New Melones Reservoir - We have new fish raising pens in New Melones Reservoir. Last week the Department of Fish and Game delivered 500 pounds of big rainbows, which will be held in the cages that Kokanee Power installed at the marina, fed and released. They are already good-sized fish, and they are expected to almost double their weight by May when they will be released. Stop by the marina and check out the fish! Don't forget to stay thank you to the staff at the marina who are helping to feed them every day.
New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,496,000 acre-feet of water. Lake is at 62 percent capacity. Lake elevation rose two feet this week, and is currently at 1003 feet above sea level, and 85 feet from full capacity. Water temperature is 62-69 degrees, and stained. There is a lot of debris in the water so use caution.
Trout fishing has been slow. Bank anglers haven't been having much luck, except for 14-year-old Benjamin Hill of Modesto. He used chartreuse Power Bait while bank fishing near Tuttletown, and caught a 1.7-pound rainbow. He wins the Glory Hole Sports' Big Fish of the Week Contest. Trollers are having luck in the spillway/dam area as well as upriver. Trollers should use a crawler/spinner combo, or a brightly colored lure such as a pearl or Cop Car Needlefish, behind flashers or a dodger. Bite has been best in the early mornings. Fish are moving deeper, so fish about 30-50 feet deep. Try varying your trolling speed and doing figure eights while trolling. This will cause your lure to rise and fall, and slow down and speed up. This time of year, doing this will sometimes trigger a strike when nothing else will!
For kokanee, 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 scent, or a small piece of nightcrawler sometimes works better this time of year. Be sure to use a dodger, and troll very slowly. Best kokanee action has been upriver beyond Parrotts Ferry Bridge, or in the main lake near the dam/Rose Island, 30-50 feet deep.
Bass fishing has been red hot, with lots of bass being caught. There have been a few bed fish caught, but for the most part, fish are pre-spawn, with males building nests, but few fish aggressively locked on. Look for flats near cuts and creek arms that have structure at different depths. Green Pumpkin Baby Brush Hogs, Senkos, and Lizards are working great, as are spinnerbaits and rip baits, such as a Husky Jerk or Rattling Rogue. Bed fish will often strike on a big, bright lure, so now is the time to tie on the bubblegum ort chartreuse Zoom Trick Worm or lizard. We want to remind you - please practice catch and release at this time of year! 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. Richard Knigge caught and released a 6-pound, 7-ounce largemouth while fishing in Coyote Creek with green pumpkin worms.
Catfish are warming up with the water. 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. Black Bart Cove, the coves on the south side of the lake, and the many brushy coves upriver are all good spots to try. Fish 10-30 feet deep near structure with minnows or red/white or red/chartreuse crappie jigs.
Glory Hole Sports, 736-4333.
Lake Don Pedro - Fish around partially submerged trees, near the marina and rocky points.
A recent bass tournament saw all the anglers bringing in at least four fish, the largest one coming in at 10.74 pounds.
The trout bite is still decent, with small minnows or night crawlers no deeper than 15 feet, but mainly anglers are shooting for black and largemouth bass using four-inch lizards and spinner baits in middle bay.
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 bass bite is solid but the trout bite has slowed somewhat. Fish the weeds back in the creek arms, in either Black Creek or Green Springs with plastics in watermelon or pumpkin colors for smallmouth bass.
881-0107, 847-3447.
McClure Reservoir - Fish in Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend, Cotton Creek and Temperance Creek for the best luck.
Bass and crappie bites continue to be excellent. Use a little bit of everything. Shad color was the best for plastic worms this week and the bass were found mostly around McClure Point. Trout are going deeper as the day goes on.
563-6505, 378-2441
McSwain Reservoir - For the best chance at catching some fish, try the brushpile, in front of the campgrounds and marina, Gilligan's Island and the handicap dock.
