Shasta Lake provides habitat for both warm water and cold water fish. Sport fishermen most often try for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, spotted bass, brown trout, rainbow trout, and Chinook salmon, along with crappie and bluegill. Fishing is good both from boats and from shore.

1. Anywhere along the trail between Hirz Bay and Dekkas Rock Campground.
2. Near the dam and up Dry Creek Trail.
3. Salt Creek Inlet - either side
4. Anywhere around Silverthorn and Jones Valley. Head out the Clikapudi Trail.
5. Under the Pit River Bridge and along the shore to the west.
6. Find trails at Bailey Cove and Packers Bay and follow them along the shoreline.
7. Along Squaw Creek near Monday Flat.
8. Near the outlet of Gregory Creek and along the shore toward the bridge.
9. Inlets at Squaw Creek and North Fork Creek
10. Along the Dry Fork Inlet, Fisherman's Point, and Mariner's Point.

• Trolling from Hirz Bay to Turntable Bay along the McCloud River Arm
• Equally as good is the Sacramento River Arm
• Near the dam, remembering tying up to the buoy line is not allowed.
• Good results are often found in Bridge Bay and around Ski Island, Toupee Island, and No Name Island
• Dry Creek area and by any trees in shallow water and Little Sugarloaf Creek arm.
• Around the stumps in the side inlets up the Pit River Arm
• Around Jones Valley where more shallow water is found than on most parts of the lake.
• Fish the McCloud River Arm for brown trout.

Trophy Fish from Shasta Lake

• Rainbow Trout: 8 pounds, 8 ounces
• Chinook Salmon: 8 pounds
• Brown Trout: 10 pounds, 8 ounces
• White Sturgeon: 190 pounds, 1977
• Spotted Bass: 8 pounds, 9 ounces

Which Baits and Lures Are Catching Fish at Shasta Lake?

Trolling: Spinners and spoons, Silver Black Minnow, gold/red or nickel/blue trolling spoons, Rapalas, Cripplures, silver/blue Kastmaters, Hum Dinger, baby bass colored plastics, blue/silver shad imitation, UV Sling Blade .

Bass Fishing: Plastic worms, live bait, South Bend Spinners, darter heads, Senko's, glo-bugs

Bait: Salmon eggs, or a salmon egg marshmallow combination, minnow , nightcrawler, Power Bait

Spin Casting: Spinners and spoons, Mepps, Panther Martin, Kastmaster

CA Fish and Game Regulations: Regarding bait fish, in Shasta Lake only golden shiner, red shiner, fathead minnows, mosquitofish and threadfin shad may be used or possessed for use as bait.