friend in MN keeps showing me pics of giant Smallmouth. me? lake Almanor?

[Hobious]

I want one!!  I want one badly.  A decent small mouth.  I can find them at lake Sonoma near my home but they are barely keepers. 

I will roadtrip to my friend maybe next year, with my kayak..but a 29 hour drive is a very jagged pill.  so a big "maybe".  lets see what gas prices do before I talk to much smack.

it got me thinking.  hmmm Lake Almanor.  a mere 4.5 hours away.  a nice hotel stay, etc.  I google earth that lake and it is big.  big and daunting.  no stand-our features that scream.."SMB lives here".  I do not have a good jumping off point since I fish from a kayak.  big lake runs to and fro are not an option.  I am thinking of a beach launch somewhere near Catfish Beach..head out and try to find rocks.  lock a bottom bait like a finesse jig into my hands? what?

maybe hire a guide for the first visit?  any help.  that lake is huge and featureless to my rookie eyes.

[Mike Cork]

It's been many years ago but Almanor used to be an awesome smallmouth fishery. Hopefully Pat will jump in here and let you know if it's worth the drive. Beautiful area of California

Catching them was easy, a small crankbait or 1/8 Texas Rig  were very successful. Now I would imagine a shakey head or drop shot would be awesome.

[coldfront]

what do you want to 'say' is a 'giant' smallmouth?
asking for as a Tennessean...

[Hobious]

what do you want to 'say' is a 'giant' smallmouth?
asking for as a Tennessean...

I would fist pump the sky in jubilation with a 3lb smallie.  I dont have visions of grandeur.

[twocold]

Consider Trinity lake good smallmouth fishery

[Pat Dilling]

Lake Almanor would be a good choice.  And May would be a good time to go.  We have started going up there over Memorial week-end with our friends the Prestons the last couple years.  Here are a couple pictures of Kate with a 3 pound and a 3.54 pound smallie she caught with a Ned rig in in 2021.  While we had a good time, I do not recommend the Memorial day week-end for a primary fishing trip as the lake gets very busy with pleasure boaters.  Much better to go a week or two earlier.  May is spawn time and sight fishing is very possible, though we did not do that much.  There are numerous resorts and vacation rentals.  My buddy was just at a place called Knotty Pine Resort and really enjoyed it, it is on the peninsula.  Lots of great areas to fish close by there and across the Northern end.  We have been staying at Plumas Pines Resort on the SW side, but it seems we usually run to other parts of the lake to fish.  Word of caution, the wind can come up, especially in the spring.  But you could always drive to the lee side of the lake and put in there.

Another alternative is Trinity Lake, good smallmouth and also some awesome largemouth.  I have only been there one time, last June and we had a good trip, but the lake was way low and there was only one place to launch. 

Berryessa and Folsom also have good smallmouth.  Folsom is currently 5 mph over the whole lake because of low water.  One of my Yak friends has been doing pretty well there.  Another good smallmouth lake is Pardee in the Foothills between Jackson and Valley Springs.  They are very strict about having dry boats and it is a no human contact water supply lake, no swimming or skiing.

[Hobious]

Lake Almanor would be a good choice.  And May would be a good time to go.  We have started going up there over Memorial week-end with our friends the Prestons the last couple years.  Here are a couple pictures of Kate with a 3 pound and a 3.54 pound smallie she caught with a Ned rig in in 2021.  While we had a good time, I do not recommend the Memorial day week-end for a primary fishing trip as the lake gets very busy with pleasure boaters.  Much better to go a week or two earlier.  May is spawn time and sight fishing is very possible, though we did not do that much.  There are numerous resorts and vacation rentals.  My buddy was just at a place called Knotty Pine Resort and really enjoyed it, it is on the peninsula.  Lots of great areas to fish close by there and across the Northern end.  We have been staying at Plumas Pines Resort on the SW side, but it seems we usually run to other parts of the lake to fish.  Word of caution, the wind can come up, especially in the spring.  But you could always drive to the lee side of the lake and put in there.

Another alternative is Trinity Lake, good smallmouth and also some awesome largemouth.  I have only been there one time, last June and we had a good trip, but the lake was way low and there was only one place to launch. 

Berryessa and Folsom also have good smallmouth.  Folsom is currently 5 mph over the whole lake because of low water.  One of my Yak friends has been doing pretty well there.  Another good smallmouth lake is Pardee in the Foothills between Jackson and Valley Springs.  They are very strict about having dry boats and it is a no human contact water supply lake, no swimming or skiing.

thanks for good info.  I think I read it thru 3x now!

[Pat Dilling]

Glad to help.  Let us know where you go! And pictures!