Fishing at Donner Lake has been fair, though increased summer boat traffic has slowed the shore bite. Rainbow trout are still being caught from the west end using PowerBait, worms, and spinners, with slip sinker rigs producing the best results from shore. Boat anglers can find fish suspended at several depths, with Mackinaw holding around 60 to 80 feet and schools of kokanee around 30 to 40 feet. With recreational traffic increasing as the day goes on, the best fishing window is early morning from about 5:30 to 10 a.m., when temperatures are cooler, fish are more active, and the lake is quieter.