New Melones Fishing Report from Glory Hole Sports

11-10-14 Fishing Report

Water Conditions:  New Melones Lake is currently holding

503,798 acre-feet of water.  The lake level dropped just over a foot this week and is currently at 858 ft. above sea level and 218 ft. from full.  The water clarity is stained in some areas, and clear in others. The water temperature continues to cool with the average being 65-69 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: Okay.  Cooler nights have moved the trout into shallow water and some trolling anglers are starting to bring limits of fish to the boat.  It would not be a bad idea to use leadcore line or try top-lining. The large rainbows will feed heavily on shad.  There is an abundance of smaller one to two inch shad that the fish are spitting up.  Trolling anglers try top-lining a Rapala JSR plug.  Let out plenty of line to ensure your lure is clear of the boat wake.  Spoons are working well too.  Needlefish and Excel spoons in shad patterns are always a good choice for fall fishing.  The erratic wobble of a spoon will look like a wounded or fleeing shad and will trigger strikes from nearby fish.  Bank fishing anglers are starting to catch a few fish but it has been pretty slow.  It would not be a bad idea to fan cast a ¼ oz Kastmaster for roaming fish.  Also, try floating a ball of rainbow or chartreuse Power Bait with a long leader off of the bottom.  

 

 

Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week goes to Bob James of Murphys.  He caught a couple limits this week and his biggest fish weighed in at 2-pounds, 2-ounces.  

New Melones Fishing Report from Glory Hole Sports

11-3-14 Fishing Report

Water Conditions:  New Melones Lake is currently holding

516,856 acre-feet of water.  The lake level dropped close to a foot this week and is currently at 860 ft. above sea level and 216 ft. from full.  The water clarity is stained in some areas, and clear in others. The water temperature continues to cool with the average being 66-70 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: Fair.  Cooler nights have moved the trout into shallow water and some trolling anglers are starting to catch them.  It would not be a bad idea to use leadcore line or try top-lining. The large rainbows will feed heavily on shad.  There is an abundance of smaller one to two inch shad that the fish are spitting up.  Trolling anglers try using small spoons trolled in tandem.  Excel Spoons and Needlefish in shad patterns will work in clear water and brighter colors will work well if there is a little stain.  It is a good time to use ball trolls to resemble a school of shad.  Umbrella rigs work great attached to the downrigger ball.  To target the large browns try rolling shad or using a large billed plug.    Bank fishing anglers are starting to catch a few fish but it has been pretty slow.  Try floating a ball of rainbow or chartreuse Power Bait with a long leader off of the bottom.  Fly fishing anglers the bite has been pretty good fishing local streams and rivers.  The season is near ending in most rivers and streams.  Try using dry fly patterns in the mornings and evenings and fishing nymphs and buggers mid day.  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. The fish have entered spawn mode and will soon start dying off. We have not seen or heard of any in shallow water.

Bass:  Good.  The fishing has been a little hit and miss, but once you locate the bait fish you will be able to catch a bunch of bass nearby that are feeding on them.  Spooning and drop-shotting are two great methods that can be used to catch fish that are keying on balls of shad.  Mack's Sonic Baitfish, Kastmasters and Duh Spoons are good choices when selecting spoons.  Smaller spoons have been working best.  Roboworms and Berkley Minnows have been producing fish on a drop shot rig.  The shad are moving from deep water toward shallow cuts and pockets, the bass are hunting them in wolf packs.  There are a lot of fish that are suspended in 35-55' of water.  There has been a pretty good reaction bite with a handful of fish biting crank baits, jerk baits and small swimbaits.  The jig bite continues to be productive.  Try dragging crawdad patterns with a matching twin tail grub or swimming a shad patterned jig with a single tail grub or small swim bait. Try fishing cuts, bluffs and points near major creek channels and the main river channel. 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.

 

Harold Odahlen caught a 2.76-pound catfish on frozen shad off of Glory Hole Point.

New Melones Fishing Report from Glory Hole Sports

10-28-14 Fishing Report

Water Conditions:  New Melones Lake is currently holding

516,856 acre-feet of water.  The lake level dropped close to a foot this week and is currently at 861 ft. above sea level and 215 ft. from full.  The water is starting to clear up due to stable and rising water. The water temperature continues to cool with the average being 68-72 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.  The nights are cooling off and the surface temperature continues to drop, which will encourage the trout to move toward the surface.  It would not be a bad idea to use leadcore line or try top-lining. The large rainbows will feed heavily on shad.  There is an abundance of smaller one to two inch shad that the fish are spitting up.  Trolling anglers try using small spoons trolled in tandem.  It is a good time to use ball trolls to resemble a school of shad.  Umbrella rigs work great attached to the downrigger ball.  To target the large browns try rolling shad or using a large billed plug.  The water is clearing up a little each day.  Natural patterned baits work best in clear water and light line will get bit more than heavy line.  Bank fishing anglers are starting to catch a few fish but it has been pretty slow.  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 dry fly patterns in the mornings and evenings and fishing nymphs and buggers mid day.  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. The fish have entered spawn mode and will soon start dying off. We have not seen or heard of any in shallow water.

