Posted by: Kim_Hamilton on 07/22/2008 06:26 AM
Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 07/22/2008 06:27 AM
Expires: 01/01/2013 12:00 AM
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New Melones Lake Fishing Report for Week of July 22, 2008~By Glory Hole Sports
Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,231,738 acre-feet of water. The lake water level dropped two feet last week and is at 973 ft. above sea level and 115 ft. from full capacity. Water in the main lake is approximately 76-79 degrees. Water is gin clear in the main lake, with a strong mud line forming at shore.....
Angels Boat Ramp is out of the water and unusable (which historically often happens in the summer. Water levels last dropped low enough to render it unusable in 2004. The ramp at Tuttletown becomes unusable if water drops below 900 ft. The Glory Hole ramp is usable until water gets below 860 ft., and then there is another unimproved ramp available below that.
CAUTION: Quickly dropping water levels are exposing many islands that are not marked! Sometimes there will be a tree and rock-covered hump just under the surface, even in the middle of the lake. Keep an eye out for changes in water color or pattern of waves- there may be a jagged rock lurking just under the water surface! Now is not the time to buzz across the lake- please slow down and be careful!
Trout: Bank fishing is over at the lake. Best bank-fishing luck can be found in local rivers and creeks such as Angels Creek or Murphys Creek, which have been receiving regular plantings of catchable rainbows. Power Bait, Pautzke’s Eggs, or small spinners such as Rooster Tails or Mepp’s are all good choices for local stream fishing. Trollers are catching mostly kokanee instead. Troll 70-80 feet deep in the main lake, using any shad-patterned lure, or a crawler/spinner combo. Use ball-troll flashers on your downrigger. Night fishing under a submersible light is legal on New Melones Lake, and is a great way to target bigger rainbows in the summer. Josiah Darlyn caught 4 rainbows under a light at night using nightcrawler/powerbait combo.
Kokanee: limits are easy to come by now- most anglers report that double hook-ups are common, with small fish outnumbering bigger fish. Average size of fish is 1.4- 2 pounds. Anglers report finding fish from 45 feet all the way down to 90 feet deep. Most anglers report green, pink or glow lures working best in the morning, and green or purple lures working better in the afternoon. All lures with UV seem to be the most effective. Hootchies, RMT’s Assassin Spinners, Sockeye Slammers, Apex, and Pro-Troll UV E-Chips are all great kokanee catchers right now. Use a silver/green or silver/gold dodger or Sling Blade. Always use shoepeg corn to tip your lures. Use ProCure UV garlic, Kokanee Special, anise plus, or freshwater shrimp for scent. Also working is Pautske’s Fire Power Krill scent. Remember- scent is very important when fishing for kokanee. Be sure to wash your hands before handling lures, dodgers or line. The smell of cigarettes, sunscreen, or human-scent from your hands will slow your chances of catching the kokes. Anglers who caught kokanee this week include: Steve McInturf, Nicholas McInturf, Elaine Lucia, and Bob Tarrant (all four went out with Fish’n Dan’s Guide service), Gary Graham from Stockton with his 2 lb. 3 oz. kokanee, John Darroch (Glitter Bugs) went out 3 days this week and caught a nice limit each day, the trio of John Montana, Michael Garcia, and Fred Moreno caught twelve kokanee with the biggest weighing 1 lb. 13 oz..
Bass: good, despite falling water levels. Fish main lake points. There is a hot topwater bite happening right now. Zara Spooks are working great, especially at dawn and dusk. Spinnerbaits are another good choice. Green pumpkin or watermelon Zoom Baby Brush Hogs, or weightless Senkos are also good choices. Try deep-diving crankbaits retrieved from longs casts over main lake points in the heat of the day. Shaded areas and mud lines are also good sports to target when the sun is high in the sky. Large schools of spotted bass are being reported and 1050 keeper worms are said to be working very well right now. Please remember to gently release any bass that you catch. Remember- the Department of Fish and Game does not plant bass, so it is up to us to maintain our bass fishery.
Catfish: picking up with the heat. Use anchovies, mackerel, sardines, chicken liver, or a ball of nightcrawlers. Leave your bail open so the cats can pick the bait up and swim with it- you will be more likely to hook them that way. Also, be sure to use a sliding sinker weight. Lucas Martinez from Oakdale wins Glory Holes Big Fish of the Week Contest with his 15 lb. 10 oz. Catfish which he caught along with two other catfish weighing 10 lb. 14 oz and 8 lb. 5 oz with chicken liver in Angels Creek at night under a light. Tom Dutil with Dutil Fishing Charters caught an 8 lb. 5 oz. catfish on chicken liver at Dukes Landing. Bonnie Cooper, Pete Barrington, and Tim Taylor caught 3 catfish on mackerel by Glory Hole Boat Ramp with the biggest being 5 lb. 11 oz.
Crappie and bluegill: Fair. Night fishing under a light is best, although anglers are catching crappie during the day, too. Crappie can be found hanging out in submerged trees, about 10’-20’ feet deep. Bear Creek, Mormon Creek and Carson Creek are all good bets. For crappie, try fishing live small or medium minnows, or crappie jigs with jigs in red/white, black/chartreuse or purple/white. Remember- 25 is the limit for crappie. Bluegill are starting to become more active, and they are great fun for the kids to catch. A small piece of crawler or a cricket under a large bobber fished tight to structure in the backs of coves will provide lots of fun and entertainment for children.
Melanie
Glory Hole Sports
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(209) 736-4333
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