If you want to take your kids on a deep-water fishing trip, or go hiking to a High Sierra lake with a friend to cast into its serene depths, California is the place to go. The hardest part is deciding where in California. With its 1,200 miles of Pacific coastline and hundreds of lakes and rivers, there are endless fishing opportunities in the state.

California offers one of the best salmon fishing seasons. If you are a seasoned angler, you can expect to be reeling in the Chinook or king salmon in the 12- to 18-pound range. Even if you’re a novice or have never fished before, you can catch a big salmon, if you get up early and have a good fishing guide by your side. Most charter boats leave the Fisherman’s Wharf early in the morning to cruise outside the Golden Gate Bridge.

An hour's drive from San Diego, Lake Cuyamaca is a picture-book 110-acre lake that is stocked with tens of thousands of pounds of rainbow trout every year. There is an abundance of bass, bluegill, crappie, and catfish during the warm summer months. Lake Cuyamaca is also a fantastic spot to teach kids to fish. You can rent rods and reels at the tackle shop and drop in a line from the shore, or rent a motorboat and go around the lake. You need a Lake Cuyamaca permit to fish which are available on-site.

Lake Tahoe is one of the largest and deepest alpine lakes in the United States. Tahoe is known for its enormous mackinaw trout that thrive in cold water. The average mackinaw weighs about 4 pounds but you can find 10-pounders. Even beginners can expect to reel in a big one in their first few hours on the water. Charter boats can supply you with the gear and information to take you to the big lake’s most productive spots.

Shasta Lake is a reservoir and a popular tourist destination. It’s an easy reach from Interstate 5 near Redding. Shasta Lake is home to a wide range of cold- and warm-water fish. It is plentiful in trout, bass, squawfish, crappie, shad, bullhead, sunfish, and more. You will often find a fishing tournament being hosted with anglers contesting for trophy trout and king salmon. Rent a houseboat to fish day or night or book a day-trip with a guide for a great fishing weekend.

California’s state fish is the golden trout. It is one of the country’s most sought-after fish but it is an elusive catch. It lives only in high-alpine lakes and streams so you may have to take a long hike with your fishing rod to catch one. The five Cottonwood Lakes are home to the golden trout. However, the lakes are catch-and-release only to protect these beautiful fish.

If you are looking for the best guided fishing trips and charters in California or around the globe, check out www.Dupeafish.com.

Author: Christian Bacasa

Dupe a Fish, LLC.

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