5-12-14 Fishing Report
Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding
860,083
acre-feet of water. The lake level dropped five feet this week and is
currently at 922 ft. above sea level and 163 ft. from full. The water
is slightly stained with some areas forming mud lines. The average water
temperature is 68-72 degrees and rising daily. The boat launch ramps
on the Glory Hole side have been moved back out to the end of the point
which makes for a short walk.
Kyloe and her friend caught some trout and some kokanee on pink spinners.
Trout:
Fair. A few trout are being caught by anglers who are targeting
kokanee. The fish are at many different depths and scattered about. In
the next couple months they will definitely be favoring the cooler
water near the river channel in the main lake. Trolling anglers
try fishing various depths from 10-60'. Excel, Needlefish, and Speedy
Shiner spoons are all good choices for trolling. The brown trout will
often hang around schools of small kokanee. It is a good idea to have
one rod setup to catch the larger browns while trolling for rainbows and
kokanee. Try rolling shad or trolling large jointed plugs to coax them
into biting.
Ken
Vignati of Santa Rosa caught a 2-pound, 5-ounce rainbow on a Simon Baby
Wobbler while fishing with Gary Burns from Take it to the Limit Guide
Service.
The
Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest goes to Dick Stockton of
Valley Springs. He caught a really nice 4-pound, 2-ounce rainbow on a
pink micro hoochie.
Bank fishing
for trout has been very slow. Trout season is open for rivers, and
streams, it might be best to try your luck in these areas. If you do
choose to target trout from the bank try using chartreuse or rainbow
garlic Power Bait. Night anglers have been having some
success fishing under submersible lights. The fish will be in deep
water throughout the day and move into shallower water at night to feed.
Nightcrawlers and Power Bait will work well and also live minnows are
hard to beat. Try using a slip-float and a bobber stop to set your
presentation at exact depths.
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.
Jacob,
Elaine, Alex and Jesse caught a bunch of nice kokanee off of Glory Hole
Point. The caught them on pink Wedding Rings with carp spit scented
corn.
Kokanee:
Good. The kokanee bite continues to get better each week. The weather
is gradually getting warmer, which usually makes the fishing really
good. The main lake has been holding schools of kokanee. Rose Island,
the dam and the spillway have all been producing limits. There are also
fish being caught near the 49-bridge and Coyote Creek. Most of the
fish are staring to look rather healthy measuring from 10-13". They
have been biting an assortment of lures including Uncle Larry's
Spinners, Glitter Bug's Micro Hoochies and Simon Wobblers. As far as
color selection goes, pink, orange and watermelon are all good choices.
Also try adding a little extra bend to your dodgers to create more
swing from side-to-side. Don't forget to tip your presentations with
scented corn, Berkley Nibbles, or Berkley Maggots. Add plenty of scent
to draw fish from a distance. Pro Cure garlic, anise, kokanee special
and bloody tuna are all proven fish catchers.
Bass:
Good. The lake level continues to drop quite a bit each day. The fish
are still biting, and can be caught at many different depths. Try
fishing shallow in the mornings and evenings and moving out into deeper
water throughout the day. A variety of soft plastics are working well
such as Senkos, Brush Hogs, and lizards. Try fishing them on a Carolina
Rig in deeper water. There has also been a pretty decent reaction
bite. The fish are active and willing to chase crank baits and jerk
baits. Try using natural colored baits in clear water and bright
colored baits in stained water. Also, there is always a handful of fish
that are eager to bite a jig. Try using colors that resemble crawdads,
baby bass, and bluegill. A ½ oz or ¾ oz football jig can be fished in
shallow or deep water and used to locate fish.
Joseph McHardy caught a couple largemouth on a shakey head soft plastic worm.
Paul Nau and Lynda Howard of Twain Harte caught a largemouth bass on a crawfish colored crank bait.
Please
practice catch and release during the spring months. The fish are full
of eggs in preparation for the spawn. Take photos and carefully release
the fish back into to the lake to maintain a healthy fish population
for generations to come.
Catfish:
Very Good. The big cats are up in shallow water and feeding heavily.
The water temperature is getting warmer each day which has encouraged
the cats to move shallow. Try using frozen shad or a ball of crawlers
to target these fish. Catfish are drawn to bait by scent so it is a
good idea to add additional scent to your bait.
Glory
Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week goes to Floyd Crow of Tuolumne. He
landed a nice 9-pound catfish while still fishing from a boat near Glory
Hole Point.
Art Smith of Manteca caught a nice crappie on a live minnow.
Crappie:
Fair. The crappie bite has been okay this year with a few anglers
catching a handful of chunky slabs. There is a bunch of exposed wood
and standing timber to fish. Try using a mini jig, or a beetle spin to
locate the schools of fish. Red and white is a great crappie color.
Chartreuse, yellow, and orange will also trigger strikes.
