Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,978,950 acre-feet of water. The lake level dropped two feet again this week and is currently at 1050 ft. above sea level and 38 ft. from full. Levels will continue to drop, as room needs to be made to accommodate upcoming winter rains. Water temperature is rising and falling with the weather, and has been anywhere from about 80-72 degrees. Water is slightly stained, with mudlines forming in the afternoon. Watch for unmarked island tops.
Trout: Fair fishing. Not as many limits, but still plenty of fat fish being caught. Trollers have been doing well fishing over the main river channel, in the main lake and at the mouths of major creek arms. The trout are feeding heavily on shad that are staging on the outside of the creek channels. In the fall the shad will move to the backs of the coves, and the fish will follow. Try a variety of shad-patterned lures such as Excel, Apex, Needlefish, or Rapala Countdown. Use Bang or ProCure threadfin shad scent on your lures. To target rainbows and browns, troll 15-45 deep- try various depths, since fish are in transition. Also, vary your trolling speed. Sometimes the fish will hit as the lure sinks as you slow down, and sometimes a faster presentation will trigger a strike. Remember- now that the trout are moving shallower, it is important to leave plenty of line out behind your boat, so your lure is away from your boat chop. Guide Gary Burns has been consistently catching limits while trolling Shasta Tackle Humdingers near the dam.
Jim Dirikson of Angels Camp wins Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest with a 2-pound, 14-ounce rainbow- part of a limit that he caught while trolling a shad-pattern Rapala 50 feet deep near the marina.
He must be getting tired of eating fish (because he has been catching so many). So he went to Tuolumne County and got this nice buck!
John Sorensen and Roland Gove of Angels Camp caught a nice limit of trout weighing almost as much, while trolling a double-Needlefish set-up with a Gulp Minnow in Carson Cove. We are expecting the shore-fishing to turn on soon. Tie on a slip float rig with a minnow, crawler or a shad-patterned mini jig, and fish 20-40 feet deep under your bobber. Casting a chrome/blue Kastmaster or Krocodile from the bank may also get you a nice rainbow. Glory Hole Point and under the 49 Bridge are good places to bank fish.
Kokanee: Done for the season.
Bass: Spotted bass are biting. John Chiarpotti has been catching fat football spotted bass on California Reservoir Lures Jigs. Watch his video:
Fish are moving into deeper waters and pulling off shore due to falling water levels. Fish are feeding heavily on shad right now, so shad-imitation lures are a good bet, too. Tie on a split shot rig with 6" Roboworm Hologram shad or Prism Shad. Also, hard and soft jerkbaits work well sub-surface. If you find a ball of shad on your graph try dropping a vertical jigging spoon and ripping it threw the bait. This will often create a feeding frenzy. There have been many reports of trout trollers catching nice bass way offshore on shad patterned trolling spoons. If you want to fish from shore try using a wacky rig Senko. Cast out away from the bank and let it fall slowly. Remember to practice catch and release.
Catfish: Still seeing some big cats being caught.
Floyd Crow of Tuolumne wins the Glory Hole Sports Big Catfish of the Week Contest with an 11-pound, 2-ounce lunker he caught on mackerel while fishing the shoreline on the north side of the lake. Catfish are in coves and in shallower water. A sliding sinker rig, and a ball of crawlers or a piece of anchovy or shad is your best bait. Leave your bail open so the cats can't feel the line if still-fishing. Successful catfish anglers move their bait often, even dragging it along the bottom and bouncing it into rocky nooks and crannies, rather than letting it sit still. We have had reports of catfish being caught while trolling. This mean they are also feeding on the large amount of shad in the lake. Fishing for cats is usually best at night, but plenty of anglers catch them during the day as well.
Crappie and bluegill: slow. Night fishing under a light is the most productive right now. Your best bet is to use minnows, red worms, or crappie jigs on a slip-float rig fished 15-25 feet deep. Also try crappie jigs with spinners such as a Beetlespin. Fishing on light line can be a fun way to catch them.
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