9-22-14 Fishing Report
Water Conditions:
New Melones Lake is currently holding 524,089 acre-feet of water. The
lake level dropped just over one foot this week and is currently at 863
ft. above sea level and 215 ft. from full. The water is stained in most
of the lake. There are mud lines forming near the shore throughout the
day, especially on windy days. The average water temperature is 76-82
degrees.
Tuttletown
launch is closed. Glory Hole Point boat launch is the road leading off
the end of the point. It is a dirt launch without courtesy docks and
4wd is recommended.
Trout:
Slow. It is hard to establish a report with such few anglers on the
lake. Late summer/early fall in years past has been a good time to troll
deep water and catch some hefty trout. Trolling anglers
it is time to start trolling shad patterned plugs or rolling shad. The
trout feed on the shad that are schooling in the main lake. Rattle
Traps, Speed Traps and Shad Raps work well when targeting large rainbows
and browns. These baits are the same size and shape of the bait fish
and the rattles will draw fish from a distance, especially in stained
water. Be sure to add plenty of shad flavored scent to your
presentation. Night fishing has slowed down but could get good with some cooler evenings on the way. Bank fishing has been very slow and usually is during the summer months. Best bet for shore anglers is to head to the high country lakes.
Fly fishing anglers
the bite has been pretty good fishing local streams and rivers. Try
using a Parachute Adams, Elk Hair Caddis, or a Light Cahill for rising
fish. Also try using a hopper/dropper setup with a Stimulator and a
Copper John. 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:
Almost Done. The season is winding down and very few anglers a
targeting the kokanee. The fish are heading upstream for their annual
spawn and die. Some fish will migrate later than others. To target
these fish try trolling in 70-90' of water. Darker colors will work
best and larger baits and blades will get more strikes. Be sure to add
scent to your presentations.
Bass:
Tough. The bass are in a late summer/early fall pattern and can be
difficult to find. The shad are starting to school up in the deep water
and the bass are hunting them in wolf packs. Trout anglers that are
trolling over deep water with shad patterned spoons are catching chunky
2-pound spotted bass. It can be tricky to try and catch these roaming
fish with a traditional chunk and wind method. Crank baits and jerk
baits are both a good choice to use when targeting fish that are pulled
of the bank. Another way to catch suspended fish is with a small shad
patterned swimbait. Make long cast and count your bait down to the depth
the fish are holding. Shad pattern worms fished on a drop shot or on a
shakey head will work too. Fish that are keying on crawdads can be
caught on jigs, brush hogs and beavers. CRL Jigs has a great selection
of colors that work extremely well on New Melones and other Mother Lode
lakes. 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.
Catfish:
Good. With the water being low there are areas of lake that can be
accessed from the shore that have been underwater for years. The Angels
Creek channel on the main lake is a short walk from Glory Hole Point.
This is a good time of the year to fish for catfish. The lake is
really nice in the evenings and through the night and this is when the
big cats come to the shoreline and search for food. Try using shad,
anchovies and nightcrawlers for bait. It is a good idea to use an ample
amount of scent to help the fish locate your bait.
Crappie:
Very Slow. It's been a tough year and we have seen very few crappie.
They have been hard to find. Your best bet would be to target them at
night with a submersible light. Try using a mini jig with a live minnow
on the back.
We
are offering a FREE 1/4oz Kastmaster to anyone who brings their rainbow
trout catches by the store to be weighed and photographed. One per
customer per week