
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE – Legendary Lake Tahoe, straddling the state line between California and Nevada at an elevation of 6,225 feet, is a lake of superlatives and California state gamefish records.
It is the largest alpine lake in North America, holding 122,160,280 acre-feet of water when full. Its depth is 1,645 feet, making it the second deepest in the United States after Crater Lake in Oregon at 1,949 feet. Even though it reached its lowest average clarity of 59.7 feet in 2017, the Big Lake is still the clearest lake in the world for its size.
But in addition to these statistics, Tahoe features some of the best mountain lake fishing in California, with mackinaw trout, kokanee salmon, brown trout, and rainbow trout all available for anglers. It is the home of the state mackinaw trout record, a 37-pound, 6-ounce trophy caught by Robert Aronsen on June 21, 1974.
Not only is Tahoe the home of the state record mackinaw trout, but it’s also the home of the state record kokanee. On July 20, 2013, William Brush landed a new state record weighing 5 pounds, 2 ounces, and measuring 24.75 inches in length and 15.75 inches in girth while fishing with Scott Carey of Tahoe Sportfishing.
In addition to being recognized as the new California state record, the fish was also recognized as a new Nevada state record. It was caught on a Wedding Ring spinner, tipped with white corn, behind Al Wilson blades.
This year has featured one of the best kokanee salmon seasons.