New Melones Reservoir - New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,299,000 acre-feet of water. Lake is at 54 percent capacity. Lake elevation dropped three feet again this week, to 981 feet above sea level, and 107 feet from full capacity. There is still lots of water in the lake, and all ramps are open. Water temperature is approximately 74-77 degrees, and clear.
Rainbow trout is showing up in mixed limits with kokanee. Trollers should target the main lake near the spillway/dam and Rose Island. Fish are gradually moving deeper, and are about 30-60 feet deep. Trout are feeding on small shad, so tie on a small shad-imitation lure such as a Cop Car Needlefish or a shad-patterned Apex or Rapala Countdown behind flashers. Eight-year-old Ashley Wolfe of San Jose wins the Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest. Ashley has been visiting her grandpa, Joe Hallett. They have been fishing together, and have caught some nice kokanee on their trips out. She out-fished him this week, with a 3.8-pound rainbow trout caught on a Cop Car Needlefish trolled 35' deep in the main lake. Bite has been best in the early morning, so plan to hit the lake early. Night fishing under a submersible light is a fun way to catch fish in the summer. The best place to anchor to night fish is near the spillway, the exposed islands between the spillway and Glory Hole Point, or the dam. Drop your submersible light in the water (we have lights available with a 20 foot cord) and fish 10-15 feet below the light, depending on water clarity. 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. Dale and Lauran Nicholson of Modesto caught two limits of rainbows while fishing with crawlers in Angels Creek.
The kokanee bite has picked up quite a bit. Troll 40-65 feet deep (shallower in the early a.m.) in the main lake near the spillway, dam and Rose Island. Some anglers are fishing upriver between the two bridges and having success, although it seems that there are more small fish there. We have seen many limits caught on pink hootchies recently, as well as pink or red Apex, and pink, purple or black Killer B's. Use a silver/green, silver/chartreuse, or silver/blue dodger. Tip your lure with shoepeg corn soaked in ProCure oil - garlic is working well. It is very important to troll slowly (1.2 mph) to catch kokanee. Anglers who have caught limits this week include Ashley Wolfe, Joe Hallett, Gerald Martin, Lynn Winchester, Jerry Kracher, Lee Fitzgerald, John Darroch, Richard Kowski and Starr Gogliano.
Bass fishing has been fair, with plenty of 2-pounders being caught, as well as the occasional lunker. Night fishing is a good way to see some big-bass action. Bass are shallower at night, and are in 1-20 feet of water. Use dark (blue or black) lures such as a spinnerbait. 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 worms 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. White Speed Traps and white or white/chartreuse spinnerbaits are other good lures to throw. It's time to sign up for Glory Hole Sports' third annual "Just For Fun" evening bass tournament on August 7, 2004. We are expecting a good turnout this year. Call or e-mail the store for details. Payback is great, and the tournament raises money for the Florida-strain bass plant on Melones.
Catfish are good. 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. Five-year-old Antonio Pimentel of Stockton was very proud of his 2.1-pound catfish that he caught on nightcrawlers.
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. Crappie are liking 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.
Catfish are in the shallows hitting chicken liver and minnows. Bass are eating spinner bait and night crawlers or rubber worms, mostly in lighter colors such as green and yellow. Reports have been slow on crappie and trout.
Lake Don Pedro, 852-2369 or 989-2206.
Tulloch Reservoir - Fish the main part of the lake for the best chance of action.
Minnows and crickets are the bait to use for smallmouth bass. Some anglers are finding luck with watermelon red Senkos. The trout bite is slow. Fish have gone down to 40-50 feet, and some are deeper. There have been a lot of recreational boaters to compete with.
881-0107, 847-3447.
McClure Reservoir - Fish in Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend, Cotton Creek and Temperance Creek for the best luck.
Diana Mello of A-1 Bait and Tackle said Chala Williams of Winton caught a 12-pound largemouth bass using a magic-green rubber worm fishing from a boat. The bass fishing was good, and crappie fishing is still picking up steadily with small minnows. Trout have gone deeper, try 35-40 feet with a flasher/crawler combo or Needlefish and Kastmasters. Weekdays are getting busier for fishing because recreational boaters are starting to come on the weekends.
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 of McSwain Marina said there will be a plant from the Department of Fish and Game this week, and it usually comes in the early part of the week. Gilligan's Island has been the hottest spot from the bank if you can get across the lake. Trollers are using flasher/crawler combos in the slot area. Some are getting lucky with fire tiger Rapalas. There have been quite a few limits. Some have even come off the shore.
