleared and our sites are on the king. With each victory comes celebration and with each defeat a sigh, but don’t despair, another one is sitting just behind us waiting…
By October, the army is in full force and the battles continue. Fish On!!! Fish On!!! Fish On!!! Battling on through October, November, and December, the monsters come into view, and the fights are intensified. By late December, the seasons are winding down, but just around the corner, it can all begin again.
January through December on Shasta Lake Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout and Landlocked Salmon
From January to February, these menaces of the deep come up from their lairs to prey upon any unlucky smaller fish they may find. The big boys patrol the banks and love nothing more than to rip, smash, and grab any fast moving target. The Bass are lurking lower in the water column as the big females are starting to produce the next generation.
From March to April, the big Trout are still on the hunt as they herd the shad around like a cowboy herds cattle to the marketplace for slaughter, and the Bass are now beginning to come up from the deeper water into the shallows to spawn and guard their brewd. The Salmon are making their way towards the dam to gorge themselves on Shad where the currents have pushed them.
From May to September, the Trout have moved back to their lairs, and are coming out to hunt in the late evening until dawn, and the bass have come off of their nests and settled into their summer homes. The Catfish are now on the prowl for food in earnest. They’re moving around the bottom of the lake like the clean up men after a big game at a sporting event. The Sturgeon are still hanging out on flats about 60 feet watching everything that is going on above them.
October to November, finds the Bass looking for food to put on much needed fat for the winter, like a grizzly getting ready for hibernation. They lash out at anything they think they can catch and devour. The trout are becoming more active now, and are on top of it all.
December, finds the Bass down looking for a condo to rent for the winter, as the Trout are coming out to play, frolicking in the fading light of evening. The Catfish are in their warm and cozy winter resorts, and through it all, the Sturgeon have a front row seat at the 50 yard line.
In the early fall, bass look for food to put on much needed fat for the winter, they lash out at anything they think they can catch and devour.
The Striped bass is a saltwater species that comes into freshwater to spawn. To watch them spawn is amazing: they do not make a nest, instead they spawn on the surface. Sometimes when you are just sitting, quietly fishing, you might suddenly see fish everywhere around you. Striped bass are also vicious and powerful, and would like nothing more than to rip your line right off the reel. They’ll attack almost anything that looks like food and have been known to grow up to 75 lbs. They are found in both the Sacramento River and the Feather River.
The sturgeon is a fish that goes back to prehistoric times. They are bottom feeders and have cartilage rather than true bones. They take bait lightly and you must let them take the bait and the hook long enough to get it into their cerbascus (sucker mouths). Hold on tight and don’t let go, because once you’ve hooked one of these guys, you won’t have a fight, you’ll have a battle. You’ll find you have muscles in your body you never knew existed. They can be found in Shasta Lake and the Sacramento River. They grow to be very large and weights have been recorded in the triple digits. They’ve been known to live over 100 years, and some experts believe they can live many years longer. Their full life span is unknown.
This highly prized game fish is an oceangoing trout that comes into the river system to spawn. After spawning, Steelhead return to the ocean to repeat the cycle, and return as larger fish. They are a monster of a fish—very smart—they keep you on your toes through tricks, like trying to break your line by maneuvering it into snags and various other places. They are acrobats that leap out of the water to shake the lure. They can be caught on roe, glo-bugs, various flies and hard crank baits. They can be found in the Sacramento River, the Feather River and the Trinity River where fish up to about 19 lbs have been caught. When you hook one of these, be prepared for a battle of wits.