7-14-14 Fishing Report
Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding
675,579
acre-feet of water. The lake level dropped three feet this week and is
currently at 892 ft. above sea level and 193 ft. from full. The water
is stained in most areas of the lake, and fairly clear in others. There
are mud lines forming near the shore throughout the day, especially on
windy days. The average water temperature is 74-80 degrees and rising
daily. Tuttletown launch is closed. Glory Hole Point boat
launch is open, and there are no plans to close it. There will be some
transition periods between launches where launching will be limited to
one or two lanes.
Trout:
Slow. The trout are roaming the main lake near deeper/cooler water
looking for balls of shad. Anglers should try fishing close to the
surface in the early morning and evening and dropping to 40-60' during
the day. Night fishing anglers are catching limits of fat healthy trout
under a submersible light. Try anchoring the boat in 25-50' of water,
and dropping the light 15-25' feet down. Be patient, it may take
awhile for the light to attract plankton, baitfish, and trout. To catch
them, try using live minnows, mini jigs, Power Bait, and crawlers.
Glory
Hole Sport Big Fish of the Week goes to David Hylton and Brian
Basacker. They caught a handful of chunky rainbows while fishing under a
submersible light near the spillway. The biggest weighed 2-pounds,
2-ounces.
Trolling anglers
should target trout in the main lake, near deep water. The trout are
feed on 2-4" shad. Try using baits that match the size, profile and
color of the baitfish. Rapala Shad Raps, Scatter Raps, Rattle traps,
and Jointed Shad Raps are a very close match to the natural forage.
Another way to get a few more bites is to add scent to your lures. Pro
Cure gel in shad scent, or threadfin shad scent will do the trick.
Don't forget to bring some crawlers. A single crawler threaded on the
hook fished behind a single gold or silver blade is a great way to pick
up a few fish. Bank anglers should try using a bubble
and a fly rig in the mornings and evenings. Or soak some night crawlers
and Power Bait midday. Also, try fishing some other local lakes and
streams. 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 bite was a bit tough this last week. Anglers have reported
catching fish on and off throughout the day. Once you locate a school of
fish it is a good idea to stay in the area to catch your limit. The
average size is a chunky 11-13" with a few fish measuring 14-16". The
fish are schooling in deep water off of Glory Hole Point and near the
dam, spillway and Rose Island. A variety of colors are producing
limits. Darker colors do work best in deeper water. Try using baits
that have a large profile such as Rocky Mountain Super Squids, or Apex.
Larger blades will disperse more water which will help attract fish
when there is little visibility. It is also a good idea to modify your
dodgers by adding a little bend to them. This modification will give
the blade and bait more side-to-side swing. Add a Scent Chamber/chain
swivel to ensure your setup will have plenty of scent. Garlic, bloody
tuna, anise, and kokanee special will work. Don't forget to tip your
presentations with dyed and scented shoepeg corn.
Bass: Fair.
It's Official the New World Record spotted bass 10.48-pounds caught by
Keith Bryan on February 22, 2014. The bass are in a summer pattern where
they will move shallow at night and in the morning for a short period
of time to feed. Then they will head back to cool water for the hot
hours of the day. There is a short window off opportunity to catch some
topwater fish but this style of fishing will produce some of the larger
fish. Once the sun comes up it is best to switch to slower moving
sub-surface baits. Try dragging a Carolina Rig near deep water or,
shaking a Texas Rig near some wood. The shad have been schooled up and
in deep water. If you can locate the shad there should be some bass
nearby. Please practice catch and release. Take photos and
carefully release the fish back into to the lake to maintain a healthy
fish population for generations to come.
Emily and Cheyenne Williams caught a nice 3-pound, 14-ounce catfish under the 49-bridge.
Catfish:
Good. Some big cats are showing up in shallow water. Melones catfish
tend to be fish-eaters rather than bottom foragers, so use live minnows,
frozen shad, mackerel, or anchovies for best success. Also while bait
fishing, it is a good idea to drag your bait across the bottom every few
minutes to attract nearby fish. Use a sliding sinker with a bead to
create a ticking noise as your bait is moving. In dark water and murky
water it is a good idea to add extra scent to your bait. Catfish hunt
by sound/vibration and smell. Try using a couple rods to offer the fish
a variety of baits. Also, large baits and large portions of bait will
temp the monster catfish.
Glory
Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week goes to 14-year old Hayden Carr of
Tuolumne. He hauled in two lunker cats, the biggest weighing 12-pounds.