378-2534.
Rainbow trout is showing up in mixed limits with kokanee. Trollers should target the main lake near the spillway/dam and Rose Island. Fish are gradually moving deeper, and are about 30-60 feet deep. Trout are feeding on small shad, so tie on a small shad-imitation lure such as a Cop Car Needlefish or a shad-patterned Apex or Rapala Countdown behind flashers. Eight-year-old Ashley Wolfe of San Jose wins the Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest. Ashley has been visiting her grandpa, Joe Hallett. They have been fishing together, and have caught some nice kokanee on their trips out. She out-fished him this week, with a 3.8-pound rainbow trout caught on a Cop Car Needlefish trolled 35' deep in the main lake. Bite has been best in the early morning, so plan to hit the lake early. Night fishing under a submersible light is a fun way to catch fish in the summer. The best place to anchor to night fish is near the spillway, the exposed islands between the spillway and Glory Hole Point, or the dam. Drop your submersible light in the water (we have lights available with a 20 foot cord) and fish 10-15 feet below the light, depending on water clarity. 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. Dale and Lauran Nicholson of Modesto caught two limits of rainbows while fishing with crawlers in Angels Creek.
The kokanee bite has picked up quite a bit. Troll 40-65 feet deep (shallower in the early a.m.) in the main lake near the spillway, dam and Rose Island. Some anglers are fishing upriver between the two bridges and having success, although it seems that there are more small fish there. We have seen many limits caught on pink hootchies recently, as well as pink or red Apex, and pink, purple or black Killer B's. Use a silver/green, silver/chartreuse, or silver/blue dodger. Tip your lure with shoepeg corn soaked in ProCure oil - garlic is working well. It is very important to troll slowly (1.2 mph) to catch kokanee. Anglers who have caught limits this week include Ashley Wolfe, Joe Hallett, Gerald Martin, Lynn Winchester, Jerry Kracher, Lee Fitzgerald, John Darroch, Richard Kowski and Starr Gogliano.
Bass fishing has been fair, with plenty of 2-pounders being caught, as well as the occasional lunker. Night fishing is a good way to see some big-bass action. Bass are shallower at night, and are in 1-20 feet of water. Use dark (blue or black) lures such as a spinnerbait. 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 worms 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. White Speed Traps and white or white/chartreuse spinnerbaits are other good lures to throw. It's time to sign up for Glory Hole Sports' third annual "Just For Fun" evening bass tournament on August 7, 2004. We are expecting a good turnout this year. Call or e-mail the store for details. Payback is great, and the tournament raises money for the Florida-strain bass plant on Melones.
Catfish are good. 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. Five-year-old Antonio Pimentel of Stockton was very proud of his 2.1-pound catfish that he caught on nightcrawlers.
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. Crappie are liking 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.
Catfish are in the shallows hitting chicken liver and minnows. Bass are eating spinner bait and night crawlers or rubber worms, mostly in lighter colors such as green and yellow. Reports have been slow on crappie and trout.
Lake Don Pedro, 852-2369 or 989-2206.
Tulloch Reservoir - Fish the main part of the lake for the best chance of action.
Minnows and crickets are the bait to use for smallmouth bass. Some anglers are finding luck with watermelon red Senkos. The trout bite is slow. Fish have gone down to 40-50 feet, and some are deeper. There have been a lot of recreational boaters to compete with.
881-0107, 847-3447.
McClure Reservoir - Fish in Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend, Cotton Creek and Temperance Creek for the best luck.
Diana Mello of A-1 Bait and Tackle said Chala Williams of Winton caught a 12-pound largemouth bass using a magic-green rubber worm fishing from a boat. The bass fishing was good, and crappie fishing is still picking up steadily with small minnows. Trout have gone deeper, try 35-40 feet with a flasher/crawler combo or Needlefish and Kastmasters. Weekdays are getting busier for fishing because recreational boaters are starting to come on the weekends.
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 of McSwain Marina said there will be a plant from the Department of Fish and Game this week, and it usually comes in the early part of the week. Gilligan's Island has been the hottest spot from the bank if you can get across the lake. Trollers are using flasher/crawler combos in the slot area. Some are getting lucky with fire tiger Rapalas. There have been quite a few limits. Some have even come off the shore.
378-2534.
