New Melones Reservoir - New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,176,000 acre-feet of water. Lake is at 49 percent capacity. Lake elevation dropped only one foot this week, to 966 feet above sea level, and 122 feet from full capacity. Glory Hole and Tuttletown ramps are open. Water temperature is approximately 79-84 degrees, and slightly stained, with good mud lines.
There may be some rainbow trout upriver between the bridges. Night fishing under a submersible light is an excellent way to catch fish in the summer. The best places to anchor to night fish are near the spillway, the exposed islands between the spillway and Glory Hole Point, the dam, or under the 49 Stevenot Bridge. Drop your submersible light in the water and fish 10-15 feet below the light. For bait, use a worm-threader to thread a nightcrawler onto your line, and put a piece of Power Bait onto your hook, below a small split-shot. Bank anglers should target the creeks, such as Angels Creek or Murphy's Creek.
Kokanee action has been somewhat slow for most, except for our local guides. Danny Layne of Fish 'n' Dan's Guide Service reports easy limits by 11 a.m. for customers Dick Niebaur and Jerry Strobridge, and Phillip Wilson and Mai Lan. They trolled Uncle Larry's spinners and Pink Hootchies behind Sep's watermelon and Vance's lime green dodgers. Danny says all of the action is happening in the southernmost part of the lake, 47-61' deep. Bruce Hamby of Sierra Sportfishing made his customers happy with limits in the Peoria Arm 50-60' deep on red Apex, Vance's Sockeye Slammers and pink spinners behind Vance's nickel or nickel/green dodgers. Ed Burlarley of Sierra Guide Service found limits for his customers in the south side of the lake with small Kokanee Kandy, 6" behind a dodger. John Darroch says pink Hootchies and pink Kokanee Bugs, trolled 50-55' deep behind a green Sling Blade in the south part of the lake, yields him limits by 7:30 a.m. He showed us a limit of fat kokanee, weighing up to 2.3 pounds. Twelve and 13-year-olds Sean and Tim McGarvey trolled Uncle Larry's Copper Pop spinners behind a watermelon Dodger 55' deep in the south part of the lake to catch kokanee weighing up to two pounds. Pink or red Apex, pink Hootchies, or Uncle Larry's pink, copper pop, or firetiger spinners have caught almost every fish we've seen in the last few weeks. Tip any lure with shoepeg corn. Use a silver/green, silver/chartreuse, or watermelon dodger - any dodger with some green on it. It is very important to troll slowly (1.2 mph) to catch kokanee.
For bass fishing, small fish seem to be plentiful, but the big ones are hiding. During the day, most bass are in 5-25 feet of water on main lake points, near structure, such as trees or brush, as well as near steep rock walls near the dam and upriver. If there is a mud line or shade, there will be bass hiding in it. Dart-headed salt/pepper grubs or drop-shotted 4" shad-colored or crawdad-colored worms or Tiny Brush Hogs are best for catching numbers of fish. Throw a top-water bait such as a spook or Pop-R in the early morning before the sun hits the water, or right at sunset.
The catfish bite is great! We are seeing lots of big cats. If you are in a boat, fish the coves at the south side of the lake. For bank anglers, try Angels Cove, Glory Hole Point, or near Tuttletown. Use mackerel, anchovies or sardines, crawlers, chicken liver, or live large minnows. The action is always best at night for catfish, when they move into the shallows to feed. Glory Hole Sports' Big Fish of the Week Contest was won this week by Warren Serpa of Modesto, who caught a 12.6-pound catfish while night fishing, using chicken liver for bait, off of Glory Hole Point. Congratulations, Warren - come in for your free deli lunch! 16-year-olds Josh Holder and Marshal Bryan went fishing in the afternoon, off of the Tuttletown boat ramp. They landed three nice cats, including one weighing 8.5-pounds, while using pink marshmallows as bait. Tom Dutil caught a 3-pounder on chicken livers while fishing under the 49 Stevenot Bridge.
Bluegill and pumpkinseeds are very active right now, so tie on a large bobber and a small piece of crawler and go have some fun! Fish tight to structure in the back of brushy coves and cuts. Crappie are showing up occasionally as well. The south side of the lake has been good, and near Tuttletown is another good choice. Best crappie bite has been at night under a submersible light, with minnows or red/white crappie jigs.
Glory Hole Sports, 736-4333.
Lake Don Pedro - Best spots to try are around partially submerged trees, near the marina and rocky points.
Bass and catfish are being caught behind houseboats at Schoolhouse Point. One angler caught a 15-pounder there with liver. Anglers use liver and anchovies for catfish and split-shot for bass. Trout, kokanee are hitting the Apex kokanee special.
852-2369, 989-2206.
Tulloch Reservoir - Fish the main part of the lake for the best chance of action.
Don Jason of Oakdale Bait and Tackle said the bite is tough all around. Trout seem to be very deep and lazy. The bass can be caught either very early or at dusk or later. Jason suggests split-shotting purple plastics. The crappie bite is slow.
881-0107, 847-3447.
McClure Reservoir - Fish in Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend, Cotton Creek and Temperance Creek for the best luck.
Anglers are catching catfish up to 5 pounds with stinkbait. Crappie and rainbow trout are both hitting minnows. Night fishing is the best thing going at McClure.
563-6505, 378-2441
McSwain Reservoir - Try your luck at the brushpile, in front of the campgrounds and marina, and at Gilligan's Island and the handicap dock.
John Kemper from McSwain Marina said the weekend bite was spotty after the DFG plant. Experienced anglers are catching limits of smaller fish, but a Calaveras plant last weekend could bring some bigger catches. Hot spot is still the brushpile with rainbow Power Bait or white or orange Power Eggs. Trollers are working from Gilligan's Island to the first fenceline with a flasher/crawler combo.
