Posted by: Kim_Hamilton on 12/25/2008 11:51 PM
Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 12/25/2008 11:52 PM
Expires: 01/01/2013 12:00 AM
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Fishing Report for New Melones 12/25/08~By Glory Hole Sports
Don’t forget to buy your 2009 fishing licenses! Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,113,156 acre-feet of water. Water level rose slightly this week, and is at 960 ft. above sea level and 128 ft. from full capacity. Water in the main lake is approximately 59-61 degrees. The lake has turned over. Water is slightly stained to clear in the main lake.....
Fees are now being charged at New Melones lake: You can pay at the entrance stations if a ranger is there- at this time booths are not manned at all times. If there is no ranger at the booth, you need to go to the Glory Hole boat ramp (upper parking lot- look for the yellow posts) and put money in the Iron Ranger, and put your receipt in your vehicle window in plain view. Fees are $6 for day use, or $8 for day use and boat launch. Annual passes are available at the Visitors Center or the adjacent Rangers Station, or at the entrance booths when they are staffed. Prices are $40 for an annual day-use pass, and $60 for a day use with boat launch pass (two names on one pass, and you can move your pass from vehicle to vehicle). Discounted annual passes are available for seniors and disabled. Call the New Melones Visitors Center for further details (209) 536-9094. Money from the entrance fees will be used at New Melones Lake for improvements, so we can look forward to having a lot of new amenities in the future.
Trout: Red hot for those bank anglers who dared to brave the weather. The Department of Fish and Game has been planting heavily the last few weeks, so bank anglers are finding easy limits of planter trout in the one-to-two pound range. Glory Hole Point, Angels Cove, Tuttletown, and under the Highway 49 Stevenot Bridge are all good places to fish. Tie on some rainbow or chartreuse glitter Power Bait or a marshmallow/crawler combo (be sure your bait is floating off the bottom and not in the silt), or throw a Kastmaster or Roostertail- we are seeing plenty of ‘bows caught on lures, too. A group of youngsters from Soulsbyville Elementary had good day fishing. Vincent Brown (12 years old), Dakota Argo (12 years old), Dalton Brown (13 years old), Frankie Townsend (14 years old), and Tyler Townsend (14 years old) all caught plenty of rainbows while fishing from shore in Angels Cove with Power Bait and salmon eggs. Trolling has been slow, but is picking up. Trollers should target the mouths of major coves on into the cove areas, or upriver between the two bridges. Troll surface to 15 feet deep. Use ball-troll flashers on your downrigger, or no flashers at all. Use shad patterned lures or a firetiger pattern, or a crawler or Power Bait behind an Uncle Larry’s Spinners. Rolling shad is a good way to target big brown trout. The limit of salmonids (trout and kokanee) at New Melones is 5 per day, 5 in possession.
Kokanee: Done for the season, although you may see some up in the creek arms, attempting to spawn. Occasionally, trollers will pick up some of next year’s fish. These kokanee are small (10-12”), but still good eating. If you want to try for kokanee, fish deep- 60-80 feet, in the main lake.
Bass: Fair. Anglers report catching and releasing lots of spotted bass in the 1-2 pound range, as well as catching some nicer 4-5 pounders. Fish are being found anywhere from 5-50 feet deep in creek arms. Drag a Carolina-rigged or split-shot rigged crawdad-colored worm or green pumpkin Zoom Baby Brush Hog for the most action. Biggest fish are coming on swimbaits. Spoons and jigs, and topwater baits at dawn and dusk are all good lures to try right now. The bite is soft, so pay attention to your line. Please 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: We are still seeing big cats every week. 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. Be sure to use a sliding sinker weight. McCoy’s McStoppers are great for keeping the sinker off the bait without messing around with a swivel, or splitshot that can damage your line. Tuttletown, Glory Hole Point, and near the Visitors’ Center are all good places to bank-fish for big cats.
Crappie and bluegill: slow. Night fishing under a light is best. Crappie can be found hanging out in submerged trees, about 20’-30’ 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. Use a small piece of crawler or a cricket under a large bobber fished tight to structure in the backs of coves to target bluegill.
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