Posted by: Kim_Hamilton on 07/16/2012 05:58 PM
Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 07/16/2012 06:01 PM
Expires: 01/01/2017 12:00 AM
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New Melones Lake Fishing Report for July 16th~by Melanie of Glory Hole Sports
New Melones, CA...Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,687,682 acre-feet of water. The lake level has dropped two feet this week and is currently at 1023 ft. above sea level and 65 ft. from full. Water temperature is in the upper 70's to low 80's. Lake is slightly stained, with mud lines forming around the shore on windy days, and days with a lot of boat traffic.....
Trout: Good. Night fishing has been producing some nice limits of healthy rainbows. Anchor your boat in 35-50ft of water and drop the light 15-25ft down. Power Bait, Gulp Eggs, and nightcrawlers have been working well. It is a good idea to add extra scent to the bait while fishing at night. Try using Pro Cure garlic, anise, of garlic/night crawler. Remember to be patient, it take time for the light to draw plankton, baitfish, and trout to it. Bank anglers should head to the high country lakes and rivers. Try using a bubble and a fly, floating a crawler or fly fishing. Trolling anglers have been catching a few trout with along with the kokanee. There are schools of trout in deeper/cooler water, and feeding on shad. Try fishing upriver near the steep canyon walls. To target trout, try trolling 2-3 mph with a shad patterned Rapala, Needlefish, or speedy shiner. It is a good idea to tip the bait with a crawler or a trolling grub to enhance the action of the bait.
Kokanee: Good, with most anglers getting easy limits of fat 13-14" fish. The fish are growing quickly now. Troll 40-65 feet deep in the spillway/dam area or near the 49 Bridge. Try using a hootchie or a spinner behind a sling blade or dodger. Purple, pink, and orange have all been good colors. Try mixing and matching the color of you bait with the color of your dodger until you find a combination that the fish like. To target larger fish try trolling in deep waters with big dodgers, and larger baits, like an Apex or a Rocky Mountain Super Squid. Remember when trolling deeper water, use darker colors. Be sure to add plenty of Pro Cure Scent to your dodger and your bait. Garlic, carp spit, and kokanee special have all been producing. Don't forget to bring corn soaked in these same sc
Bass: Good. The fish are a little harder to find on these hotter days but they are still biting. Most fish are 12-15 inches with a few 3-pound plus fish caught. Bass are feeding shallow on top water baits early and late, and move out to main lake structure as the sun warms the water. To catch them when they move out try using a brown football head jig with a matching trailer. There is also a pretty good crank bait bite.
Remember to practice catch and release! If you do keep a bass, please keep the spotted bass and release the big female (largemouth) black bass. Glory Hole Sports can teach you the difference, so you can practice good conservation of the species.
Catfish: Wide open. Melones cats tend to be fish-eaters rather than bottom foragers, so use frozen shad, mackerel, chicken liver, or anchovies for best success. Larger cats will also feed on natural bait like crawlers, so to target large cats try using a big ball of crawlers. Target shallow flats or areas with large chunk rock, these are prime locations for big cats to hang out. Larger fish are smarter, so use a fluorocarbon leader to entice more bites. Generally these fish will feed a night, but anglers have been hooking them at all hours, day and night. There were no fish brought to the scales for The Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest. /marshmallow combo.
Crappie: Good, especially for those fishing at night under a submersible light. This is prime time to target the crappie. Use Beetle Spins, Mini Jigs, and minnows in. Try a live minnow in tandem with a mini jig. The color of the jig will draw fish to it, and the live minnow triggers the bite. With the water warming up the fish will suspend in the middle of main lake creek channels. Try to find trees and flooded timber in 25-40 feet of water.
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