2-11-14 Fishing Report
Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding
1,050,697
acre-feet of water. The lake level rose a bit this week and is
currently at 949 ft. above sea level and 137 ft. from full. The water
is very clear in some areas and slightly stained in others, with a
little bit of debris on the surface. The average water temperature is
52-55 degrees with some areas reaching 57-58 degrees on warm sunny
days. The lake has turned over. The boat launch ramps at Tuttletown
and Glory Hole Point are both open.
Glory
Hole Sports employee Josh Hutton took his daughters Rowan and Hayden
out for a day of fishing. They hauled in three rainbows, that big
smiles on their faces.
Trout:
Good. The trout bite has been really good this winter and should
continue to be for another couple months. With recent rain and cloud
cover the fish can be found cruising near the shoreline in search of
food. The creek channels and feeder creeks have some water flowing
creating a food source and adding oxygen to the area. The Department of
Fish and Game has had multiple plants of rainbow trout so far and has
more scheduled.
Lance
Seagraves caught a few nice trout while fishing near Bear Creek. He
used nightcrawlers and marshmallows to catch these rainy day rainbows.
Bank anglers
are catching fish off of Glory Hole Point and near the Tuttletown boat
launch. Try fishing wind protected pockets, drainages and coves just
off of the main lake. Power Bait and Gulp Eggs fished off of the bottom
will work well. Following a storm many fish will look for
nightcrawlers and other insects that might have been washed into the
lake. Try using a worm threader and worm blower to thread and float a
crawler off of the bottom. For anglers who prefer using artificial
presentations, try fan casting Kastmasters and Krocodiles. Remember to
use gold, copper, and bright painted spoons, blades, and flashers during
overcast weather.
Bob James of Murphys caught a limit of chunky rainbow while fishing ain a main lake cove with garlic Power Bait.
Trolling anglers
should try fishing from 15' to the surface. The Rapala Scatter Rap is a
great lure for top-lining. It can be fished fairly fast and be used to
search for fish and cover water. Also, a teardrop dodger with a
threaded crawler has been and is always a good fish catching
presentation. Be sure to let out plenty of line 150-200". Scents work
really well in the winter months. Try adding garlic, shad, or
nightcrawler scent to your baits.
Glory
Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week goes to John Redpath of Angels Camp.
He spent a day fishing with Guide Gary Burns on the Take it to the Limit
Guide Service boat. They reported catching a number of fish. Including
a beautiful 3-pound rainbow trout caught while floating Power Bait from
shore at the south end of the lake.
We do
encourage catch and release for the brown trout as The Department of
Fish and Game will no longer be planting them. Carefully measure, weigh
and photograph trophy fish and send us pictures and information.
Kokanee:
Done for the season and done spawning upriver. The fish generally
start biting again in the spring mid-April into May. We have had
reports of some 10-13" fish here and there but not enough to
consistently target them.
Bass: Fair.
The bass bite has been hit and miss. When you find the fish you can
catch a bunch of fat 2-4 pound spotted bass. The hard part is spotted
bass tend to roam, they will be there one day and gone the next. The
key use your electronics to locate fish and bait. Once the fish have
been located try using a drop shot rig fished vertically over the top of
them. Small shad patterned baits and light fluorocarbon line is the
best way to get them to bite. Another way to search for fish is by
slowing down a bit and using baits that crawl across the bottom. A
Carolina Rigged Brush Hog or Senko will work well as a slow dragging
presentation. Or a ¼ oz darthead tube or grub fished on the fall and
twitched back to the boat will work. There has been a decent jig bite
and should get better with fish moving up for pre-spawn. ½- ¾ oz.
football jigs are good sizes that are easy to fish at various depths.
Try using a crawdad colored twin tail grub, Brush Hog, or Beaver as a
trailer. California Reservoir Lures makes very durable jigs that are
designed specifically for our Motherlode lakes. Also, use plenty of
scent and reapply multiple times throughout the day to help the fish
locate your bait. With the Department of Fish and Game planting
rainbows now is a good time to target giant fish with trout patterned
swim baits.
Glory
Hole Sports employee John Liechty caught and released a hefty 6-pound,
3-ounce largemouth. He caught this fish on a 3/4-ounce C.R.L. Football
Jig with a twin tail trailer.
If
you do keep a bass, please keep the small 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:
Slow. The catfish will be moving to deep water near rock piles and
ledges. Most anglers don't target catfish at this time of the year.
But, the ones that do will hook into some lunkers. Melones cats tend to
be fish eaters. Frozen shad, anchovies, sardines, and mackerel work
well for bait. The water temperature is warming faster than most years
due to lack of rain and extremely warm weather. In past years some
giant cats have been caught in shallow water during and a few days after
a winter rain.
