Almanor Area

RocklinHunter · Nov 12, 2013

Hello - If I recall a few of you are familiar with the Chester/Almanor area.

We will be staying up at my mother in laws house on Almanor over Thanksgiving and I wanted to take the family out shooting. Do any of you have a suggestion where we should go? I know there are a lot of day hiker/walkers around the few places I have gone, and want to make sure we're far enough away to no cause any problems.

Thanks for the help,
Terry

Hardway · Nov 12, 2013

Joey...AKA "Sageadvice" is the resident expert on all things Almanor. He checks in just about every day so he should see this. If not send him a PM.

sageadvice · Nov 12, 2013

RHunter, Lots of country where i guy can just go out and shoot. I know a few places that i go but there isn't much difference between them and another place that a guy can find for himself with a short drive out and about in almost any direction.

Shooting targets and such is very popular around here, can do it most any place. Lots of private timber and National Forest, both can be shot on.

I like the Westwood gun club. It is open to the public at no cost provided that they don't have a organized shoot going on. Nice benches, steel targets, a pistol range, just a pretty nice setup located a couple miles north off of highway 36, about 2/3 the way toward Westwood from Chester.

Also Greenville has a fairly nice range too. It is also open to the public and is located on the NE side, about a mile or a bit more up toward lake almanor from downtown Greenville. That might be the better place if there is snow on the ground as it doesn't get the snow we get up here.

Good luck Terry, enjoy your trip and have fun!!

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

RocklinHunter · Nov 13, 2013

Joey - Thank you for the information. I will check those places out when we go up. I also want to get the kids on the lake to see if I can get them into some fish.

Hopefully the weather holds out and we can make it work.

Thanks again for the help!
Terry

sageadvice · Nov 13, 2013

LAST EDITED ON Nov-13-13 AT 12:43PM (MST)[p]The fishing can be great this time of year but there are only a few places that allow access and have fish for the catching.

Are you going out in a boat? That helps. If you are planning to bank fish, to help you, it might help to know what part of the lake you are staying on.

I myself will be taking a few day fishing trip along the shores and staying in my camper while doing so. Again access like that is limited but i have found good productive water that i can stay on from lots of years trial and error. Thanksgiving time can be great, i missed it last year but have caught my share then going back a good long while.

Usually, i'll float up a crawler about 2' off the bottom and fish it on the flats where the water might be only 6-8' deep where the bait ends up. This time of year, i catch these, beautiful Rainbows mostly, cruising the flats looking to fatten up for the winter. A couple fish day is about normal but they are good fish usually over 3 pounds!

In deeper water and from a boat, jigging small crappie jigs in 1/8- 1/32 oz white or chartreuse jigs can be VERY productive for schooling Brown trout. I know of 5-6 places that MIGHT be good at any given time so having a boat that can travel allows one to quickly check out each area in hopes that one or two will be productive. We have limited out in a hour before, unreal fishing and the fish run from a pound and a half but usually average around 3 pounds with a 4-5 pounder just being a "nice" one.

Good luck!

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

RocklinHunter · Nov 13, 2013

The house is on the Pennisula and I'll be taking our 14 ft aluminum with us. We've been going up there for a few years but I never really focused on the fishing. This past summer we were up there a lot and I found a great place for the small mouth bass. I think we caught 30 to 40 fish over a weekend where the wind pushed the smelt into an area. The fish were stacked in there feeding like crazy. The kids loved it and still talk about "their" big fish. Most were small 8 to 10 inch fish, but that was good enough for them.

Now I want to focus on finding the trout and salmon bite. We were up during the last rain and caught one 18" salmon trolling infront of the marina. I'm hoping to have some time to see what I can find.

Terry

sageadvice · Nov 13, 2013

LAST EDITED ON Nov-13-13 AT 06:57PM (MST)[p]One really good spot is at Rec area #2 off Lassen view dr. Just out from the boat launch, actually in toward shore a bit, is a Brown trout jigging hot spot always worth checking. Larrbo and i have spent some good times sitting that area and it really hasn't paid off for us as it's earlier in the year when we've been there but that spot has produced thousands of big trout every year and i believe, even the lake record brown trout.

You may find the bass again where you did, hope so as that sounds like fun. The smaller they are, the more likely they will stay in the area and bite. My findings with bass is that the mature ones will move from area to area in groups, fish em deep early and later in the year, and take em when you can get them. The smallmouth are easy the best eating fish in this lake! Anywhere you find rocks and water dropping off can usually keep kids busy casting worms or better yet, crickets, in close to the smaller fish.

Casting a Rapala or Rebel off the rocks right before dark or very early can always be worth doing...

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"

Buckhunter1 · Nov 14, 2013

Browns r stacked n both coves at the dam right now. CARDIAK and the cove just north of the ramp. Small piece of roe under a bobber or brown roostertails early or late. No boat needed. Let em go as they taste like crap, but fun to catch. Good luck. Bh1

RocklinHunter · Nov 14, 2013

Funny, the right side of Rec #2 is where I found the great small mouth bite, but the afternoon wind hammers that place. I saw a few guys using float tubes in the swimming area ripping streamers for trout. It will be one of the places we try for sure. There is just a ton of rocks in that area.

Terry

sageadvice · Nov 14, 2013

Buckhunter1 +1, i've also had some great early mornings this time of year and on in both coves mentioned. Also had great luck using Roe for good sized Browns there. I used BB shot to sink it to the bottom then slowly raised and lowered it back down while bringing it in to pick up the soft strikes. Again, sometimes it was quick limits.

I hear some nice fish are getting caught off the causway. The upper side is supposed to be better right now but i like the lake side at the tubes. There's deep water out in front there and at times, i can't seem to get my bait to touch bottom before a take. Again at this spot, very little weight is a key thing.

Nov 15th is the last day to fish the Feather River that Runs thru Chester and down to the lake. I have had so many fantastic days on that River, i can't count em using all my fingers and toes several times over. The later in the season the better! There were times i truly wish i had Salmon gear as the fish were just that BIG!!!

Here is a pic from some years ago when i kept most of my Feather River fish. The Gal had my ring on her finger, i took the picture from our campsite above Chester, a good mornings fishing, and she was one i wish that hadn't gotten away...

Joey

"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"