Fish Cal Kellogg

Fish Cal Kellogg Guide service and fishing instruction.

LAKE BERRYESSA: RAINBOWS & KINGS!Lake Berryessa is one of California's most diverse fisheries, but for me the big attrac...
09/25/2026

LAKE BERRYESSA: RAINBOWS & KINGS!

Lake Berryessa is one of California's most diverse fisheries, but for me the big attraction has always been rainbow trout and king salmon.

I've fished Berryessa on and off for a couple decades, and the fishery rarely disappoints. Chrome-bright rainbows, hard-fighting kings and tons of shad make this a trolling lake with tremendous potential.

And one of the coolest things about Berryessa is that the game changes throughout the year.

I’ve fished Berryessa on and off for a couple decades, and the fishery rarely disappoints.

To read my insights about fishing Lake Berryessa, visit my blog. See the accompanying graphic!

09/25/2026

A big Collins Lake lightning trout absolutely crushes a bait trolled from a sideplaner!

Sideplaners are one of my favorite tools for covering water and getting baits away from the boat where spooky trout are often much more willing to strike. This fish hammered the bait and immediately turned the whole deal into chaos.

That’s exactly the kind of bite we’re looking for when the big trout are roaming.

Want to get on the water and learn the system while catching fish?

Book your trip online at FishCalKellogg.com
Call or text: (530) 320-0368

My Tips For Hooking Kids On FishingTaking a kid fishing isn’t the same thing as taking another adult fishing. With kids,...
09/24/2026

My Tips For Hooking Kids On Fishing

Taking a kid fishing isn’t the same thing as taking another adult fishing. With kids, the goal is always to make sure they leave wanting to go again.

My first rule is simple: keep it fun. Kids don’t care about your perfect trolling speed, your favorite lure, or how many years you’ve been fishing. They care about action, snacks, laughs, seeing cool things, and hopefully catching some fish.

Second, if the plan is to fish all day, work in plenty of breaks. A break during a fishing trip is the same as recess at school. It breaks the flow and reengages interest.

Third, let them participate. Let them reel fish in. Let them help net one. Show them how the sonar works. Let them drive the boat. Let them touch a trout, look at its fins, watch it breathe, and learn why it lives where it does. Fishing is a great doorway into understanding the entire lake ecosystem.

Fourth, celebrate every fish. A two-pound rainbow may not impress a hardcore trout angler, but to a seven-year-old it can be a monster. Make it a big deal, because to them it is.

And finally, leave them with a good memory. That’s the whole point.

Before I became a full-time fishing guide and outdoor writer, I spent a decade as a special education teacher. I’ve spent a lot of time working with kids, and I genuinely enjoy introducing them to fishing and the outdoors.

If you want your son, daughter, or grandkids to have a positive day on the water—catch fish, learn how fishing works, and understand a little more about the lake and the ecosystem around them—I’m your guy.

And when we’re fishing Collins Lake, there’s one more important thing to remember: Kids finish the trip with a complimentary Collins Lake ice cream on me.
Because sometimes the best part of a fishing trip is the part they’ll still be talking about on the ride home. Reach out and let’s get those kids hooked on fishing!

Call or Text (530) 320-0368

FALL AT COLLINS LAKE — IT DOESN’T GET BETTER THAN THIS!There’s something special about Collins Lake in the fall.The nigh...
09/24/2026

FALL AT COLLINS LAKE — IT DOESN’T GET BETTER THAN THIS!

There’s something special about Collins Lake in the fall.

The nights turn cool. The summer heat finally backs off. You wake up to crisp mornings, spend the day under those beautiful Northern California blue skies, and the big summer crowds are gone. The lake settles into a slower rhythm—and then the trout fishing starts heating up.

And this is Collins Lake, so there’s more to the experience than catching fish. Grab one of those famous ice creams at the store, settle into a lakeside campsite, watch the sun disappear behind the hills and enjoy a place that just feels damn good in the fall. Then come fishing with me.

