|
|
|
|
For Email Marketing you can trust
New Melones camping reservations: (877) 444-6777 or www.recreation.gov- You must ask for the campsite you want to stay at, instead of New Melones Lake (for instance, ask for Glory Hole Recreation Area, Tuttletown Recreation Area, Big Oak or Ironhorse). Check out the new New Melones Reservoir website Rate Glory Hole Sports, and all businesses, on www.yelp.com.
Sign up today for our free electronics seminar/lab, to be held on February 20th, 2010. This 5-to-6-hour lab will cover everything from basic usage to GPS and side-positioning. Sponsored by Hummingbird, but will be useful information for all electronics systems. Speakers/teachers are familiar with all brands and can help you with yours. Call the store at (209) 736-4333 for details and to sign up.February 1, 2010 New Melones Lake Fishing Report
Upcoming events: Be sure you are signed up for our free fishing electronics seminar on February 20th, and mark your calendars for our big annual fishing seminar on April 17! Call Glory Hole Sports (209) 736-4333 for details. Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,219,849 acre-feet of water. The water level rose two feet this week, to 971 ft. above sea level and 117 ft. from full capacity. Water temperature is about 52-54 degrees at the surface. Water is slightly stained in the main lake and stained near shore. Heavy rains have washed lots of flotsam into the water, so be careful while boating.
Trout: Continues to be good. Glory Hole Point and Tuttletown ramp have been the top spot for shore anglers. Anglers still-fishing from their boats can target the same areas, or try Carson or Mormon Coves. Target 5-20 feet of water. Use Berkley chartreuse or green glitter Power Bait, Power Eggs, or a crawler/marshmallow combo. Throwing a small silver/blue, firetiger, or rainbow trout patterned spoon such as a Kastmaster or shad or rainbow trout imitation lure such as a Rapala Countdown is another good choice. Peter York caught nine rainbows weighing up to 2-pounds, 7-ounces, and kept the four nicest ones, on Berkley Power Eggs, while fishing in Angels Cove. Jack Winter caught a 3-pounder on a gold Kastmaster, while fishing under the 49 Bridge. Lexi McQuarry caught two pretty rainbows on nightcrawlers while fishing off of Glory Hole Point Trolling has been good between the storms. Tie on a shad-patterned or rainbow trout patterned lure such as Needlefish or Excel lure, or a smaller Rapala Countdown. Rapalas have produced the biggest fish for trollers this week. Marty Morfey and Arley Ahal of Lodi trolled a rainbow trout-patterned Rapala in Coyote Creek to win the Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest with a 6-pound, 3-ounce brown tout. They also took first place in the Trout Bout Derby this Saturday. Steve Quintal trolled a green Rapala under the 49 Bridge to land a 1-pound, 2-ounce rainbow trout. Target the mouths of coves such as Glory Hole Cove, and major creek arms such as Mormon Creek or Carson Creek. Trollers who are finding the action slow, may want to pull into the bank and still fish. For browns, troll Rapala Countdowns, Trophy Sticks or other lures in rainbow trout or shad patterns, or roll shad, 10-30 feet deep in the same areas, but closer to structure.
Kokanee: The season is over. The kokes will be biting again in spring, although we typically see a few of next year’s fish caught in the winter.
Bass: Spotted bass are being caught in big numbers, and some are big fish. Anglers who caught and released spotted bass in the 6-pound plus range this week include Mike Tracy, Alex Niapas, John Chiarpotty (who also caught a 13+-pound largemouth), and Jody Menzes. Bass that aren’t chasing shad in the middle of the lake are oriented to wood near steep flats and drop-offs, anywhere from 5- 40 feet deep. Bigger fish are being caught on brown/purple jig/trailers, or watermelon/red flake or green pumpkin Zoom Trick Worms or other floating worms on a shaky head. Drop-shotting a 4” shad-color worm or minnow imitation will catch the greatest numbers of fish. Swimbaits are catching the big ones when the wind picks up. Huddleston ROF12 in any trout pattern is the top swimbait right now. Drag the swimbait across windy points. Slow presentation will encourage sluggish fish to bite. Please gently release any bass that you catch. Remember- the Department of Fish and Game does not plant bass, so it is up to us to maintain our bass fishery. It is time to carry a bass-popping needle to get the air out of the air bladder before you release any deep-caught bass. We have directions available at Glory Hole Sports if you don’t know how to do this, as well as good “fizzing” needles.
Catfish: Catfishing should be slowing down right now, but apparently, no one has informed the catfish in Melones, as we are still seeing big cats every week (except for this week, since no one went fishing in the storms). Catfish will move out into deeper water at this time of year. Use anchovies, mackerel, sardines, chicken liver, or a ball of nightcrawlers. Leave your bail open so the cats can pick the bait up and swim with it- you will be more likely to hook them that way. Be sure to use a sliding sinker weight.
Crappie and bluegill: We are still hearing good reports from anglers fishing at night under a submersible light. Bear Creek, Mormon Creek and Carson Creek are all good bets. For crappie, try fishing live small or medium minnows, or crappie jigs with jigs in red/white, black/chartreuse or purple/white.
|