New Melones Reservoir - New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,501,000 acre-feet of water. This is up slightly compared to the 1,422,000 acre-feet that it held at this time last year. Lake is at 62 percent capacity. Lake elevation held steady this week, and is currently at 1003 feet above sea level, and 85 feet from full capacity. Water temperature is approximately 61 degrees, and stained. There is a lot of debris in the water so use caution. Please remember that Glory Hole Sports gasoline pumps are closed, and will be for about two more weeks. Call the store if you plan to purchase gas, to be sure we have our pumps open - the store will continue to be open during the construction!
Trout fishing is picking up. Bank anglers haven't been having much luck, since trout have moved out to deeper, cooler water. Trollers are having luck, mainly in the main lake near the spillway/dam. Fish are still close to the surface - shallow in the early mornings, to 30-35 feet deep in the heat of the day. Needlefish, Apex or Sockeye Slammers, trolled behind flashers are all catching fish. Try a white, Cop Car, or a firetiger lure. Bite has been best in the early mornings. Try varying your trolling speed and doing figure eights while trolling. This will cause your lure to rise and fall, and slow down and speed up. This time of year, doing this will sometimes trigger a strike when nothing else will! Joe Hallett wins the Glory Hole Sports' Big Fish of the Week contest again this week. His big rainbow weighed 2.6-pounds. He has caught several limits of rainbows (with a few kokanee thrown in) in the last couple of weeks. Congratulations, Joe! Tony Calavitta and Joe brought in nine fish using green Needlefish and minnows. He has also had good luck with a Cop Car Needlefish. Don Myshrall used a red Hootchie to catch a mixed limit of kokanee/trout weighing up to 2.4-pounds. Larry White caught a couple of rainbow weighing up to 2.4-pounds on a firetiger Apex. Frank and Jo Ann Ambrosoli each caught a limit of rainbows while trolling small minnows behind 50/50 flashers in the main lake. All successful anglers agree that the best action is in the early morning right now.
Kokanee haven't turned on yet, but we've seen a few in the 14"-15" range. Use Uncle Larry's spinners in firetiger or Cop Car, or a small lure such as a Kokanee Bug or Sockeye Slammer. Tip your lure with shoepeg corn soaked in ProCure Kokanee Special or anise scent. Be sure to use a dodger, and troll very slowly. Best kokanee action has been in the main lake near the dam/Rose Island, 30-50 feet deep.
Bass fishing has been good. Most bass are in 15-25 feet of water. Look for flats near cuts and creek arms that have structure at different depths. Coves in the south side of the lake have been good, as well as cuts and coves upriver. Senkos are the hot bait right now. Rig a 4" or 6" green pumpkin, watermelon or smoke Yamamoto Senko with a 3/0 or 4/0 wide-gap hook, and no weight. Zoom Baby Brush Hogs are also working well, in the same colors. Reaction baits are great in the early a.m., before the sun hits the water. Throw white, white/chartreuse or shad-patterned spinnerbaits, or shad- or rainbow trout patterned rip baits such as a Husky Jerk. We want to remind you - it is vitally important to practice catch and release during the spawn, so that we can continue to have a healthy fishery in the future.
Catfish are warming up with the water. Glory Hole Point or Angels Cove, near Tuttletown or under the 49 Bridge are all good places for bank anglers to fish for cats. Use mackerel, anchovies or sardines, crawlers, chicken liver, or live large minnows.
We are seeing some crappie action! Fish brushy coves and creek arms, near structure adjacent to rocky spawning areas. The south side of the lake has been good. Fish 10-20 feet deep near structure with minnows or red/white or red/chartreuse crappie jigs.
Glory Hole Sports, 736-4333.
Lake Don Pedro - Fish around partially submerged trees, near the marina and rocky points.
A lot of trout and some salmon were caught near the dam trolling. Anglers are using frozen shad or nightcrawlers and Power Bait for trout near the shore. A couple of largemouth bass were taken with nightcrawlers.
Catfish hitting on anchovies and clams at Schoolhouse Point. Bass are spawning in Graveyard Creek. There was an 11-pound bass caught in a tournament.
Lake Don Pedro, 852-2369 or 989-2206.
Tulloch Reservoir - Fish the main part of the lake for the best chance of action.
The bass bite has slowed, but smallmouth bass are in the creek arms hitting on spinner bait. Watermelon-red baby brush hogs are working for smallmouth, and a couple of anglers said bass are hitting motor oil Senkos on the rocky points in the main lake. Trout bite is decent at 25-30 feet trolling cop-car colored Needlefish. Most are around 2 to 3 pounds. Bob Campbell of Modesto caught a 10.1-pound brown trout casting a Rapala above the bridge. 881-0107, 847-3447.
McClure Reservoir - Fish in Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend, Cotton Creek and Temperance Creek for the best luck.
All the bites are hot, according to Diane Mello of A-1 Bait and Tackle. Anglers are landing 5-pound bass. Favorite baits are Senkos, inflated night crawlers, minnows and crawdads. In the early morning, crankbait is working in seven- to 12 feet.
Crappie are hitting in Horseshoe Bend and Cotton Creek on mini-jigs and small minnows. Not many trout are coming out, but those that are come deep at 45-50 feet. Some are up to four pounds.
563-6505, 378-2441
McSwain Reservoir - Try your luck at the brushpile, in front of the campgrounds and marina, Gilligan's Island and the handicap dock.