Climb aboard my luxury pontoon and spend the day with Capt. Cal and Capt. Lucy chasing Collins Lake rainbows and lightning trout. I provide the rods, reels and tackle, and we’ll spend the day trolling, laughing, talking fishing and hopefully putting some beautiful trout in the boat.

Whether you’re a serious trout angler looking to learn, a couple wanting a great day on the water, or a family looking to make some memories, this is what fall fishing at Collins Lake is all about.

Cool mornings. Blue-sky afternoons. Light crowds. Big trout. Lakeside camping. Ice cream. And Lucy supervising the whole operation.

Heck Yeah, that sounds like a pretty good fall day to me. 😎🎣

To book, call/text me at (530) 320-0368.

Come spend a fall day at Collins with us. We’ll catch some trout and have some laughs.

ARE YOU READY TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT TROUT FISHING? 🎣Anybody can drag a lure around a lake.But if you want to consistently...
09/23/2026

ARE YOU READY TO GET SERIOUS ABOUT TROUT FISHING? 🎣

Anybody can drag a lure around a lake.

But if you want to consistently catch trout—and consistently catch BIG trout—you need to stop guessing.

Speed. Depth. Sonar. Boat control. Lure selection. Dodgers. Flies. Spoons. Soft plastics. Downriggers. Leadcore. Divers. Understanding where trout are, why they're there and how to put your presentation directly in front of them.

That's the difference between trolling and trolling with confidence and purpose.

I've spent decades developing and refining these systems, both as a professional trout angler and as a guide. I've written books and hundreds of articles about trout fishing, but there is no substitute for spending a day together on the water and seeing the entire system work in real time.

Come fish Collins Lake with me.

This isn't just a guided fishing trip. If you want it to be, it's a six-hour private trout trolling clinic aboard my boat. We'll catch fish, but more importantly, I'll show you exactly how I approach a lake, read my electronics, select depth and speed, choose presentations and make adjustments when the trout aren't cooperating.

No secrets. No bu****it. I'll show you everything I know.

You can go home with some fish.

Or you can go home a better trout angler.

My 2026/2027 Collins Lake calendar is open now.

Book by calling or texting Capt. Cal Kellogg at (530) 320-0368.

SOFT PLASTICS ARE DEADLY ON TROUT!You’ve heard the hype about soft plastics for trout. Isn’t it time you came out and ex...
09/23/2026

SOFT PLASTICS ARE DEADLY ON TROUT!

You’ve heard the hype about soft plastics for trout. Isn’t it time you came out and experienced just how deadly they can be?

I’ve spent years fishing and experimenting with soft plastics, and I believe they are among the most consistently effective trolling baits you can put behind a boat. Big trout, numbers of trout, cold water, warm water—soft plastics produce day in and day out, all year long.

But there’s a lot more to it than putting a worm on a hook and dragging it around the lake. Size, color, speed, rigging, leader length, depth and action all matter. Sometimes trout want an aggressive presentation. Other days, subtle changes and finesse are what turn follows into strikes.

Come spend a day on the water with me and I’ll teach you the fine points of trolling soft plastics: how I rig them, how I choose colors and profiles, how I control their action, and how I adjust the presentation as conditions change.

The pictures tell part of the story. Come out and experience the effectiveness of soft plastics for yourself.

My Collins Lake season starts November 1. Let’s go catch some trout.

📞 To Book Call or text (530) 320-0368

FALL AT COLLINS LAKE — IT DOESN’T GET BETTER THAN THIS!There’s something special about Collins Lake in the fall.The nigh...
09/22/2026

FALL AT COLLINS LAKE — IT DOESN’T GET BETTER THAN THIS!

There’s something special about Collins Lake in the fall.

The nights turn cool. The summer heat finally backs off. You wake up to crisp mornings, spend the day under those beautiful Northern California blue skies, and the big summer crowds are gone. The lake settles into a slower rhythm—and then the trout fishing starts heating up.

And this is Collins Lake, so there’s more to the experience than catching fish. Grab one of those famous ice creams at the store, settle into a lakeside campsite, watch the sun disappear behind the hills and enjoy a place that just feels damn good in the fall. Then come fishing with me.