Bank anglers are doing well at the brushpile with rainbow or chartreuse Power Bait. In front of the campground, boaters are picking up in the same old spots. On the east side of Gilligan's Island, trollers are using Power Bait in the top 10 feet. But they're doing best with flashers and crawlers from the island to the first fenceline.
378-2534.
New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,496,000 acre-feet of water. Lake is at 62 percent capacity. Lake elevation rose two feet this week, and is currently at 1003 feet above sea level, and 85 feet from full capacity. Water temperature is 62-69 degrees, and stained. There is a lot of debris in the water so use caution.
Trout fishing has been slow. Bank anglers haven't been having much luck, except for 14-year-old Benjamin Hill of Modesto. He used chartreuse Power Bait while bank fishing near Tuttletown, and caught a 1.7-pound rainbow. He wins the Glory Hole Sports' Big Fish of the Week Contest. Trollers are having luck in the spillway/dam area as well as upriver. Trollers should use a crawler/spinner combo, or a brightly colored lure such as a pearl or Cop Car Needlefish, behind flashers or a dodger. Bite has been best in the early mornings. Fish are moving deeper, so fish about 30-50 feet deep. Try varying your trolling speed and doing figure eights while trolling. This will cause your lure to rise and fall, and slow down and speed up. This time of year, doing this will sometimes trigger a strike when nothing else will!
For kokanee, 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 scent, or a small piece of nightcrawler sometimes works better this time of year. Be sure to use a dodger, and troll very slowly. Best kokanee action has been upriver beyond Parrotts Ferry Bridge, or in the main lake near the dam/Rose Island, 30-50 feet deep.
Bass fishing has been red hot, with lots of bass being caught. There have been a few bed fish caught, but for the most part, fish are pre-spawn, with males building nests, but few fish aggressively locked on. Look for flats near cuts and creek arms that have structure at different depths. Green Pumpkin Baby Brush Hogs, Senkos, and Lizards are working great, as are spinnerbaits and rip baits, such as a Husky Jerk or Rattling Rogue. Bed fish will often strike on a big, bright lure, so now is the time to tie on the bubblegum ort chartreuse Zoom Trick Worm or lizard. We want to remind you - please practice catch and release at this time of year! 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. Richard Knigge caught and released a 6-pound, 7-ounce largemouth while fishing in Coyote Creek with green pumpkin worms.
Catfish are warming up with the water. 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. Black Bart Cove, the coves on the south side of the lake, and the many brushy coves upriver are all good spots to try. Fish 10-30 feet deep near structure with minnows or red/white or red/chartreuse crappie jigs.
Glory Hole Sports, 736-4333.
Lake Don Pedro - Fish around partially submerged trees, near the marina and rocky points.
A recent bass tournament saw all the anglers bringing in at least four fish, the largest one coming in at 10.74 pounds.
The trout bite is still decent, with small minnows or night crawlers no deeper than 15 feet, but mainly anglers are shooting for black and largemouth bass using four-inch lizards and spinner baits in middle bay.
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 bass bite is solid but the trout bite has slowed somewhat. Fish the weeds back in the creek arms, in either Black Creek or Green Springs with plastics in watermelon or pumpkin colors for smallmouth bass.
881-0107, 847-3447.
McClure Reservoir - Fish in Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend, Cotton Creek and Temperance Creek for the best luck.
Bass and crappie bites continue to be excellent. Use a little bit of everything. Shad color was the best for plastic worms this week and the bass were found mostly around McClure Point. Trout are going deeper as the day goes on.
563-6505, 378-2441
McSwain Reservoir - For the best chance at catching some fish, try the brushpile, in front of the campgrounds and marina, Gilligan's Island and the handicap dock.
Bank anglers are doing well at the brushpile with rainbow or chartreuse Power Bait. In front of the campground, boaters are picking up in the same old spots. On the east side of Gilligan's Island, trollers are using Power Bait in the top 10 feet. But they're doing best with flashers and crawlers from the island to the first fenceline.
378-2534.