Bass: Good.  The lake level has been fairly stable for a couple weeks, which has made the bass more predictable and a bit more comfortable. The bass are closer to a fall pattern and feeding heavily on shad.  The shad are moving from deep water toward shallow cuts and pockets, the bass are hunting them in wolf packs.  There are a lot of fish that are suspended in 35-55' of water.  Try using a spoon to vertically jig through the middle of these schools.  Mack's Sonic Baitfish is a great spoon that can be rigged multiple ways to give the fish a different presentation.  Also, it is a good idea to have a drop shot rig set up for when they quit eating the spoon. There has been a pretty good reaction bite with a handful of fish biting crank baits, jerk baits and small swimbaits.  The jig bite continues to be productive.  Try dragging crawdad patterns with a matching twin tail grub or swimming a shad patterned jig with a single tail grub or small swim bait. Try fishing bluffs and points near major creek channels and the main river channel. 

 

Xperience Fishing Guide John Liechty caught a nice 6-pound largemouth while fishing a rock wall near the main river.

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.

New Melones Fishing Report 10-20-14 by Glory Hole Sports

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New Melones Fishing Report from Glory Hole Sports

10-13-14 Fishing Report

Water Conditions:  New Melones Lake is currently holding

517,907 acre-feet of water.  The lake level dropped just inches this week and is currently at 861 ft. above sea level and 215 ft. from full.  The water is stained in most of the lake and starting to clear in a few areas. The average water temperature is 74-78 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.

 

4-year old Jacob Walker caught a big catfish while fishing near the 49-bridge.  He was using a nightcrawler for bait when this 9-pound, 6-ounce cat bit.

New Melones Fishing Report from Glory Hole Sports

10-7-14 Fishing Report

Water Conditions:  New Melones Lake is currently holding

519,436 acre-feet of water.  The lake level dropped just inches this week and is currently at 862 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 74-78 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.

 

Floyd Crow of Columbia caught a hefty 12-pound, 11-ounce catfish while fishing with mackrel and anchovies at night.

New Melones Fishing Report from Glory Hole Sports

9-29-14 Fishing Report

Water Conditions:  New Melones Lake is currently holding

520,010 acre-feet of water.  The lake level dropped just over one foot this week and is currently at 862 ft. above sea level and 216 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 74-78 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.

New Melones Fishing Report from Glory Hole Sports

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. 

 

New Melones Fishing Report from Glory Hole Sports

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New Melones Fishing Report by Glory Hole Sports

9-9-14 Fishing Report

Water Conditions:  New Melones Lake is currently holding

540,940 acre-feet of water.  The lake level dropped three feet this week and is currently at 866 ft. above sea level and 212 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 and days with a lot of boating traffic. The average water temperature is 76-82 degrees.  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.

New Melones Fishing Report from Glory Hole Sports

9-2-14 Fishing Report

Water Conditions:  New Melones Lake is currently holding

553,486 acre-feet of water.  The lake level dropped two feet this week and is currently at 869 ft. above sea level and 209 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 and days with a lot of boating traffic. The average water temperature is 76-82 degrees.  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: Fair.  The trout fishing is getting a little better each week.  Late summer/early fall is a great time to troll deep water and catch some hefty trout.

  

 

The lake record rainbow trout was caught at this time of the year, fishing a deep water pattern.  John Gray landed a massive 8-pound, 2-ounce rainbow while fishing with Take it to the Limit Guide Service. 

New Melones Fishing Report from Glory Hole Sports

8-25-14 Fishing Report

Water Conditions:  New Melones Lake is currently holding

566,408 acre-feet of water.  The lake level dropped three feet this week and is currently at 871 ft. above sea level and 207 ft. from full.  The lake is 85' lower than it was at this time last year.  The main body is well over 200-260' deep, under the 49-Bridge is aprox.160-180' deep and under Parrot's Ferry Bridge there is 70-90' of water.  The water is stained in most of the lake. There are mud lines forming near the shore throughout the day, especially on windy days and days with a lot of boating traffic. The average water temperature is 76-82 degrees.  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: Fair.  There have been a few reports of trout being caught in the main lake by the Dam, spillway, and near the 49 bridge.  The trout are hanging around the old river channel in deeper/cooler water.  The shad are starting to school up near the mouths of major creek channels.  The intersection where a major creek channels meets the old river channel is great area to target the trout.  Night fishing anglers are still catching a few limits of chunky 2-pound plus rainbows while fishing under a submersible light.  Try using night crawlers and Power Bait to target these quality fish.  Trolling anglers try using shad patterned baits that have a large profile.  Shad Raps, Rattle Traps, Speed Traps, and Apexs are a few good choices.  Trolling in dingy/stained water it is a good time to use a large string of flashers.  Ford Fenders, Cow Bells, Lake Trolls, and Ball Trolls will create a lot of commotion and draw fish from a distance.  