Climb aboard my luxury pontoon and spend the day with Capt. Cal and Capt. Lucy chasing Collins Lake rainbows and lightning trout. I provide the rods, reels and tackle, and we’ll spend the day trolling, laughing, talking fishing and hopefully putting some beautiful trout in the boat.

Whether you’re a serious trout angler looking to learn, a couple wanting a great day on the water, or a family looking to make some memories, this is what fall fishing at Collins Lake is all about.

Cool mornings. Blue-sky afternoons. Light crowds. Big trout. Lakeside camping. Ice cream. And Lucy supervising the whole operation.

Heck Yeah, that sounds like a pretty good fall day to me. 😎🎣

To book your spot call/text me at (530) 320-0368.

Come spend a fall day at Collins with us. We’ll catch some trout and have some laughs.

WHAT THE HELL IS A LIGHTNING TROUT ANYWAY?If you’ve spent much time around California trout lakes, you’ve probably seen ...
09/22/2026

WHAT THE HELL IS A LIGHTNING TROUT ANYWAY?

If you’ve spent much time around California trout lakes, you’ve probably seen one of these bright yellow-orange fish and heard somebody call it a lightning trout. They certainly look exotic, but lightning trout aren't a separate trout species. They're a color variation of the rainbow trout, selectively bred in hatcheries for their brilliant coloration.

Instead of the familiar olive-green back and silver sides of a typical rainbow, lightning trout lack much of the dark pigmentation. The result is that unmistakable golden-yellow body, often highlighted by a brilliant pink or red lateral stripe. Under the right light, they're almost fluorescent.

And despite the unusual paint job, they're still rainbow trout. They eat the same forage, respond to the same trolling presentations and baits, and fight like rainbows. That bright coloration does create one major difference for the angler, though: when a big lightning trout comes rolling and thrashing to the surface behind the boat, there is absolutely no mistaking what you've hooked!

I've put a lot of big lightning trout in my boat over the years, and they're still one of my favorite fish to see a client catch. A five-, six- or seven-pound rainbow is impressive. Put that same size and body shape on a glowing gold fish with a hot-pink stripe down its side and you've got something people remember.

Want to score a majestic lightning trout of your own?

Collins Lake is one of Northern California's premier destinations for trophy lightning trout, and my Collins Lake guide season kicks off November 1. I'll provide the boat, rods, tackle and the techniques I've developed over years of targeting Collins Lake's biggest trout. You just need to show up ready to fish.

Book your trip call/text (530) 320-0368.

LIMITS, LIMITS AND MORE LIMITS!Want big trout? Want big numbers of trout? Better yet, do you want to learn the tactics t...
09/22/2026

LIMITS, LIMITS AND MORE LIMITS!

Want big trout? Want big numbers of trout? Better yet, do you want to learn the tactics that consistently produce both?

If the answer is yes, come spend a day on the water with me.

I’ve spent decades refining the systems I use to catch trout throughout California and the West, and my guide trips are about more than simply putting fish in the boat. I want you catching fish, but I also want you learning why we’re catching them.

Trolling flies, soft plastics, spoons, plugs, finesse presentations and power fishing. Downriggers, leadcore, side planers and toplines. We’ll cover speed, depth, lure selection, location and—most importantly—how to read the conditions and make the adjustments that turn a slow day into a productive one.

These aren't theories I picked up on the internet. They're the tactics I use on the water day in and day out, 365 days a year, targeting everything from numbers of hard-fighting rainbows to the biggest trophy trout in the lake.

Want to become a better trout angler? Come fish with me. We’ll catch some trout, have a great time, and I’ll send you home with techniques you can use on your own boat for years to come.

My Collins Lake season starts November 1. Prime time is coming.

🎣 Book at
📞 Call or text (530) 320-0368

09/21/2026

Catching trout is fun. Learning why you caught them is even better. My guided trips aren’t just about putting fish in the boat—I’ll show you the trolling systems, presentations and decision-making I use every day so you can take those skills back to your own boat and your own lakes.

Collins Lake season starts November 1. Prime time is coming. Book at FishCalKellogg.com or call/text (530) 320-0368.

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Auburn, CA
95631

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