Also don't forget throwing Rainbow Colored flukes with nail embedded in them near any schooling spots. It ususally catches the bigger spots.

Russ

we will definantly give it a shot.....thanks alot Ray!!

Chad,
I have also fished Shasta a few time in the fall with my old club from Sacramento and here's a few things I learned.   Look for flats near deeper water to throw top-water baits in the morning as Dune Hopper said.  Pop-Rs worked well for me.  If you find a mud line (these will occur near the bigger bays with boat traffic) throw a spinner bait into the dark water keeping your boat outside the mud line.  Those big spots will hang just under the darker water to ambush bait fish.  Shake, shake, shake with a darter head and a Robo worm in maybe Margarita Mutilator or Aaron's Magic.  Last thing... don't forget to try the bridge pilings.  Drop the darter head along the cement piling then stop it every ten feet or so to feel for a fish.
Good luck!
Ray

WOW..... thanks for all the great info Smitty.... can't wait to catch my first spot.

Yea - what dune hopper said.  Largies are tough to get because they are generally scattered pretty good.  SOmeone will catch a good one though.  It will be a spotted bass show.

I have fished Shasta several times during the fall.  Expect the water to drop nearly a foot a day.  You will have to try and find the schools of baitfish and then target the Kentuckies that are underneath or directly around those schools.  The large Spots can be taken with a swimbait, otherwise you will be using your dropshot and shakey head rods a lot.  Expect to use large Spooks in the morning in the deep flats that have standing timber or off the long deep points .  It won't be as hard as it seems and you should find the schools off the p;oints.  Most any of the arms will produce but make sure you have a good map and use it.  LMB's are there, but not in good enough numbers to target.  Ditto for the Smallies.
There will be numerous humps that will ruin a lower units day and will appear where they weren't two days before.
Visit Phil's Prop Shop in Redding for an update and your CA license before fishing.  It's located right along side the freeway and not too far from the lake.  I has a very large selection of tackle.
Places to stay that have outside electricity to charge the boat include the Motel 6 and the Sahasta Dam Motel.  The Big Orange Cafe directly across the hiway from Phil's Prop Shop is THE place for breakfast, if they are still open.

Smitty

My buddy Steve Cotton who owns a Triton, and I are fishing the Triton Owners Tournament this month. We will be prefishing for two days prior. Neither one of us has fished this lake before. All I know is the lake is down a lot. By looking at the structure of the lake, I'm assuming we will just have to cover water looking for schools of baitfish to attack the spotted bass. Anyone ever catch any good largies there? I noticed there is a lot of creek channels, and bushes in the backs of some bays.
Thanks chad s.