378-2534.
There may be some rainbow trout upriver between the bridges. Night fishing under a submersible light is an excellent way to catch fish in the summer. The best places to anchor to night fish are near the spillway, the exposed islands between the spillway and Glory Hole Point, the dam, or under the 49 Stevenot Bridge. Drop your submersible light in the water and fish 10-15 feet below the light. For bait, use a worm-threader to thread a nightcrawler onto your line, and put a piece of Power Bait onto your hook, below a small split-shot. Bank anglers should target the creeks, such as Angels Creek or Murphy's Creek.
Kokanee action has been somewhat slow for most, except for our local guides. Danny Layne of Fish 'n' Dan's Guide Service reports easy limits by 11 a.m. for customers Dick Niebaur and Jerry Strobridge, and Phillip Wilson and Mai Lan. They trolled Uncle Larry's spinners and Pink Hootchies behind Sep's watermelon and Vance's lime green dodgers. Danny says all of the action is happening in the southernmost part of the lake, 47-61' deep. Bruce Hamby of Sierra Sportfishing made his customers happy with limits in the Peoria Arm 50-60' deep on red Apex, Vance's Sockeye Slammers and pink spinners behind Vance's nickel or nickel/green dodgers. Ed Burlarley of Sierra Guide Service found limits for his customers in the south side of the lake with small Kokanee Kandy, 6" behind a dodger. John Darroch says pink Hootchies and pink Kokanee Bugs, trolled 50-55' deep behind a green Sling Blade in the south part of the lake, yields him limits by 7:30 a.m. He showed us a limit of fat kokanee, weighing up to 2.3 pounds. Twelve and 13-year-olds Sean and Tim McGarvey trolled Uncle Larry's Copper Pop spinners behind a watermelon Dodger 55' deep in the south part of the lake to catch kokanee weighing up to two pounds. Pink or red Apex, pink Hootchies, or Uncle Larry's pink, copper pop, or firetiger spinners have caught almost every fish we've seen in the last few weeks. Tip any lure with shoepeg corn. Use a silver/green, silver/chartreuse, or watermelon dodger - any dodger with some green on it. It is very important to troll slowly (1.2 mph) to catch kokanee.
For bass fishing, small fish seem to be plentiful, but the big ones are hiding. During the day, most bass are in 5-25 feet of water on main lake points, near structure, such as trees or brush, as well as near steep rock walls near the dam and upriver. If there is a mud line or shade, there will be bass hiding in it. Dart-headed salt/pepper grubs or drop-shotted 4" shad-colored or crawdad-colored worms or Tiny Brush Hogs are best for catching numbers of fish. Throw a top-water bait such as a spook or Pop-R in the early morning before the sun hits the water, or right at sunset.
The catfish bite is great! We are seeing lots of big cats. If you are in a boat, fish the coves at the south side of the lake. For bank anglers, try Angels Cove, Glory Hole Point, or near Tuttletown. Use mackerel, anchovies or sardines, crawlers, chicken liver, or live large minnows. The action is always best at night for catfish, when they move into the shallows to feed. Glory Hole Sports' Big Fish of the Week Contest was won this week by Warren Serpa of Modesto, who caught a 12.6-pound catfish while night fishing, using chicken liver for bait, off of Glory Hole Point. Congratulations, Warren - come in for your free deli lunch! 16-year-olds Josh Holder and Marshal Bryan went fishing in the afternoon, off of the Tuttletown boat ramp. They landed three nice cats, including one weighing 8.5-pounds, while using pink marshmallows as bait. Tom Dutil caught a 3-pounder on chicken livers while fishing under the 49 Stevenot Bridge.
Bluegill and pumpkinseeds are very active right now, so tie on a large bobber and a small piece of crawler and go have some fun! Fish tight to structure in the back of brushy coves and cuts. Crappie are showing up occasionally as well. The south side of the lake has been good, and near Tuttletown is another good choice. Best crappie bite has been at night under a submersible light, with minnows or red/white crappie jigs.
Glory Hole Sports, 736-4333.
Lake Don Pedro - Best spots to try are around partially submerged trees, near the marina and rocky points.
Bass and catfish are being caught behind houseboats at Schoolhouse Point. One angler caught a 15-pounder there with liver. Anglers use liver and anchovies for catfish and split-shot for bass. Trout, kokanee are hitting the Apex kokanee special.
852-2369, 989-2206.
Tulloch Reservoir - Fish the main part of the lake for the best chance of action.
Don Jason of Oakdale Bait and Tackle said the bite is tough all around. Trout seem to be very deep and lazy. The bass can be caught either very early or at dusk or later. Jason suggests split-shotting purple plastics. The crappie bite is slow.
881-0107, 847-3447.
McClure Reservoir - Fish in Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend, Cotton Creek and Temperance Creek for the best luck.
Anglers are catching catfish up to 5 pounds with stinkbait. Crappie and rainbow trout are both hitting minnows. Night fishing is the best thing going at McClure.
563-6505, 378-2441
McSwain Reservoir - Try your luck at the brushpile, in front of the campgrounds and marina, and at Gilligan's Island and the handicap dock.
John Kemper from McSwain Marina said the weekend bite was spotty after the DFG plant. Experienced anglers are catching limits of smaller fish, but a Calaveras plant last weekend could bring some bigger catches. Hot spot is still the brushpile with rainbow Power Bait or white or orange Power Eggs. Trollers are working from Gilligan's Island to the first fenceline with a flasher/crawler combo.
378-2534.
