Fishing at Donner Lake has been fair, though increased summer boat traffic has slowed the shore bite. Rainbow trout can still be caught from the west end using PowerBait, worms, and spinners, with slip sinker rigs producing the best results from shore. Boat anglers are finding fish suspended at various depths, while Mackinaw have moved deeper as water temperatures rise and are now holding around 100–130 feet. Kokanee schools are generally being found between 60–80 feet. The best fishing window is early morning, roughly 5:30–10:00 a.m., when temperatures are cooler, fish are more active, and recreational boat traffic is lighter.