Lake Tahoe Shore Fishing

If you love fishing and you’re in the Tahoe area, you’re probably asking yourself, “How do I fish this lake? What kind of fish are in it? Where do I even start—it’s huge!” Even after a good day out on the water, I still get clients asking how to fish Lake Tahoe from shore. So I figured, let’s break it down.

The tough truth is that fishing from shore can be frustrating if you start in the wrong spot. With 72 miles of shoreline, figuring out where to go isn’t easy. But let’s talk about a few solid places to start—and when to go.

Summertime is one of the harder seasons for shore fishing. Your best bet is Cave Rock State Park and Boat Launch. It’s accessible, and more importantly, it’s one of the few spots where fish are planted during the summer. The Department of Fish and Wildlife regularly stocks Cutthroat and Rainbow Trout here.

Because there’s plenty of food and structure around Cave Rock, the stocked fish often hang around. Compared to where they came from—the hatchery or smaller ponds—Cave Rock feels like home. Your chances of hooking up from shore here are better than just about anywhere else on the lake.

Summer shore fishing usually means playing the waiting game. But if you’re patient, it can pay off. If you’re camping around the lake, especially near Emerald Bay or DL Bliss State Park, you’ve got options. The key is finding spots where the water drops off quickly near shore. You’ll want rocky areas, even if it means losing some tackle.

Let your bait soak. Fish cruise through these zones and push up into shallower water. Just remember—“shallow” in Tahoe means 30 feet. If you’re not fishing deeper than that, you’re probably in the wrong place. In summer, fish hold deeper, so plan accordingly.

Another summer opportunity is fishing around the inlets. These can be productive, but make sure you know the regulations. Inflowing waters are only open from July 1 to September 30. Outside those dates, you can’t fish within 300 feet of them.

The main inlets in South Lake Tahoe are worth your time when open. Fishing near where those rivers flow into the lake gives you a real shot at bigger fish. Hiking up into the creeks can also offer a back-to-basics kind of fishing that’s rewarding in its own way.

Fall, winter, and spring are much better for shore fishing on Tahoe. Cooler water pulls the fish shallow—usually into that 15 to 30-foot range. This is when you’ll want to be more strategic about where you fish.

Nevada Beach is a solid choice. It’s one of the few places where you can cast and still hit 20 feet of water. Most of South Lake Tahoe is too shallow. You can bomb the biggest cast of your life and still end up in 7 feet of water. Knowing the contours of the lake helps. Some local tackle shops have maps, but a quick online search can show you where the lake drops off fast.

As for gear, keep it simple. A basic spinning combo works fine. Just make sure you’re running 6- to 8-pound fluorocarbon line. The go-to setup is a Carolina rig with either a live minnow or a worm. We sell live minnows at Mile High’s bait shop in South Lake Tahoe.

If you’ve never tied a Carolina rig, here’s a quick breakdown: slide on an egg weight (half-ounce to three-quarter ounce), then a swivel. Tie on a 15 to 24-inch leader, then your hook. For minnows, hook them in the back just behind the dorsal fin, shallow enough so they keep swimming.

For worms, inflate them with a worm blower so they float off the bottom. A worm threader helps hide the hook completely. When fishing Cave Rock, a ball of PowerBait on the same rig can be effective, especially since the fish are stocked and used to pellet feed.

If you have a second-rod stamp, throw a Kastmaster spoon to keep yourself active between bites. It won’t be as productive as bait, but the strike on a spoon is exciting and worth the effort.

Fishing Tahoe from shore takes time and patience. It’s often more work and less reward than fishing from a boat. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth it.

You’ll spend more time waiting than catching, and if your expectations are too high, you might end up disappointed. But if you know what you’re getting into—and you’re willing to wait it out—you just might land a trophy trout from the shoreline of Lake Tahoe.