Whiskeytown Blue Moon Report

With the full or near-full moon, morning bites tend to be slow and evenings/afternoons tend to be better. Bite patterns have been all over the place day-to-day. No one lure producing, it’s a different preference everyday. Nighttime lows are cooling down the lake, water temps 74F in AM and 77 midday high. Starting to notice fish on a surface bite when sun isn’t overhead but haven’t dialed in a surface pattern. Some are clearing the water a full foot! Lots of bug hatches, thermocline and plankton blooms less prominent. Lots of schooling activity but they’re moving around constantly. Not too many solo fish and the deep channels aren’t holding as much. Fires up north creating smoky mornings until winds reverse in the late morning. It’s pretty bad. Caught my first 19” fish this year but admittedly an inch of that is just kype. Fish having a faint color, we should see more color during this next moon phase. It’s going to start cooling down and getting possibly stormy soon. Hot depth is 25-55ft with a lot of room for error in depth. They want slower speeds no matter the offering, 1.0-1.3 mainly. 15-17” is mostly the average size. I have no idea why the copepods have not been present the past month but I’ll take it! It’s been a much slower bite this past moon phase but hopefully that turns on the aggressive males soon. We have 1 more phase before they fully color up and lose scales, stay tuned.

firework display lol, looks so fun

Brandy creek launch exclusively. Green bridge hasn’t been producing as much lately for my buddies and others. Lots of scattered fish and schools all over the lake. Stomach contents reveal a mixed diet from plankton to hatching bugs. Fish constantly on the move

The bycatch has been on the uptick. Pikeminnow, bass, and trout.

Great detailed report.  I've gotta get up there for some of that action.

Thanks for the great report and pictures ST.

Thanks for the report. I think I have 1 or 2 more koke trips to attempt before they quit.

Thank you for the report. Been looking all over for a report from wiskeytown.

Thanks for the detailed report, thinking of trip before hunting season kicks off up there. 

Hey ST
Always love your reports.
Haven’t done anything but salt lately , but ur making me dream a bit…

Scotty