Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,942,104 acre-feet of water. The lake level did not fluctuate much this week and is currently at 1047 ft. above sea level and 41 ft. from full. Levels will continue to drop, as room needs to be made to accommodate upcoming winter rains. Water temperature is really dropping now, and is currently 60-63 degrees. The lake will "turn over" when surface water cools to the same temp as the deeper water- around 53-54 degrees. This usually happens around Thanksgiving, and then the trout bite really turns on for bank-anglers and trollers alike. .
Trout: Pretty good. Most anglers who are willing to put in the time are catching limits of 1-2 pound holdovers. Bite is best in the morning. Trollers have been doing well fishing over the main river channel near Carson Creek and Coyote Creek. There have also been reports of limits being caught around Mormon Creek and Bear Creek. Troll 25-45 feet deep and vary your trolling speed. Try making figure-S patterns- this will often catch a hungry trout's attention. Trout are feeding heavily on schools of shad. Try a variety of shad-patterned lures such as Excel, Apex, Needlefish, or Rapala Countdown. Use Bang or ProCure threadfin shad scent on your lures. In low light conditions such as rainy or overcast days it is often better to use gold, copper, and painted lures. These colors will stand out in darker water. The next few months are generally great for targeting brown trout. So while you are trolling for rainbows it is a good idea to drag a large jointed Rapala or a Sebile Magic Swimmer behind the boat. You might not catch much with this rig but when you do it could be a fish of a lifetime.
"Take it to the Limit" guide Gary Burns and grandson Cole caught a nice limit using Needlefish and Excels.
Guide Joefish caught some big 2-3-pound beauties by trolling deep- as deep as 100 feet, with spoons and Tasmanian Devils. He says to troll 1.0-2.2 mph. He also caught some kokanee at that depth. We are expecting the shore-fishing to turn on soon. When it rains the freshwater will attract the fish. Running water anywhere from a trickle to a major creek will feed an area with not only food but oxygen as well. Try using night crawlers on a sliding sinker rig. Or walk the bank making repeated casts with a Krocodile or a Kastmaster.
Kokanee: Done for the season.
Bass: Fair.The spotted bass are gorging on shad and are shaped like fat little footballs. Fish main lake points, humps and islands. Drop-shotting is producing a good number of fish. Tie on a double drop-shot rig using two Roboworm Alive Shad or two Berkley Power Minnows, or a combination of both. We have had multiple reports of anglers catching these fat spotted bass on California Reservoir Lures Jigs also. It is time to start throwing swimbaits. With the trout moving to shallow water try throwing a Mother Lode Toad Thrasher or a Huddleston rainbow trout or holdover pattern. If you find a ball of shad on your graph, try dropping a vertical jigging spoon and ripping it through the bait. This will often create a feeding frenzy. There have been many reports of trout trollers catching nice bass way offshore on shad-patterned trolling spoons. If you want to fish from shore try using a wacky rig Senko. Cast out away from the bank and let it fall slowly. Remember to practice catch and release.
Catfish: Still seeing some big cats being caught.
Marie Smith and Joe Hallet of Sonora win the Glory Hole Sports Big Catfish of the Week Contest with a 6-pound, 12-ounce cat. They caught it using worms while bank fishing near Glory Hole Point. Catfish are in coves and in shallower water. A sliding sinker rig, and a ball of crawlers or a piece of anchovy or shad is your best bait. Leave your bail open so the cats can't feel the line if still-fishing. Successful catfish anglers move their bait often, even dragging it along the bottom and bouncing it into rocky nooks and crannies, rather than letting it sit still. Fishing for cats is usually best at night, but plenty of anglers catch them during the day as well.
Crappie and bluegill: Slow to fair.
Ellery Stevenson and friends caught a bunch of crappie using small jigs in the Angels Cove area. Try using minnows, red worms, and meal worms on a slip-float rig fished 15-25 feet deep will work. Generally 4-6 pound test line will get you more bites and fishing light tackle can be a fun way to catch them.
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