Good morning, anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your Saturday, May 24, 2025, Lake Tahoe fishing report. Sunrise hit just after 5:35 a.m., with sunset expected around 8:14 p.m., giving you a long window to get out and chase some fish. No tides here in Tahoe, but lake levels are running high, thanks to a third straight year of big snowpack and active spring runoff. Water clarity is outstanding—locals are saying it’s the best they’ve seen in decades, with surface temps holding in the low to mid 50s, just right for late-spring action[5][3].

This week, the bite has been red hot. Mackinaw are stacked deep and hungry, hanging out 80 to 120 feet down. Most boats are doing damage with white or chartreuse tube jigs, best tipped with a sliver of sucker meat. Drifting slowly or vertical jigging right over the drop-offs has been key. Plenty of limits have come aboard, with Mackinaw pushing 6 to 12 pounds not uncommon.

Rainbows and browns are on the move too. They’re cruising the shallower points and drop-offs early, especially where creek water is coming in. Flatlining small Rapalas in natural colors, especially in the morning, has pulled some solid fish. Fly anglers are finding success along the east shore and where the Truckee flows in, with March Browns and Blue Winged Olives coming off in good numbers. Nymph rigs with heavier anchor flies and a long leader—think 12 to 15 feet—are the ticket for the deeper, faster seams. Olive and black streamers have been money, especially at dawn and dusk[5][3][4].

For bait, you can’t go wrong with live crawlers or PowerBait off the bottom for rainbows near the South Shore and Tahoe Keys. For those headed to the rivers, the Truckee is running a touch high but still fishable. Fish are set up in the slower edges, tailouts, and deeper pools. Streamers or a bobber-and-nymph rig have both been productive, especially during that midday hatch window.

Hot spots right now are the classic Tahoe City shelf and Rubicon Point for Mackinaw early, and the mouth of the Upper Truckee River and Sand Harbor for rainbows and browns. Make sure to hit those in low light or right after a big hatch for best results.

That’s it for today—grab your gear and get out there, because conditions don’t get much better. Tight lines!