Fishing spots in Central CA ranked. Fresno-area lakes, Monterrey, High Sierras, Shaver
Fishing report compiled by California Outdoors Hall of Fame member Dave Hurley and edited by Roger George, who guides in the greater Fresno area and holds the striper record at Millerton Lake.
Best bets
Delta sturgeon and stripers munching before storm hits, Alan Fong reported. Eastman provides a 16 lb bass for Max Lee , Jayden Moua said. New Melones trout bite steady, Kyle Wise reported. Bass Lake trout hungry—if you can launch, Mike Beighey reported.
Rankings key below: 4: Fish are jumping in the boat. 3: Good fishing. 2: Decent fishing. 1: Poor fishing. 0: Don’t bother
Unless noted, area code is 559
Valley/Westside waterways
Striper 3 Catfish 3
In the California Aqueduct, Jayden Moua of 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle reported striped bass action has been solid from Pole Line south to Manning Road with 5-inch flukes in all white or Smokin’ Shad bounced off the bottom with a 3/8th to 1/2 th ounce ball jighead.
Eastman Lake/Hensley Lake
Bass 2 Trout 2 Bluegill 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2
At Eastman, the bass landed by Max Lee last week has been upgraded to 16.01 pounds, his personal best, and it came on a 6-inch Winged Minnow on a 3/16th ounce Primal Tackle’s High Roller Head on 22-pound Seaguar PEX8 braid with a leader of 15-pound Seaguar Red Label fluorocarbon. Lee only had one bite all day, but he made it count with the rare largemouth bass over 15 pounds. He said, “I used my Garmin LiveScope, and it was just the standard minnow bite and chasing isolated ‘floaters’ just like everyone is doing on Clear Lake and other places.”
Since this humungous bass was caught and released, Jayden Moua of 559 Fresno Bait and Tackle reported, “Many anglers are trying to replicate Lee’s catch, and shore anglers are finding multiple bites on big trout patterned swimbaits since the recent plant, however, the fish are short-striking and very difficult to hook. At Hensley, Moau reported the bass bite is steadily picking up by dragging Zoom’s Trick Worms. Trout fishing at both lakes is decent with Power Bait since the recent plants.
Lake Don Pedro
Bass 2 Trout 2 King salmon 2 Crappie 2
Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, was the tournament director for Best Bass Tournament’s Holiday Open, and he said, “We drew 55 boats in the open tournament, collecting 75 coats and 65 unwrapped toys to be distributed for needy families in Visalia by the Visalia Fire Department.”
Aaron Jones of Central Valley Bait and Tackle in Modesto reported an overall slow bass bite as the fish are scattered from shallow to deep water in the 56-degree water temperature. ½ to ¾-ounce jigs in brown/purple or green pumpkin or Senkos are working at depths to 40 feet with spoons effective for the deeper fish from 40 to 80 feet. The drop-shot bite has been slow, but those with Forward Facing Sonar are shaking minnows. He said,
“There are lots of trout in the shallows, and anglers are throwing big swimbaits or wake baits for numbers of followers.” King salmon and rainbow trout are moving close to the shoreline and in the shallows inside the coves, and blade/’crawler combinations or shad patterned spoons are working from the surface to 20 feet. Launch updates are posted at www.donpedrolake.com. A self-inspection is required for launching.
Isabella/Kaweah/Success/southern California Aqueduct reports available at https://www.tackleandrod.com/weekly-fishing-report.
McClure Reservoir
Bass 2 Trout 2 King salmon 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2
Jones reported like Don Pedro, jigs are producing the best numbers, but there is a jerkbait bite as well. He said, “The schools have been hard to find in the main lake as the river arm has been more productive.” Onemorebass Fishing Tournaments is holding their second event on January 3. Trout troller are finding a few fish per rod running blade/’crawler combinations or spoons close to shore in the top 20 feet.
Lake McSwain
Trout 2
There hasn’t been a plant for a few weeks, and trout action is up and down with patient anglers working for a fish or two per rod up to limits with Chunky Cheese Power Bait, inflated nightcrawlers, or Kastmasters from the normal locations of Handicapped Docks, the Brush Pile, or the peninsula between the Marina. Holdover rainbow trout have migrated up the river arm. The lake has dropped to 76%, and launching a large boat may be a challenge.
