Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,538,679 acre-feet
of water. The lake level dropped two more feet this week and is
currently at 1007 ft. above sea level and 81 ft. from full. Water
temperature has cooled a bit a is in the mid to upper 70's. Lake is
stained, with mud lines forming around the shore on windy days, and days
with a lot of boat traffic. Good news, the lower ramp on Glory Hole
Point is open, which makes for an easy walk.
Trout: Great! We had yet another week of very impressive trout fishing, including a NEW LAKE RECORD rainbow trout!
Angler
John Gray was fishing on the "Take it to the Limit Guide Service" boat
with guide Gary Burns, when he hooked into this massive 8-pound 2-ounce
rainbow on a silver/blue Excel spoon while trolling the main lake. This
lunker wins The Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest.
Trolling
anglers are catching their limits in 70-90' of water in the main lake.
The shad are staging in deep, cooler water and getting ready for their
fall migration up the creek channels. The trout are hanging around the
baitfish. The shad are fairly large so keep this in mind when choosing
lures. Shad patterned Excels, Needlefish, Rattle Traps, and Mini Traps
have been the most productive lures. Also, a traditional flasher and
crawler rig is working great, too.
Matt
and Richie Vanoli of Sonora caught these limits of trout (most weighed
over 3-pounds) while trolling a rainbow trout Needlefish 60 feet deep in
the dam/spillway area.
12-year-old
Nichole Baird of San Andreas caught these big 'bows on a salmon egg and
crawler while night fishing near the marina.
Night
fishing under a submersible light is really good right now, and should
be for the next couple months. Most anglers that are targeting fish at
night are bringing in limits of fat 2-3 pound rainbows. Try fishing the
main lake by the dam or spillway. Anchor your boat in 50-100 ft of water
and drop the light down as far as it will go. Power Bait, Gulp Eggs,
and nightcrawlers are all a good choice. Also, try drop-shotting a shad
patterned plastic grub, or plastic worm. Bank anglers should head to
the high country lakes and rivers. Try using spinners such as Panther
Martins and Rooster Tails with 4# test on an ultra light spinning rod.
Kokanee:
Good. Most anglers are still catching limits of meaty fish. Kokanee
are very aggressive now, and are starting to lose their scales as they
get ready to spawn. Try using a bladed hootchie behind a sling blade or
dodger. Most of the fish are schooling in 40-60' of water. Some
anglers run two slingblades in tandem, or run a hootchie through and
directly behind an Apex to increase the size of the presentation for
these more aggressive pre-spawn fish. Excel Spoons and Vance's Slim
Fins trolled at a faster speed (2.0-2.5 mph) have also been catching the
larger kokanee. Orange has been the hot color for a few weeks. Be sure
to add plenty of Pro Cure Scent to your dodger and your bait. Garlic,
carp spit, and kokanee special have all been producing. Don't forget to
bring corn soaked in these same scents.
Bass:
Fair. The fish are a little harder to find, but they are still
biting. The water has been dropping at least two foot a week for the
last four months. This means the fish are being pushed out of shallow
water haunts each week. Try fishing vertical banks with a 1/8oz.
darthead or a 1/4oz. jig. Most fish will strike on the initial fall, so
lighter weighted baits will stay in the strike zone longer. Natural
crawdad and shad patterns are good choices. Also, the shad are starting
to school and will head for shallow water this fall. There are wolf
packs of fish busting shad in the morning. Try using a Pop R, Spook, or
Gunfish when you find these areas of activity. Also, try using the
Alabama Rig to create your own school of fish. This will trigger fish
that aren't feeding. Remember to practice catch and release! If you do
keep a bass, please keep the spotted bass and release the big female
(largemouth) black bass. Glory Hole Sports can teach you the
difference, so you can practice good conservation of the species.
Catfish:
Good. Melones cats tend to be fish-eaters rather than bottom
foragers, so use live minnows, frozen shad, mackerel, or anchovies for
best success. Move/drag your bait slowly across the bottom to cover
more water and target fish that are aggressively feeding. Larger cats
will also feed on natural bait like crawlers, so to target large cats
try using a big ball of crawlers- many anglers use a weightless set-up.
Generally cats will feed in shallow flats or areas with large chunk
rock near deep water.
Glory
Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest goes to Jose Reyes of Angels
Camp. He caught a chunky 10-pound 6-ounce cat on a nightcrawler.
Crappie:
Fair. Night fishing has been good for some anglers. They are using
submersible lights in the backs of coves. The fish are in 15'-30' of
water near standing timber and brush. Try using live minnows or mini
jigs fished on a slip-float rig. Adjust the bobber stop to the depth you
want to fish, let it sit for a few minutes and give the bobber a little
shake. This action will attract fish and coax them into biting.