The brushpile has been hot with Rainbow or chartreuse Power Bait. Trollers are using flashers and crawlers from Gilligan's Island to the first fenceline. Amber Canada from Delhi caught a 2 1/4 pound rainbow recently.
378-2534.
Trout fishing is picking up. Bank anglers haven't been having much luck, since trout have moved out to deeper, cooler water. Trollers are having luck, mainly in the main lake near the spillway/dam. Fish are still close to the surface - shallow in the early mornings, to 30-35 feet deep in the heat of the day. Needlefish, Apex or Sockeye Slammers, trolled behind flashers are all catching fish. Try a white, Cop Car, or a firetiger lure. Bite has been best in the early mornings. Try varying your trolling speed and doing figure eights while trolling. This will cause your lure to rise and fall, and slow down and speed up. This time of year, doing this will sometimes trigger a strike when nothing else will! Joe Hallett wins the Glory Hole Sports' Big Fish of the Week contest again this week. His big rainbow weighed 2.6-pounds. He has caught several limits of rainbows (with a few kokanee thrown in) in the last couple of weeks. Congratulations, Joe! Tony Calavitta and Joe brought in nine fish using green Needlefish and minnows. He has also had good luck with a Cop Car Needlefish. Don Myshrall used a red Hootchie to catch a mixed limit of kokanee/trout weighing up to 2.4-pounds. Larry White caught a couple of rainbow weighing up to 2.4-pounds on a firetiger Apex. Frank and Jo Ann Ambrosoli each caught a limit of rainbows while trolling small minnows behind 50/50 flashers in the main lake. All successful anglers agree that the best action is in the early morning right now.
Kokanee haven't turned on yet, but we've seen a few in the 14"-15" range. Use Uncle Larry's spinners in firetiger or Cop Car, or a small lure such as a Kokanee Bug or Sockeye Slammer. Tip your lure with shoepeg corn soaked in ProCure Kokanee Special or anise scent. Be sure to use a dodger, and troll very slowly. Best kokanee action has been in the main lake near the dam/Rose Island, 30-50 feet deep.
Bass fishing has been good. Most bass are in 15-25 feet of water. Look for flats near cuts and creek arms that have structure at different depths. Coves in the south side of the lake have been good, as well as cuts and coves upriver. Senkos are the hot bait right now. Rig a 4" or 6" green pumpkin, watermelon or smoke Yamamoto Senko with a 3/0 or 4/0 wide-gap hook, and no weight. Zoom Baby Brush Hogs are also working well, in the same colors. Reaction baits are great in the early a.m., before the sun hits the water. Throw white, white/chartreuse or shad-patterned spinnerbaits, or shad- or rainbow trout patterned rip baits such as a Husky Jerk. We want to remind you - it is vitally important to practice catch and release during the spawn, so that we can continue to have a healthy fishery in the future.
Catfish are warming up with the water. Glory Hole Point or Angels Cove, near Tuttletown or under the 49 Bridge are all good places for bank anglers to fish for cats. Use mackerel, anchovies or sardines, crawlers, chicken liver, or live large minnows.
We are seeing some crappie action! Fish brushy coves and creek arms, near structure adjacent to rocky spawning areas. The south side of the lake has been good. Fish 10-20 feet deep near structure with minnows or red/white or red/chartreuse crappie jigs.
Glory Hole Sports, 736-4333.
Lake Don Pedro - Fish around partially submerged trees, near the marina and rocky points.
A lot of trout and some salmon were caught near the dam trolling. Anglers are using frozen shad or nightcrawlers and Power Bait for trout near the shore. A couple of largemouth bass were taken with nightcrawlers.
Catfish hitting on anchovies and clams at Schoolhouse Point. Bass are spawning in Graveyard Creek. There was an 11-pound bass caught in a tournament.
Lake Don Pedro, 852-2369 or 989-2206.
Tulloch Reservoir - Fish the main part of the lake for the best chance of action.
The bass bite has slowed, but smallmouth bass are in the creek arms hitting on spinner bait. Watermelon-red baby brush hogs are working for smallmouth, and a couple of anglers said bass are hitting motor oil Senkos on the rocky points in the main lake. Trout bite is decent at 25-30 feet trolling cop-car colored Needlefish. Most are around 2 to 3 pounds. Bob Campbell of Modesto caught a 10.1-pound brown trout casting a Rapala above the bridge. 881-0107, 847-3447.
McClure Reservoir - Fish in Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend, Cotton Creek and Temperance Creek for the best luck.
All the bites are hot, according to Diane Mello of A-1 Bait and Tackle. Anglers are landing 5-pound bass. Favorite baits are Senkos, inflated night crawlers, minnows and crawdads. In the early morning, crankbait is working in seven- to 12 feet.
Crappie are hitting in Horseshoe Bend and Cotton Creek on mini-jigs and small minnows. Not many trout are coming out, but those that are come deep at 45-50 feet. Some are up to four pounds.
563-6505, 378-2441
McSwain Reservoir - Try your luck at the brushpile, in front of the campgrounds and marina, Gilligan's Island and the handicap dock.
The brushpile has been hot with Rainbow or chartreuse Power Bait. Trollers are using flashers and crawlers from Gilligan's Island to the first fenceline. Amber Canada from Delhi caught a 2 1/4 pound rainbow recently.
378-2534.