Millerton Lake/San Joaquin River
Bass 2 Striped bass 1 Shad 1 Bluegill 3 Crappie 2
Jayden Moua reported most bass anglers have been focusing on Pine Flat, but most of the bass action has been in the river arm above Finegold in deep water with plastics on the Neko-rig or shakey head, Hula Grubs, or jigs. The flows in the San Joaquin River at Friant is steady at 476 cfs. Woodward Reservoir in Fresno will receive trout plants for the next two weeks.
New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch
Bass 2 Crappie 2 Catfish 2 Trout 3
Kyle Wise of Head Hunter Sport Fishing continues to find limits of rainbow trout running Speedy Shiners, T-Spoons, or Papa G spoons from the surface to 20 feet. He said, “The Papa G spoon has been catching the majority of the trout as it has a wide, lazy wobble that the fish seem to like right now.”
The upcoming Costco Trout Derby has more trollers out on the lake. Aaron Jones reported the quality of bass has been the best of the Mother Lode lakes with jigs, Senkos, or spoons. With the recent trout plants, many anglers are opting to toss big swimbaits in the shallows throughout the day, hoping for the one big bite. All boats must be quarantined for 30 days or decontaminated at the New Melones Marina. The Lake Tulloch RV Park and Marina is closed, effective immediately.
Pine Flat Reservoir/Kings River
Bass 2 Trout 3 King salmon 2 Catfish 2 Crappie 2
The Hmong New Year Tournament is this Friday, December 27, and at 30 least 30 boats are anticipated to participate. Jayden Moau reported an overall tough bite as the fish are spread out throughout the water column. He said, “Plastics on the drop-shot, spoons, or crankbaits are working upriver from Trimmer to Windy Gap. When the sun comes out, bass move into the shallows in the warm 59/60-degree water. In the lower Kings, Moua reported excellent trout action with Berkley’s Mice Tails on a 2- to 3-foot leader with a split-shot under a bobber. Trout plants are scheduled for the next two weeks. The flows have held steady at 460 cfs at Trimmer.
San Luis Reservoir and O’Neill Forebay
Striper 2 Catfish 2 Bass 2 Crappie 2
The water level in the main lake continue to hold at 63%. Jayden Moua reported an overall slow striped bass bite at the main lake, but bank anglers are soaking nightcrawlers or anchovies for up to school sized stripers.
Roger George of Roger George Guide Service reported that the surface temp is around 61 degrees, and there is now an input of water into the lake. “ The overall bite for trollers has been slow- but if you can find the active fish you can do pretty good trolling regular 5” stick baits and Arigs . Best depths are in the 40’ to 70’ range. Portuguese Cove is one of the best spots to work” , George said.
When the pumps are running in the O’Neill Forebay, large white or pearl flukes on a jighead are effective along with Duo Realis jerkbaits.
High Sierra
Bass Lake
Bass 2 Trout 3 Kokanee 1
Captain Mike Beighey of Captain Mike’s Bass Lake Fishing said, “There is good trout trolling action, but with the low water level, launching is a challenge as the dock is out of the water. If you can get a boat in, you should do well. Shore fishing is decent across from the Sheriff’s Tower with Power Bait.” Jayden Moua reported solid bluegill and crappie action from the shoreline near the dam. A webcam is available at https://www.basslakeca.com/bass-lake-webcam-1.
Shaver Lake/Huntington Lake
Bass 2 Trout 2 Kokanee 2
Shaver Lake guide emeritus, Dick Nichols of Mountain Tackle, reported, “Prior to the storms, great weather drew a good crowd of trollers up to Shaver this past week. Some reported poor fishing while the regular trollers continue to score. Dave Loftin of Visalia picked up a couple mixed limits while Jim Allen of Coalinga and Dave McGlothin of Clovis teamed for four mixed limits on another day. Both boats were using Dicks Trout Busters behind either Super Dave or D-MAC Mountain Dodgers.
Terry Walton of Piedra and his threesome caught and released multiple limits of kokanee and trout on Sierra Gold’s Tackle between 20 and 40 feet in depth. The smaller silver kokanee that should be released to grow for the 2026 season. With the storm, boaters need to check the Sierra Marina webcam at http://www.sierramarina.com/webcam-weather-page.html for conditions.
