Wednesday, September 12, 2012

New Melones Fishing Report from Glory Hole Sports

Water Conditions:  New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,538,679 acre-feet of water. The lake level dropped two more feet this week and is currently at 1007 ft. above sea level and 81 ft. from full.  Water temperature has cooled a bit a is in the mid to upper 70's.  Lake is stained, with mud lines forming around the shore on windy days, and days with a lot of boat traffic. Good news, the lower ramp on Glory Hole Point is open, which makes for an easy walk.

Trout: Great!  We had yet another week of very impressive trout fishing, including a NEW LAKE RECORD rainbow trout! 
gray  
Angler John Gray was fishing on the "Take it to the Limit Guide Service" boat with guide Gary Burns, when he hooked into this massive 8-pound 2-ounce rainbow on a silver/blue Excel spoon while trolling the main lake. This lunker wins The Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest.   

Trolling anglers are catching their limits in 70-90' of water in the main lake. The shad are staging in deep, cooler water and getting ready for their fall migration up the creek channels.  The trout are hanging around the baitfish. The shad are fairly large so keep this in mind when choosing lures. Shad patterned Excels, Needlefish, Rattle Traps, and Mini Traps have been the most productive lures. Also, a traditional flasher and crawler rig is working great, too.  
vanoli  Matt and Richie Vanoli of Sonora caught these limits of trout (most weighed over 3-pounds) while trolling a rainbow trout Needlefish 60 feet deep in the dam/spillway area.
baird  12-year-old Nichole Baird of San Andreas caught these big 'bows on a salmon egg and crawler while night fishing near the marina.
Night fishing under a submersible light is really good right now, and should be for the next couple months.  Most anglers that are targeting fish at night are bringing in limits of fat 2-3 pound rainbows. Try fishing the main lake by the dam or spillway. Anchor your boat in 50-100 ft of water and drop the light down as far as it will go.  Power Bait, Gulp Eggs, and nightcrawlers are all a good choice.  Also, try drop-shotting a shad patterned plastic grub, or plastic worm. Bank anglers should head to the high country lakes and rivers. Try using spinners such as Panther Martins and Rooster Tails with 4# test on an ultra light spinning rod.

Kokanee: Good. Most anglers are still catching limits of meaty fish.  Kokanee are very aggressive now, and are starting to lose their scales as they get ready to spawn.  Try using a bladed hootchie behind a sling blade or dodger.  Most of the fish are schooling in 40-60' of water.  Some anglers run two slingblades in tandem, or run a hootchie through and directly behind an Apex to increase the size of the presentation for these more aggressive pre-spawn fish.  Excel Spoons and Vance's Slim Fins trolled at a faster speed (2.0-2.5 mph) have also been catching the larger kokanee. Orange has been the hot color for a few weeks.  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 scents.

Bass: Fair.  The fish are a little harder to find, but they are still biting.  The water has been dropping at least two foot a week for the last four months. This means the fish are being pushed out of shallow water haunts each week. Try fishing vertical banks with a 1/8oz. darthead or a 1/4oz. jig. Most fish will strike on the initial fall, so lighter weighted baits will stay in the strike zone longer.  Natural crawdad and shad patterns are good choices. Also, the shad are starting to school and will head for shallow water this fall. There are wolf packs of fish busting shad in the morning. Try using a Pop R, Spook, or Gunfish when you find these areas of activity. Also, try using the Alabama Rig to create your own school of fish. This will trigger fish that aren't feeding.  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:  Good.  Melones cats tend to be fish-eaters rather than bottom foragers, so use live minnows, frozen shad, mackerel, or anchovies for best success.  Move/drag your bait slowly across the bottom to cover more water and target fish that are aggressively feeding. Larger cats will also feed on natural bait like crawlers, so to target large cats try using a big ball of crawlers- many anglers use a weightless set-up.  Generally cats will feed in shallow flats or areas with large chunk rock near deep water. 
  burns
Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest goes to Jose Reyes of Angels Camp. He caught a chunky 10-pound 6-ounce cat on a nightcrawler.

Crappie: Fair. Night fishing has been good for some anglers. They are using submersible lights in the backs of coves. The fish are in 15'-30' of water near standing timber and brush. Try using live minnows or mini jigs fished on a slip-float rig. Adjust the bobber stop to the depth you want to fish, let it sit for a few minutes and give the bobber a little shake. This action will attract fish and coax them into biting.