The 2026 Shasta Lake Tournament put on by Kokanee Power, this past weekend, is a wrap. I decided last minute to enter and called my friend Phil White to join me. We fished hard both days and caught some fantastic Brown and Rainbow trout. You could weigh in 4 fish each day ( 2 King Salmon max , 1 Brown max , Rainbows or Kokanee) with any combination of the above. I figured it would take 4 to 5 pound fish to win. I was not wrong, as Nick Brittos team won with an 8 fish total of 35.37 pound awesome job. 

I want to thank Phil for for a great weekend. I had a blast and you made it that much more enjoyable. This was the first time I entered my own boat. I was just hoping to have a good time and place well. Fishing is just that sometimes and Shasta has been hot and cold this spring, but she does have big fish which is always the attraction and  challenge I love. 

Well as luck would have it Phil and I grinded it out and put 6 fish that played in the box. Our day one total of 1 Brown 6.25 pounds (Biggest day 1 Brown) and 2 Rainbows had us sitting at 14.10. We could not get that 4th fish of the right kind to bite. Bass and a huge 5 pound Pike Minnow did lol. I couldn't believe even with just 3 fish we would be in the running as we sat in 3rd place. Fishing for big fish is tough and Shasta Lake is huge.
 
Day two started out almost fabulous, our first hook up was another "Dandy" brown trout and looked to be equal too or greater than our day 1 Brown. Unfortunately, it became another fish story, a heart braking one,  cause he was literally was in the net. He had tangled our other lines during the battle. You had to see it was a mess, lol and it didn't let him sink into the net. Well, lift jump lure unhook all hell braking loose one last scoop attempt and by by he was gone. A moment of silence was had. 

Hahaha you just have to laugh everyone has these stories if you fish enough. 
These fish we landed were all drag rippers, and full of piss and vinegar. Often jumping too. I have to give Phill his props he did an excellent job of fighting these fish. The first fish we landed on day two was a 5 pound Rainbow and im amazed this fish did not come unhooked. It ripped drag multiples times, jumped,  got near the boat went under the boat, around two of the 4 downriggers, mind you Phil and I are about the same size. It was not a pretty dance around the motor box of my boat but we landed this one, a piggy 5 pound Rainbow.
 
Day two was a grind just like day one. We landed another Rainbow in the 3 pound class not great but at that point in the day she will play. We continued to grind and it was now last chance time as weigh was between 2 an 3pm on Sunday. 

It was now shortly after 2 and we were counting the minutes. We were with in sight of the boat ramp and decided to make a last attempt gear change of 3 of 4 rods. With only two fish in the box. What the hell.

Well the gear change paid off within 5 minutes. The deeper rod went off and this fish was hot ripping drag amd letting us know it was a player. Phil worked him back and has he neared the boat he decided to show himself,  it was another Brown.  

Of course he showed himself by jumping multiple times and getting Phil's heart going to max but he stayed hooked and found his way into the net this time. This Brown weighed in at 5.33 pounds another beauty. 

Luck was almost on our side because no sooner did that fish go into the box another rod went off and ripping away it went but this battle didnt last long enough to see and it spit the lure. We pushed it right to the very end but called it so we could make weigh in. We were the last team to weigh in. 3 fish again dammit, but they were all in that range, I thought it would take. Our day 2 total ended up just short of our day 1 total at 13.21 pounds.

According to the weigh in results Day two was pretty tough as only two teams landed over 10 pounds. Nicks team and Phil an I. Our two day  total was 27.31 pounds. 
We ended up in 2nd place, I couldn't believe we took second place with 6 fish weighed, but our average fish was 4.55 pounds, exactly what I though it would take  to win. Well maybe next year we will get those two other fish.

None the less it was great time and second place was just icing on the cake. Phil it was awesome thanks again buddy! 

Check out the pictures and give me call 530 905 0758 or book online at 
Caldwellfishing.com