5-5-14 Fishing Report
Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding
895,855
acre-feet of water. The lake level dropped six feet this week and is
currently at 927 ft. above sea level and 158 ft. from full. The water
is slightly stained with some areas forming mud lines. The average water
temperature is 66-70 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 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 the 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. 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. The
fish will be in deep water throughout the day and move into shallower
water at night to feed. 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.
Dylan
Nulph caught a limit of chunky kokanee on a pink micro hoochie with a
pink sling blade. He reported catching them in the morning near the
49-bridge.
Kokanee:
Good. Many limits of kokanee were caught this last week. The fish are
starting to school up making them easier to find and catch. Some of
the kokanee seem to be a decent size for this time of the year, and they
have months left to grow. Glitter Bug and Rocky Mountain hoochies are
working well. Uncle Larry's UV Splatter Spinner is a great lure that
has been responsible for many limits this season. Also, small spoons
have been working such as Simon Baby Wobblers, and Vance's Sockeye
Slammers. Pink is always a great color for baits, with orange and green
producing fish as well. Gold, copper, and watermelon blades are
producing the majority of strikes. 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.
Glory Hole Sports employee Josh Hutton caught and released a nice spotted bass on a watermelon colored Senko.
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.
Shane Johnson of Tuolumne caught a 4-pound, 12-ounce largemouth and a 2-pound spotted bass.
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.
Dale Knight of Murphys caught three cats. The biggest one weighed 8-pounds, 2-ounces.
Catfish:
Very Good. The big cats are up in shallow water and feeding heavily.
The water temperature is getting warmer each day which has encouraged
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.
Glory
Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week goes to Floyd Crow of Tuolumne. He
landed a massive 18-pound catfish while still fishing from a boat near
Glory Hole Point.
Matthew and Sean caught a 13-pound, 13-ounce catfish near Tuttletown.
Crappie:
Fair. The crappie bite has been okay this year with a few anglers
catching a handful of chunky slabs. There is a bunch of exposed wood
and standing timber to fish. Try using a mini jig, or a beetle spin to
locate the schools of fish. Red and white is a great crappie color.
Chartreuse, yellow, and orange will also trigger strikes.
