|
|
|
|
For Email Marketing you can trust
Sign up for our weekly newsletter 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. August 30, 2010 New Melones Lake Fishing Report
Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,311,314 acre-feet of water. The water level fell two feet this week, and is at 982 ft. above sea level and 106 ft. from full capacity. On this date last year, the water level was 963 ft., so we are 19 feet higher than late-August last year. Water temperature is about 76-80 degrees at the surface. Mud lines have formed near shore.
Trout: Very good trout bite. A lot of nice rainbow trout being caught while night-fishing under a submersible light. Fishing 20-30 feet deep under a green “moon-glow” submersible light. The lights attract plankton and bait, which attracts the trout. The dam and the spillway continue to produce some impressive limits. Use Power Bait, crawlers, or minnows, and drop your bait about 25 feet deep. Also, vertically fish Kastmasters and Hopkins jigging spoons in chrome and chrome/blue when you see bait around your light. Tom Dutil’s Fishing Charter continues to bring in limits for all who go night-fishing with him, using his Hydro-glo light. Tom uses Power Bait with additional scent- he dips the bait in Berkley scent dips (garlic, roe) or Crave Trout Gravy. Trollers should target the main river channel between the bridges, 30-50 feet deep, with shad or rainbow trout patterned Apex, Excel, Cripplure or Rapala Countdown. Try tipping your lure with a small piece of crawler. Ball trolls on your downrigger weight are a good idea now. Bank anglers should head to local streams and creeks with Pautzke’s eggs, Berkeley Select Scented Power Bait, crawlers, or small spinners such as Mepps or Panther Martins. Fly Fisherman try using a hopper-dropper setup on the rivers and streams, and olive buggers on the lakes. Don Grifford, Josiah Darby, and Joseph Darby caught 12 fish with Dutil’s Fishing Charter. Leon Perkins caught a couple limits night fishing. Nels Niemi caught a 2lb 12oz rainbow for our weekly big fish contest.
Kokanee: Still catching a few. Kokanee have not begun to lose their scales or “pink-up” yet. Troll 50-90 feet deep near the dam/spillway or start heading up river for best results. Reports of fish being caught trolling in 90 feet of water. In the past some of the biggest Kokanee where caught later in the season. Try to fish over and around the main river channel the fish will use it as a highway as they migrate up river. Best bite is in the very early A.M. Some reports of limits being caught in the evening. Uncle Larry’s, GlitterBugs or Rocky Mountain Tackle spinners or hootchies in pink have been good. Slingblade dodgers or Wild Things in chrome/green, pink or watermelon are good attractors. John Darroch has had good luck with pink or orange GlitterBugs Hootchies behind red slingblade dodgers. Remember to tip your lure in shoepeg corn, Pautzke’s Fire Corn, or natural Berkley maggots and use Pro-Cure scent. Garlic, Kokanee Special, and freshwater shrimp are good choices right now. It’s time to mix in a little crawdad scent, too.
Bass: Early morning there is a reaction and top water bite. Try fishing Lucky Craft Pointers and Staycees close to the bank. You can get some exciting blow-ups using Zara Spooks, Pop R’s and Jitterbugs. Also Norman, Bandit, and Rapala deep diving crankbaits will produce some better fish. The fish will move to deep, cooler water as the sun comes up. Try using Pro Guide jigs with Zoom or Yamamoto twin tail grub trailers or Carolina-rigged creature baits (such as green pumpkin Zoom Baby Brush Hogs) cast into deeper water across main lake points. If you find some bait you can catch a bunch of fish drop shotting 4” - 6” Wright bait (hand poured), Roboworms and Zoom tiny flukes. Remember to practice catch and release. The Department of Fish and Game does not plant bass, so it is up to us to maintain our bass fishery. If you do decide to keep bass, please keep smaller spotted bass and turn the big largemouth loose.
Catfish: We had several large catfish brought in this week. For big cats, use anchovies, mackerel, sardines, chicken liver, or a ball of nightcrawlers. A good idea is to use Pro cure scent such as anchovy or sardine on your catfish bait. 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. Steve Olley of Sonora caught a hefty 9lb 3oz catfish off of Glory Hole Point. Kracker Morris of Arnold caught 4 big ones ranging from 7lbs to 11lbs, which earns him the big catfish of the week award.
Crappie and bluegill: Best for anglers fishing at night under a submersible light. Target submerged trees in Bear Creek, Mormon Creek and Carson Creek, or upriver. Small minnows or crappie jigs in red/white, or black/chartreuse are working best. Bluegill are hitting king mealworms or a piece of nightcrawler under a bobber.
|