New Melones Reservoir - New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,501,000 acre-feet of water. This is up slightly compared to the 1,422,000 acre-feet that it held at this time last year. Lake is at 62 percent capacity. Lake elevation held steady again this week, and is currently at 1003 feet above sea level, and 85 feet from full capacity. Water temperature is approximately 61-64 degrees, and stained. There is a lot of debris in the water so use caution.
Trout fishing was up and down this week due to the weather changes. Bank anglers haven't been having much luck, since trout have moved out to deeper, cooler water. Trollers are having luck, mainly in the main lake near the spillway/dam. Fish are still close to the surface - shallow in the early mornings, to 30-35 feet deep in the heat of the day. Needlefish, Apex or Sockeye Slammers, trolled behind flashers are all catching fish. Try a white, Cop Car, or a firetiger lure. Many successful anglers are using a small piece of nightcrawler or a small minnow on the end of their lure. Bite has been best in the early mornings. Joe Hallett continues to have good luck with Cop Car Needlefish and small minnows or a piece of nightcrawler. He caught several good-sized fish up to 3.2 pounds, while trolling 18 to as deep as 40 feet deep in the main lake. Don Myshrall brought in the first brown trout that we've seen in a while. He trolled a red Apex lure 15 feet deep near the dam to land a 2-pound brown.
Kokanee haven't turned on yet, but we've seen a few in the 14"-15" range. We did have a nice family in who had seven kokanee and three rainbows. They said they trolled Apex with corn in the main lake, and had no trouble catching fish, so maybe things will be picking up! Danny Layne of Fishin' Dan's Guide Service has been catching kokanee, too. Use Uncle Larry's spinners in firetiger or Cop Car, or a small lure such as a Kokanee Bug or Sockeye Slammer. Tip your lure with shoepeg corn soaked in ProCure Kokanee Special or anise scent. Be sure to use a dodger, and troll very slowly. Best kokanee action has been in the main lake near the dam/Rose Island, 30-50 feet deep.
Bass fishing has been great. Mostly post-spawn action. Most bass are in 15-25 feet of water. Look for flats near cuts and creek arms that have structure at different depths. Coves in the south side of the lake have been good, as well as cuts and coves upriver. Senkos are the hot bait right now. Rig a 4" or 6" green pumpkin, watermelon or smoke Yamamoto Senko with a 3/0 or 4/0 wide-gap hook, and no weight. Zoom Baby Brush Hogs are also working well, in the same colors. Reaction baits are great in the early a.m., before the sun hits the water. Throw white, white/chartreuse or shad-patterned spinnerbaits, or shad- or rainbow trout patterned rip baits such as a Husky Jerk. We want to remind you - it is vitally important to practice catch and release during the spawn, so that we can continue to have a healthy fishery in the future.
Catfish are picking up. Bill Lease of Angels Camp wins the Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest with his 4.7-pound catfish that he caught on crawlers. Glory Hole Point or Angels Cove, near Tuttletown or under the 49 Bridge are all good places for bank anglers to fish for cats. Use mackerel, anchovies or sardines, crawlers, chicken liver, or live large minnows.
We are seeing some crappie action! Fish brushy coves and creek arms, near structure adjacent to rocky spawning areas. The south side of the lake has been good. Fish 10-20 feet deep near structure with minnows or red/white or red/chartreuse crappie jigs.
Glory Hole Sports, 736-4333.
Lake Don Pedro - Lake level, 802; water temperature, mid 60s.
The weather has been very good, though cloudy with a little wind.
Trout and salmon: All the trout are still hanging out in the shallows, probably 15-20 feet at the deepest. Limits of trout have been taken from big creek, the fishermen were using nightcrawlers and anchovies. Best baits for trout are nightcrawlers, cripplures, apex and needlefish. Colors to use are pink, black and white, trout or tiger patterns. Joe Gibson pulled in a 24-inch, 7-pound salmon, fishing near the dam using frozen shad.
Bass: The bass are doing excellent, spawning in Grave Yard Creek. Fish near shore with rubber worms, best time is first thing in the morning.
Crappie and bluegill: As usual the crappie are hanging out in the brush and trees near the marina, use white jigs and medium minnows.
Catfish: Nightcrawlers and anchovies are working and Powerbait blood flavored works quite well in the lake. Lucas Bay in Rogers Creek recently produced a 7-pound and a 10-pound catfish.
Tip of the week: The weather has been good and the fishing has been great so come and have some fun.
Lake Don Pedro, 852-2369 or 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 trout are at about 20-30 feet and anglers are using No. 2 Needlefish in almost any color. Rainbow and watermelon work well.
Smallmouth bass are hitting crawdads, minnows and plastics, also Senkos. Good crappie bite on small minnows.
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 reports that the bass bite is still hot. Live bait, primarily crawdads and minnows, are still working. Plastic worms in crawdad and shad colors are working for trollers. Even crappie were hitting on live minnows.
Bass are still in the spawning mode and crank baits are working in the early morning hours and at dusk.
563-6505, 378-2441
McSwain Reservoir - Try your luck at the brushpile, in front of the campgrounds and marina, Gilligan's Island and the handicap dock.
John Kemper of McSwain Marina said fishing remains great. Manuel Rodriguez of Merced caught a 4.5-pound rainbow fishing off the shore near the handicap access dock with rainbow Power Bait.
Another plant is scheduled from Calaveras this week, and more over the next two.
Use Power Bait and nightcrawlers at the handicap dock and brush pile. Some anglers are walking across the dam and fishing the other side. Trollers are staying between Gilligan's Island and the first fence line.
