Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,961,624 acre-feet of water. The lake level has been steady for the last three weeks, and is currently at 1048 ft. above sea level and 40 ft. from full. Water temperature is really dropping now, and is currently 56 degrees. The lake seems to have turned over, by the great trout fishing we have seen this week.
Trout: Great action! The Department of Fish and Game is planting Melones every week now, plus we are seeing some beautiful 2-to-3-pound holdovers. Trout are feeding heavily on schools of small shad. Bite is best in the morning.
Tasmanian Devils have been hot for both trollers and bank anglers. We are having a hard time keeping them in stock! We are out right now, but will have more on Wednesday or Thursday, in time for the weekend.
Bank anglers have been bringing limits of planters, as well as some 2-3-pound holdovers, while fishing in shallow water in the backs of Angels and Glory Hole Coves. Throwing spoons such as Kastmasters and Krocodiles in chrome/blue, firetiger or rainbow-trout patterns, and Power Bait and Power Eggs fished on a sliding sinker rig and a 24" leader are the two best set-ups for anglers walking the bank. Bank anglers who brought in trout this week include Ad Allendorf, Eric Pelc, Steve Camilleri, Lisa Ditlebson, Dave Allen, Richie and Richard Harvey, and Chad and David Carr.
Chad and David Carr caught these fish while bank fishing off of Glory Hole Point with firetiger Kastmasters and chartreuse Power Bait.
Dave Allen has been having great luck in Angels Cove with rainbow-trout Tasmanian Devils and flourescent red Power Bait.
Nine-year-old Richie Harvey (with dad Richard) caught this pretty holdover rainbow on Lemon Twist Power Bait off of Glory Hole Point.
Trollers should target coves and creek arms close to shore with shad, firetiger, or rainbow-trout patterned lures. Add a piece of crawler for a trailer, or add some ProCure Threadfin Shad scent, to get those hungry trout to bite. Anglers who caught rainbows while trolling this week include Theron Pogue, Jon Berger, Johnny White, James Goble, Bob, and Blake and Tianna Bumbaca.
James Goble caught this limit while trolling Needlefish near the 49 Bridge.
Bob, Blake and Tianna Bumbaca caught these nice holdovers by trolling deep (100') with firetiger Kastmasters by the dam.
Kokanee: Done for the season.
Bass: Fair.Bass are moving deeper, and can be caught anywhere from 10-60 feet deep right now. On bluebird days the bite has been a little tough, but if there is a little wind or cloud cover the bite seems to be a lot better. With Fish and Game planting Melones heavily right now, big bass are gulping up swimbaits. Ask the trout anglers to see the size and color of the fish they are catching and then match the hatch. A Huddleston is hard to beat, but sometimes the fish are attracted to baits with a little more action like a Toad Thrasher, S-waver, or Osprey swimbait. Quality fish are being caught on both jigs and swimbaits, while drop shotting will produce the numbers. Throw a ½ oz. football jig with a twin tail grub to entice these larger fish. California Reservoir Jigs has a good selection of colors catered to the Mother Lode area. Try using a Berkley Gulp minnow or a Zoom Tiny Fluke when drop-shotting. These baits are great shad imitators and there is an abundance of shad. Remember to practice catch and release, especially largemouth bass as we are seeing fewer each year.
Catfish: We didn't have any cats weighed in this week, but some of the biggest fish on our wall of fame were caught in November, December, and January. 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. Soaking your bait in Pro Cure garlic/nightcrawler scent will make it even more appealing to those lunker cats. 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. Fishing for cats is usually best at night, but plenty of anglers catch them during the day as well.
Crappie and bluegill: Slow to fair. Try using small minnows, red worms, and meal worms on a slip-float rig fished 15-25 feet deep will work. Generally 4-6 pound test line will get you more bites and fishing light tackle can be a fun way to catch them.
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