January 2021 Report
January 3, 2021
Bass Fishing on Shasta Lake
We are now fishing winter spotted bass on Shasta Lake. The fishing is really good with most days having limits of 13 to 15 inch fish using plastic worms. Ned rigs and tubes Mudd Pie seem to be the most consistent tackle. I highly suggest to use light line like 6 pound flora carbon. Fish are biting in the 20 - 40 feet range.
January 4, 2021
Big Bass on Shasta Lake
This is the time of the year when we will get that 5 pound spotted bass, you just have to fish hard and have lots of patience and you will get rewarded with a trophy fish! On these stormy days, these fish move up the creeks. Throwing spinner baits and swim baits is one of the ways of getting big fish!
January 11, 2021
Spotted Bass on Shasta Lake
On Shasta Lake, as usual, the bass are biting in the deeper water from 20 - 40 feet. For the best action, minnows and plastic worms are the best ways to catch the fish. Silverthorne and the mouth of Squaw Arm are the hot areas and Ned rigs and Tubes will work the best. Try to find moving water in creek inlets as well.
January 12, 2021
Bass Fishing on Shasta Lake
Rain is here and the fishing continues to be hot action! All the bass today have been around 12 - 14 inches. The spinner bait bite is such a great way to catch some big fish. Moving water up the pit arm is the best place to find some current. White blades and Chartreuse will work well.
January 16, 2021
Trout and Steelhead on the Sacramento River
Trout are hitting on the Sacramento River drifting egg patterns and pulling plugs. We hooked 17 trout and landed 12 today using light tackle and an egg pattern. The largest fish today was 20 inches! The water is clear and low but if you use light line and some great bait you'll have a successful day. Area fished were the Posse Grounds and Caldwell Park. Remember, I've been guiding since 1988 full time!
January 17, 2021
Spotted Bass on Shasta Lake
It's time for the bass to bite on Shasta Lake! We are getting limits daily using plastic worms and live minnows. Fishing is best around noon when the water warms up. Silverthorn area is producing some good size bass with a lot of smallmouth being caught. Water is low and clear but fishing is consistent!
January 24, 2021
Spotted Bass on Shasta lake
On these sunny days, the fish are going off a lot better than on the cold morning days. The Bridge Bay area is getting some bigger fish than the pit arm. With low water and big rains, we are getting much better action than we have seen in the previous weeks. Ned rigs and tube worms are the best bet for bait and .40 feet seems to be the magic depth.
January 26, 2021
Spotted Bass Lake Shasta
It’s the rain that we've been waiting for! Lots of rain makes bass bite better though the wind makes it a little difficult to feel the bite. The fishing time seems to be better mid-day when bass are coming from deep water to shallow water which is 20 feet. Rain will get these fish to go up the little run off areas looking for crawdads.
January 29, 2021
Big Rainbows and Sacramento River Steelhead
This morning the fishing started off a little slow until the sun came out. When the water warmed up a little, the fish bit like piranhas!!! We hooked and landed fish every drift with a few fish going over the 20 inch tape! In the section of water I fished today it was very low and clear, but it seemed not to bother this bite.
January 31, 2021
Big Rainbows on the Sacramento River
Today was pretty action packed even with a 48 degree high. One thing about this time of the year is we get that first crack in the morning with about 5 - 10 fish first thing. It seems to shut off till around 10 am, then it goes off with lots of hook up the rest of the day. Water has a little color, but the farther we go up the river the clearer the water is. I am looking forward to seeing a higher release. Drifting roe and egg patterns is the way to go!