Ocean
Monterey/Santa Cruz
Rockfish 3 Halibut 2 Striper 2 White seabass 1 Sand dabs 3 Surf perch 3
Allen Bushnell of Santa Cruz Kayak Fishing and Surf Casting Guide Service reported, “It’s heating up around Santa Cruz for dedicated surf casters targeting perch. From the Westside to East in Santa Cruz and on down past Moss Landing, the bite keeps getting better. Monterey anglers are logging some big catches from the Salinas Rivermouth State Park down to DelMonte Beach along with Asilomar and Carmel Beaches.
Timing of the tide is important, especially with a swell building. Best shot for now seems to be the outgoing just after a high-tide peak. Big swells and strong sideshore currents have the effect of repositioning the concentration of sand that deposits on our beaches over the summer months. The sand is dredged from some areas, and built up in other areas, creating channels and deep-water “holes” along the surfline. These are the areas where we find feeding perch.
The deeper water and currents transport sand crabs, worms, and other prey items for the perch to feast on. Any sandy beach along the Monterey Bay can provide fantastic surfperch fishing. It is mostly a matter of becoming familiar with the beach conditions that feeding perch.”
Limits of rockfish and a very health lingcod count continue to be produced by the boats out of Chris’s Fishing and Whale Watching in Monterey.
Golden Gate/San Francisco Bay/Half Moon Bay
Halibut 2 Striper 3 Rockfish 3 Leopard shark 2 Sturgeon 2 Crab 0
There are only a few more ‘shopping days’ before the boat-based rockfish season closes on Dec. 31, but even with the recent storms, party boats from Bodega Bay to Half Moon Bay are finding spectacular action.
Out of Bodega Bay, Captain Rick Powers of Bodega Bay Sport Fishing posted 29 limits of crab to 3 pounds, limits of rockfish, and three lingcod to 16 pounds on Monday. Out of Berkeley, both boats of California Dawn Sport Fishing returned with a combined 49 limits of rockfish and crab on Monday while five boats out of Emeryville including the Salty Lady had a similar score of 95 limits of both rockfish and crab. After January 1, crab season in this section of the coast remains open until June 30, and many boats will be taking crab-only or crab/sand dab trips depending upon weather and interest.
The commercial crab season will open with a 50% trap reduction in this section of the coast on January 5 with a pre-soak on January 2.
San Luis Obispo
Rockfish 3 Surf perch 3
Limits of rockfish along with the best lingcod action on the California coast is the story here. Two boats out of Morro Bay Landing were out on Sunday for 34 limits of rockfish and 28 lingcod while out of Port San Luis, a boat from Patriot Sport Fishing returned with 12 limits of rockfish and 20 lingcod.
Delta/Stockton
Bass 2 Striper 3 Sturgeon 3 Catfish 2 Bluegill 3
The California Delta is set to get muddy this week with the heavy rain in the northern part of the state, leading to flooding in many areas of the upper Sacramento Valley. The dirty water along with debris and logs will be making their way into the central Delta, and boaters need to use caution, both on the anchor and when running. Alan Fong of Alan Fong Outdoors has been finding excellent striped bass fishing in the shallows around Collinsville with swimbaits while smaller fish are taken on the anchor with sardines. He said, “The bite has been slow until the peak of the tide when the current is slowing down.” The best striper fishing is from Collinsville to Rio Vista with spoons, bait, or swimbaits. Fong reported a decent bass bite in the north Delta by flipping or pitching around wood.
For sturgeon, Captain Steve Mitchell of Hook’d Up Sport Fishing has been testing out new salmon roe cures, and they landed several diamondbacks on a new cure along with a 30-inch striped bass. He said, “The incoming tide has been by far the best, and there are literally hundreds of sturgeon holding in the area from Bay Point to Chain Island. You can’t move without seeing a group of four or five sturgeon.”
Several huge striped bass in the 30- to 50-pound range have been caught and kept by boaters soaking splittail in Suisun Bay, and as this technique results in a gut hook, the huge breeding striped bass will not survive being brought to the boat. The fresh water flow should push more sturgeon into San Pablo Bay from the Delta.
Tournament Results:
Don Pedro –Best Bass Tournaments Holiday Open – December 21st: 1st –Marc Jang/Christian Ostrander– 18.00 pounds; 2nd – Eddie Arant/Jared Gregory – 15.78; 3rd – Dayne Mendes/Anthony Borges – 14.73.
For more go to fresnobee.com/fishing.
This story was originally published December 23, 2025 at 7:42 AM.
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