4-29-14 Fishing Report
Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding
935,865
acre-feet of water. The lake level dropped seven feet this week and is
currently at 933 ft. above sea level and 152 ft. from full. The water
is slightly stained with some areas forming mud lines. The average water
temperature is 64-68 degrees and rising daily. The boat launch ramps
on the Glory Hole side have been moved back out to the end of the point
which makes for a very short walk.
Trout:
Slow. The trout bite at the lake has been fairly tough. The fish are
at many different depths and scattered about, making them difficult to
target. In the next couple months they will definitely be favoring the
cooler water near river channel in the main lake. Trolling anglers
try fishing various depths from 10-60'. Excel, Needlefish, and Speedy
Shiner spoons are all good choices for trolling. The brown trout will
often hang around schools of small kokanee. It is a good idea to have
one rod setup to catch the larger browns while trolling for rainbows and
kokanee. Try rolling shad or trolling large jointed plugs to coax them
into biting.
Glory
Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest goes to 7-year old Ayden Lucas
of Modesto. He landed a chunky 1-pound, 13-ounce rainbow while
trolling a purple Apex in 50' of water near the dam.
Bank fishing
for trout has been very slow. Trout season is open for rivers, and
streams, it might be best to try your luck in these areas. If you do
choose to target trout from the bank try using chartreuse or rainbow
garlic Power Bait. Night anglers have been having some
success fishing under submersible lights. Nightcrawlers and Power Bait
will work well and also live minnows are hard to beat. Try using a
slip-float and a bobber stop to set your presentation at exact depths. 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:
Fair. The fish are starting to school up making them easier to find
and catch. We have had reports of multiple limits being caught. Some
of the kokanee seem to be a decent size for this time of the year, and
they have months left to grow. Pink is always a great color for dodgers
and baits, with orange and green producing fish as well. It is a good
idea to troll various sizes, colors, baits and blade combinations. The
fish will favor certain rigs, and it can be a process of elimination to
find what appeals to them throughout the day. Be sure to tip your baits
with dyed and scented corn or Gulp Maggots. Also, apply scent to you
blades and lures, and continue to reapply multiple times on each outing.
Garlic, carp spit, kokanne special, and bloody tuna are all good
flavors to use.
Bass: Good.
The lake level continues to drop quite a bit each day. The fish are
still biting, and can be caught at many different depths. Try fishing
shallow in the mornings and evenings and moving out into deeper water
throughout the day. A variety of soft plastics are working well such as
Senkos, Brush Hogs, and lizards. Try fishing them on a Carolina Rig in
deeper water. There has also been a pretty decent reaction bite. The
fish are active and willing to chase crank baits and jerk baits. Try
using natural colored baits in clear water and bright colored baits in
stained water. Also, there is always a handful of fish that are eager to
bite a jig. Try using colors that resemble crawdads, baby bass, and
bluegill. A ½ oz or ¾ oz football jig can be fished in shallow or deep
water and used to locate fish. Please practice catch and
release during the spring months. The fish are full of eggs in
preparation for the spawn. Take photos and carefully release the fish
back into to the lake to maintain a healthy fish population for
generations to come.
Catfish:
Fair. The big cats should be up in shallow water and feeding. The
water temperature is getting warmer each day which will encourage the
cats to move shallow. Try using frozen shad or a ball of crawlers to
target these fish. Catfish are drawn to bait by scent so it is a good
idea to add additional scent to your bait.
Crappie:
Fair. The crappie bite is getting better each week and we are hearing
of more being caught each day. We expect a fairly good bite this spring
due to the lower water levels and the amount of standing timber. Try
fishing with mini jigs and grubs under a slip-float. Also, a great way
to catch them is with live minnows. The crappie that are being caught
are chunky 1-2 pound slabs. Try using a submersible light at night to
attract baitfish and draw schools of crappie from a distance