 

Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest goes to Larry Leatham of Sonora.  He caught a nice 1-pound, 13-ounce rainbow trout while trolling Rapalas and spoons on the main lake.  

Bear spotted swimming in New Melones- story courtesy Glory Hole Sports

On Tuesday August 12, 2014 Glory Hole Sports employee Sherryl Van Sanden and Dave Roberts were on the water trying their luck for some early morning bass fishing.  On the way from one spot to another they noticed a foreign object moving across the water.  

Not knowing what it was they boated near to find out...... it was a bear.  They were above the 49-bridge and the bear was swimming from the Calaveras to the Tuolumne side of the lake. The bear was moving and the boat was moving so the pictures are a little blurry.  Plus, I bet all three of them were a little excited.

New Melones Fishing Report from Glory Hole Sports

7-19-14 Fishing Report

Water Conditions:  New Melones Lake is currently holding

580,434 acre-feet of water.  The lake level dropped four feet this week and is currently at 874 ft. above sea level and 207 ft. from full.  The lake is 84' lower than it was at this time last year.  The main body is well over 200-260' deep, under the 49-Bridge is aprox.160-180' deep and under Parrot's Ferry Bridge there is 70-90' of water.  The water is stained in most of the lake. There are mud lines forming near the shore throughout the day, especially on windy days and days with a lot of boating traffic. The average water temperature is 76-82 degrees.  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.

 

8-year old Justin Bain and his dad Ryan caught a nice rainbow while trolling for kokanee.

New Melones Fising Report from Glory Hole Sports

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New Melones Fishing Report from Glory Hole Sports

8-4-14 Fishing Report

Water Conditions:  New Melones Lake is currently holding

617,717 acre-feet of water.  The lake level dropped four feet this week and is currently at 881 ft. above sea level and 204 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 and days with a lot of boating traffic. The average water temperature is 76-82 degrees.  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: Fair.  Night fishing anglers have been catching some nice rainbows while fishing under a submersible light.  The spillway and the dam are good areas to target trout.  Also try anchoring near the mouths of major creek channels.  These intersections between the main lake and creeks are good places to find bait and trout feeding on shad.  Try dropping nightcrawlers, Power Bait or live minnows below the light.  If there is no sign of bait within a couple hours, pull anchor and relocate.  You might have to try fishing a few areas to find a school of feeding fish. Trolling anglers have been catching a few fish trolling from 40-60' over deep water.  Shad patterned spoons work well.  Try trolling Speedy Shiners from 2-3 mph.  Another setup that works well is a flasher/crawler combo.  Thread a crawler onto a straight shank hook and troll it behind a string of flashers.  

 

Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week goes to Dave Hylton and Brian Basacker.  They hauled in another two limits while night fishing under a submersible light.  

New Melones Fishing report from Glory Hole Sports

7-28-14 Fishing Report

Water Conditions:  New Melones Lake is currently holding

636,575 acre-feet of water.  The lake level dropped three feet this week and is currently at 885 ft. above sea level and 200 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 and days with a lot of boating traffic. The average water temperature is 76-82 degrees.

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:  Fair.  Night fishing anglers have been doing well.  They 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. Trolling anglers are starting to catch a few more on each outing. The trout 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.  

 

Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week goes to Brian Basacker of Sonora.  He caught a nice limit while night fishing at the spillway.  His largest fish weighed 1-pound, 13-ounces.  

New Melones Fishing Report from Glory Hole Sports

7-21-14 Fishing Report

Water Conditions:  New Melones Lake is currently holding

656,228 acre-feet of water.  The lake level dropped four feet this week and is currently at 888 ft. above sea level and 197 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 78-84 degrees.  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:  Fair.  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. Trolling anglers are starting to catch a few more on each outing. The trout 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.  

 

Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week goes to father and son Jim and Allen Munroe of Pine Grove. They caught two kokanee and four rainbows.  Their biggest was a beautiful 2-pound, 5-ounce rainbow. 

New Melones Fishing Report from Glory Hole Sports

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.  

World Record Spotted Bass at New Melones

WORLD RECORD SPOTTED BASS

New Melones Reservoir is the home of The World Record spotted bass.  It is official Keith Bryan 10.48-pound spotted bass caught on February 22, 2014 is the New World Record.

Congratulations Keith Bryan!