It is hard to believe the Labor Day weekend has come and gone as we start our march through the month of September. Looking back on the summer spent at Almanor with a couple weeks in August at Bucks Lake for Kokanee Fest 2025, the months flew by. Thank you to everyone that came onboard so far this year and helped make it a fantastic one.
June saw some red-hot Rainbow action along with solid bites on the lake's Browns. Most of these fish were feeding heavily on Almanor's aquatic bugs, so for us it was all about targeting fish in the areas seeing the bug activity.
We also took some time in late June to welcome nearly 180 United States Veterans to the 8th annual Almanor Fishing Association's Veteran's Fishing Day held each year the Saturday following Father's Day. A big shout out and thank you to all the volunteers that turn out to make this the premier veterans fishing event on the west coast. A special thank you to my wife Brenda who did a ton behind the scenes helping to make this happen. While the weather was less than perfect, a good time was had by all. Mother nature gave us just enough of a break to pull off a fantastic boat parade at flag island and the BBQ at Rec 1.
Then July came calling. We had a rocking good time in Chester on the 4th at the Almanor Fishing Association booth, and once the crowds cleared from the holiday weekend it was back to fishing, and as usual, Almanor did not disappoint. It was a mix of Browns and Bows, sometimes more of one than the other depending on where we fished. In addition to the normal aquatic bug load, these fish had the Hex flies and their larvae to feast on.
Of course, the last Saturday in July means the most popular fundraiser in the Almanor basin, The Almanor Fishing Association's Founders' BBQ at Rec 1. Again, a big thank you to all the volunteers and my fellow AFA board members who dedicated countless hours to making this year's event a record setting success. During the event, I was surprised by long-time customers and big AFA supporters the Rollofsons and Hintons, as they presented me with a beautiful handmade antiqued American Flag. Thanks guys.
As July came to a close and August got started it was time to head to Bucks Lake for Kokanee Fest 2025. Each year I spend several weeks in the summer at Bucks Lake for the annual Kokanee harvest. For those of you who may not be familiar with them, Kokanee are freshwater Sockeye Salmon and the best eating things that swim in the Sierra lakes. The bite was wild with a lot of action and a lot of fish in the net. Grilled, smoked or canned these tasty fish can't be beat.
Following Kokanee Fest, it was back to Almanor to finish up the month. The mixed bite continued, with Browns, Bows and a few nice Kings all hitting the nets. By this time many of the fish have moved back to a pond smelt diet so we adjusted accordingly. This has been one of the best late summer bites in recent memory, and it is continuing right into September. If you are looking to get in on this action, contact me soon, just a few days left available in September and October for Almanor.
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So, what does the future have in store? Well, I will continue running trips at Almanor for the next several months as well as mixing in some exciting Eagle Lake trips. Fall is prime time to hit Eagle Lake for the "big shouldered", hard charging Eagle Lake Rainbows. There are only a few days left for the mid-September and mid-October trips, following those, the next openings are during the first and second weeks of November.
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Well, that is a quick look back at some of this summer's highlights. Thank you again for your continued support and I look forward to seeing you on the water. Tight Lines!
Capt. Bryan Roccucci
