7-7-14 Fishing Report
Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding
694,364
acre-feet of water. The lake level dropped four feet this week and is
currently at 895 ft. above sea level and 190 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:
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 should target trout in
the main lake, near deep water. The trout are 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. Bank anglers
should try using a bubble and a fly rig in the mornings and evenings.
Or soak some night crawlers and Power Bait midday. Also, try fishing
some other local lakes and streams. Fly Fisherman, head to rivers,
streams, and creeks. Try using nymphs and buggers midday. Switch a dry
fly for some evening surface activity. 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.
Ron Lubin and Jim Fox enjoyed a day of kokanee fishing and brought in two limits.
Kokanee:
Good. The fish are starting to move a little deeper, from 40-60' is a
good range to target them. Anglers have been reporting a good bite
throughout the day. Once you locate a school of fish it is a good idea
to stay in the area to catch your limit. The average size is a chunky
11-13" with a few fish measuring 14-16". The fish are schooling in deep
water off of Glory Hole Point and near the dam, spillway and Rose
Island. A variety of colors are producing limits. Darker colors do work
best in deeper water. Try using baits that have a large profile such
as Rocky Mountain Super Squids, or Apex. Larger blades will disperse
more water which will help attract fish when there is little visibility.
It is also a good idea to modify your dodgers by adding a little bend
to them. This modification will give the blade and bait more
side-to-side swing. Add a Scent Chamber/chain swivel to ensure your
setup will have plenty of scent. Garlic, bloody tuna, anise, and
kokanee special will work. Don't forget to tip your presentations with
dyed and scented shoepeg corn.
Cole Zeyen-Sperry caught a nice limit while trolling spinners near the dam.
Bass:
Fair. The bass are in a summer pattern where they will move shallow
at night and in the morning for a short period of time to feed. Then
they will head back to cool water for the hot hours of the day. There
is a short window off opportunity to catch some topwater fish but this
style of fishing will produce some of the larger fish. Once the sun
come up it is best to switch to slower moving sub-surface baits. Try
dragging a Carolina Rig near deep water or, shaking a Texas Rig near
some wood. The shad have been schooled up and in deep water. If you
can locate the shad there should be some bass nearby. 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.
Catfish:
Good. Some big cats are showing up in shallow water. Melones catfish
tend to be fish-eaters rather than bottom foragers, so use live minnows,
frozen shad, mackerel, or anchovies for best success. Also while bait
fishing, it is a good idea to drag your bait across the bottom every few
minutes to attract nearby fish. Use a sliding sinker with a bead to
create a ticking noise as your bait is moving. In dark water and murky
water it is a good idea to add extra scent to your bait. Catfish hunt
by sound/vibration and smell. Try using a couple rods to offer the fish
a variety of baits. Also, large baits and large portions of bait will
temp the monster catfish.
Crappie:
Slow. It is best to fish at night with a submersible light. Try a live
minnow in tandem with a mini jig. The color of the jig will draw fish
to it, and the live minnow triggers the bite.