Bubblegum Power Bait was the ticket that brought April Martinez of Merced some success, she landed a 4.5-pound trout.
378-2534.
Trout fishing was up and down this week due to the weather changes. Bank anglers haven't been having much luck, since trout have moved out to deeper, cooler water. Trollers are having luck, mainly in the main lake near the spillway/dam. Fish are still close to the surface - shallow in the early mornings, to 30-35 feet deep in the heat of the day. Needlefish, Apex or Sockeye Slammers, trolled behind flashers are all catching fish. Try a white, Cop Car, or a firetiger lure. Many successful anglers are using a small piece of nightcrawler or a small minnow on the end of their lure. Bite has been best in the early mornings. Joe Hallett continues to have good luck with Cop Car Needlefish and small minnows or a piece of nightcrawler. He caught several good-sized fish up to 3.2 pounds, while trolling 18 to as deep as 40 feet deep in the main lake. Don Myshrall brought in the first brown trout that we've seen in a while. He trolled a red Apex lure 15 feet deep near the dam to land a 2-pound brown.
Kokanee haven't turned on yet, but we've seen a few in the 14"-15" range. We did have a nice family in who had seven kokanee and three rainbows. They said they trolled Apex with corn in the main lake, and had no trouble catching fish, so maybe things will be picking up! Danny Layne of Fishin' Dan's Guide Service has been catching kokanee, too. Use Uncle Larry's spinners in firetiger or Cop Car, or a small lure such as a Kokanee Bug or Sockeye Slammer. Tip your lure with shoepeg corn soaked in ProCure Kokanee Special or anise scent. Be sure to use a dodger, and troll very slowly. Best kokanee action has been in the main lake near the dam/Rose Island, 30-50 feet deep.
Bass fishing has been great. Mostly post-spawn action. Most bass are in 15-25 feet of water. Look for flats near cuts and creek arms that have structure at different depths. Coves in the south side of the lake have been good, as well as cuts and coves upriver. Senkos are the hot bait right now. Rig a 4" or 6" green pumpkin, watermelon or smoke Yamamoto Senko with a 3/0 or 4/0 wide-gap hook, and no weight. Zoom Baby Brush Hogs are also working well, in the same colors. Reaction baits are great in the early a.m., before the sun hits the water. Throw white, white/chartreuse or shad-patterned spinnerbaits, or shad- or rainbow trout patterned rip baits such as a Husky Jerk. We want to remind you - it is vitally important to practice catch and release during the spawn, so that we can continue to have a healthy fishery in the future.
Catfish are picking up. Bill Lease of Angels Camp wins the Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest with his 4.7-pound catfish that he caught on crawlers. Glory Hole Point or Angels Cove, near Tuttletown or under the 49 Bridge are all good places for bank anglers to fish for cats. Use mackerel, anchovies or sardines, crawlers, chicken liver, or live large minnows.
We are seeing some crappie action! Fish brushy coves and creek arms, near structure adjacent to rocky spawning areas. The south side of the lake has been good. Fish 10-20 feet deep near structure with minnows or red/white or red/chartreuse crappie jigs.
Glory Hole Sports, 736-4333.
Lake Don Pedro - Lake level, 802; water temperature, mid 60s.
The weather has been very good, though cloudy with a little wind.
Trout and salmon: All the trout are still hanging out in the shallows, probably 15-20 feet at the deepest. Limits of trout have been taken from big creek, the fishermen were using nightcrawlers and anchovies. Best baits for trout are nightcrawlers, cripplures, apex and needlefish. Colors to use are pink, black and white, trout or tiger patterns. Joe Gibson pulled in a 24-inch, 7-pound salmon, fishing near the dam using frozen shad.
Bass: The bass are doing excellent, spawning in Grave Yard Creek. Fish near shore with rubber worms, best time is first thing in the morning.
Crappie and bluegill: As usual the crappie are hanging out in the brush and trees near the marina, use white jigs and medium minnows.
Catfish: Nightcrawlers and anchovies are working and Powerbait blood flavored works quite well in the lake. Lucas Bay in Rogers Creek recently produced a 7-pound and a 10-pound catfish.
Tip of the week: The weather has been good and the fishing has been great so come and have some fun.
Lake Don Pedro, 852-2369 or 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 trout are at about 20-30 feet and anglers are using No. 2 Needlefish in almost any color. Rainbow and watermelon work well.
Smallmouth bass are hitting crawdads, minnows and plastics, also Senkos. Good crappie bite on small minnows.
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 reports that the bass bite is still hot. Live bait, primarily crawdads and minnows, are still working. Plastic worms in crawdad and shad colors are working for trollers. Even crappie were hitting on live minnows.
Bass are still in the spawning mode and crank baits are working in the early morning hours and at dusk.
563-6505, 378-2441
McSwain Reservoir - Try your luck at the brushpile, in front of the campgrounds and marina, Gilligan's Island and the handicap dock.
John Kemper of McSwain Marina said fishing remains great. Manuel Rodriguez of Merced caught a 4.5-pound rainbow fishing off the shore near the handicap access dock with rainbow Power Bait.
Another plant is scheduled from Calaveras this week, and more over the next two.
Use Power Bait and nightcrawlers at the handicap dock and brush pile. Some anglers are walking across the dam and fishing the other side. Trollers are staying between Gilligan's Island and the first fence line.
Bubblegum Power Bait was the ticket that brought April Martinez of Merced some success, she landed a 4.5-pound trout.
378-2534.
