Now until 5 pmRainbow trout
The bite peaks at 86. Water is 53°, close to the 55° rainbow trout like best.
Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.
Right now · best window
Rainbow trout range 45–68°
From the south-southwest
Sunset 4:58 pm
No rain expected
NWS hourly forecast
Measured, last 3 hours
Waning crescent
Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are California regulations for these waters.
Right in rainbow trout's ideal range. Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Holds 3–20 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. Lakes, reservoirs and ponds: 5 trout a day, 10 in possession, open all year with no size limit.
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California
Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.
Season here: Dec–Apr, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on rainbow trout
Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Inside striped bass's active range. Holds 5–35 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. 18" minimum, 2 striped bass a day statewide; hybrids count as striped bass. The Colorado River and Southern districts and New Hogan, San Antonio and Santa Margarita lakes have no size limit and allow 10 a day.
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California
Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.
Season here: Mar–Jun, Oct–Dec, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on striped bass
Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Inside common carp's active range. Holds 1–15 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. California sets no bag or size limit for common carp, since only species named in the regulations are limited. Grass carp are protected: none may be taken or possessed, so release any you hook at once.
Verified Oct 18, 2026 · California
Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.
Season here: Apr–Nov, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on common carp
Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Below largemouth bass's active range (55–85°F). Holds 3–25 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. Lakes, reservoirs and the Delta: 12" minimum, 5 black bass a day, open all year. Rivers, streams and ponds entirely on private land have no size limit (still 5 a day). Hodges, Casitas, Barrett, Upper Otay and a few other waters have their own rules.
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California
Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.
Season here: Year-round, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on largemouth bass
Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Below smallmouth bass's active range (55–78°F). Holds 3–30 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. Lakes, reservoirs and the Delta: 12" minimum, 5 black bass a day, open all year. Rivers, streams and ponds entirely on private land have no size limit (still 5 a day). Hodges, Casitas, Barrett, Upper Otay and a few other waters have their own rules.
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California
Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.
Season here: Year-round, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on smallmouth bass
Fish feed actively ahead of a pressure drop. Below channel catfish's active range (60–85°F). Holds 5–30 ft down.
Open. Keep fish within the limits. No catfish limit in most of California. The Southern and Colorado River districts are 10 a day, and some listed county and park lakes are 5.
Verified Oct 23, 2026 · California
Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.
Season here: Year-round, estimated from local air temperature, 2023–2025; there is no water gauge here. More on channel catfish
Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works
We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. California CDFW has the state’s fishing pages.
Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · fish-consumption advisory
A popular American River reservoir on the edge of Sacramento — largemouth and smallmouth bass, a landlocked striped-bass fishery, rainbow trout, and catfish.
The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.
Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Folsom Lake you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website
Folsom Lake is listed on this site for 6 commonly-targeted species: Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Striped Bass, Rainbow Trout, and 2 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.
It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Folsom Lake against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.
Folsom Lake has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp.
state agency regulations apply at Folsom Lake. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.
No. Folsom Lake is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.
Press / anywhere to search. Towns list the closest spots.
