Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,947,331 acre-feet of water. The lake level has been steady for the last two weeks, and is currently at 1047 ft. above sea level and 41 ft. from full. Water temperature is really dropping now, and is currently 60-62 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: Good and getting better! The Department of Fish and Game is planting Melones every week now, plus we are seeing some beautiful 2-to-3-pound holdovers. Bank fishing is really picking up. Bite is best in the morning. Trollers have been doing well fishing over the main river channel from upriver under the bridges into the main lake (the spillway/dam area) from 20-50 feet deep with any small shad-imitation lure such as Needlefish, Excel, Sockeye Slammers, Humdingers, and Rapala Countdowns. In low light conditions such as rainy or overcast days, tie on a gold, copper, or painted lure. These colors will stand out in darker water. Trout are feeding heavily on schools of small shad. Danny Layne of Fish'n' Dan's Guide Service notes that the shad schools are moving into shallower water and most trout that he is catching are in water no more than 80' deep. Be sure to vary your trolling speed or try making figure-S patterns- this will often catch a hungry trout's attention. Use Bang or ProCure threadfin shad scent on your lures. Trollers who caught fish this week include Joe Fernandez and Steve Goodrich (with Danny Layne), Kyle Wyse, Bryan Montgomery, Don Myshrall, and Marshall and Kathleen Dennis. Bank anglers have been bringing in some big holdover trout while fishing in the shallow waters in the backs of Angels and Glory Hole Cove, while throwing spoons such as Kastmasters or Excel with threadfin shad scent, or on Power Bait or Pautske's Eggs fished on a sliding sinker rig and a 24" leader.
Ray Gibbs of Acampo landed 4 trout, including the Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week- a 4-pound, 12-ounce brown trout, caught on a rainbow-trout patterned Kastmaster in Glory Hole Cove. Other successful bank anglers this week include Aaron and Sophia Davies, William Lease, Daniel and Matthew Zalk, and Jason and Miles May.
William Lease with a limit of rainbows. He has been consistently catching limits like this one from the bank out of the back of Angels Cove.
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. With weekly trout plants and trout moving into shallows, it is time to start throwing swimbaits. 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.
10-year-old Greg Deener (fishing with Carter and Colby) wins the Glory Hole Sports Big Catfish of the Week Contest with a 7-pound, 1-ounce cat, caught on Power Bait while bank-fishing near Tuttletown. 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. 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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