New Melones Reservoir - New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,708, 500 acre-feet of water, and is at 73 percent capacity. With the warm weather, the lake elevation rose six feet this week, and is now at 1,031 feet above sea level and 60 feet from full capacity. Surface water temperature is approximately 66-70 degrees. Water is fairly clear, with visibility to 10-15 feet.
Ramp update: All ramps are open. We are now using the uppermost ramp at Glory Hole.
Most trollers are targeting kokanee right now. Fish are moving deeper, and most have been caught 25-45 feet deep in the dam/spillway area. Nice brown trout continue to be caught, mostly by anglers targeting kokanee. Shad-patterned lures such as Apex, Rapala countdowns or Excel spoons are usually the best brown trout lures, although it seems that most browns are being caught lately on brightly colored kokanee lures. Lisa Roche of Escalon wins our Glory Hole Sports' Big Fish of the Week Contest and a free deli lunch with her catch - a big, beautiful 10-pound brown trout. She trolled a purple Hootchie behind a neon blue dodger 29 feet deep near the dam/spillway to catch her trophy. Dodgers, small flashers or ball trolls are great for the rainbows, and fish the lures naked for the browns. Bank anglers interested in catching trout should target the local creeks such as Angels Creek, where DFG planted again recently, or should head up to higher lakes, where regular plants are also scheduled.
The full moon slowed the kokanee bite somewhat, but most anglers still reported easy limits. Fish are 14-16 1/2 inches and weighing 1 to 1 1/2 pounds. We have even seen a couple of 2-pounders already! Troll slowly (1.2 mph) 35-50 feet deep, near the spillway/dam area, or near Rose Island. Pink seems to be the preferred color for lures, with chartreuse green also working. Hootchies and Apex have been the strongest producers when trolled behind a watermelon or chrome dodger, Kone Zone, or Sling Blade. Glitterbugs Fat Fish and Uncle Larry's Spinners have also produced limits this week. Don't forget to tip your lure with shoepeg corn soaked in Pro-Cure Scent. Guide Danny Layne of Fish 'n' Dan's Guide Service took Vernon Lucero out for a great trip - they caught a nice limit while trolling a pink Apex 50 feet deep near the dam. Danny says that ProCure Carp Spit is the scent to use right now. John Darroch has been catching limits of kokanee weighing up to 1 3/4 pounds, on Glitterbugs Hootchies and Fat Fish soaked in garlic scent.
There has been good bass fishing! Major coves and cuts with structure, such as fall-down wood, are holding big bass. Look for the biggest fish to be deeper in the early morning, and then move as shallow as 5 feet during the day. Senkos, Spinnerbaits, 6" Roboworms and green pumpkin Zoom Baby Brush Hogs have been the best producers. Try top-water baits in the early morning and late evening hours. Brandon Alexander used a shad-patterned Rapala to land a 4.8-pounder while shore fishing near the marina. Please practice catch-and-release of largemouth bass.
For catfish, we are hearing good reports from anglers who fish at night, such as John Nelson Hicks of San Andreas, who used crawlers to catch a big 8.9-poind catfish while bank-fishing off of the Tuttletown boat ramp. Tuttletown, Angels Cove, or under the 49 Stevenot Bridge are all good spots to try for big cats. Use mackerel, anchovies or sardines, use a sliding sinker, leave your bait open, and make sure your hooks are sharp. Night fishing is always best for catfish, but we see plenty caught during the day, too.
Crappie anglers tell us the bite has been the best it's been in the last few years. Try fishing live minnows or trying to entice them with jigs in red/white or purple/white. Best spots on the lake are the south side of the lake near Bear Cove, the back of Coyote Creek, Black Bart Cove, and especially cuts upriver near the Parrotts Ferry Bridge that have a lot of stand-up trees in them. As always, fish tight to structure.
Glory Hole Sports, 736-4333
Lake Don Pedro - Best spots to try are around partially submerged trees, near the marina and rocky points.
Lake Don Pedro continues to produce quality fish. Kokanee are on the bite, big kings can be had and rainbows are plentiful throughout the lake. Kokanee action is best off Copper Mountain at 50 feet deep, on popsicle Excels, Sambo's pink spinners and Red Apex, scented with garlic corn. Kings to five pounds are hitting rolled shad and anchovies at 60 feet deep off the dam face and in Woods Creek. Jim Bentz battled a 4.5-pound king off the dam. For some good 'bows in the 3-pound class, work Six Bit Gulch at 30 feet deep with Excel shad-patterned lures at 2 m.p.h. for some solid hookups.
852-2369, 989-2206, 848-2746.
Tulloch Reservoir - Fish the main part of the lake for the best action.
Julie Peters at Tulloch Campground and Marina said fishing has been good for bass and crappie with a few trout thrown in. Asked what people were using and where, she replied, "I hear the cove is good but anymore than that, they just look at me funny as if I were stealing their secrets."
881-0107
McClure Reservoir - Fish in Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend, Cotton Creek and Temperance Creek for the best luck.
Take your pick of catfish to 7 pounds, good bass action on slot-sized fish or trout to 3.5 pounds in the upriver area, Diana Mello of A-1 Bait said. Bass anglers are using Roboworms and Bass Addict worms in a Delta Bug color for 20-fish days working rocky points and ledges. Dwayne King said a good morning topwater bite on Splash-Its in a Tennessee Shad pattern or a Bevy 78 in Chartreuse Shad produced fish. Trout fishing is hot, as everyone is targeting the area from Barretts Cove to the Bagby area. Trollers using flasher/crawler and Wedding Ring/flasher combos are scoring limits of fish more than 3 pounds working 20 feet deep. Catfish are there for those fishing the mud lines of coves and using almost any kind of cutbait. The back of Cottonwood Cove and the area behind the houseboats in the spillway region have been hot for fish averaging 2 pounds, and up to 7 pounds.
563-6505, 378-2441
McSwain Reservoir - Try your luck at the brushpile, in front of the campgrounds and marina, and at Gilligan's Island and the handicap dock.
Heavy water flows, as McClure dumps water, has slowed the bite, John Kemper of McSwain Marina said. Some limits are being taken, but a heavy current and murky water affected the fish. Shore anglers have had to guess where the moving schools of fish were going. Once found, there was good action until they moved again. Trollers using flasher and Wedding Ring combos tipped with a 'crawler working area from Gilligan's Island to first fence line did the best. The park is sold out, but day use is open.
378-2534
Ramp update: All ramps are open. We are now using the uppermost ramp at Glory Hole.
Most trollers are targeting kokanee right now. Fish are moving deeper, and most have been caught 25-45 feet deep in the dam/spillway area. Nice brown trout continue to be caught, mostly by anglers targeting kokanee. Shad-patterned lures such as Apex, Rapala countdowns or Excel spoons are usually the best brown trout lures, although it seems that most browns are being caught lately on brightly colored kokanee lures. Lisa Roche of Escalon wins our Glory Hole Sports' Big Fish of the Week Contest and a free deli lunch with her catch - a big, beautiful 10-pound brown trout. She trolled a purple Hootchie behind a neon blue dodger 29 feet deep near the dam/spillway to catch her trophy. Dodgers, small flashers or ball trolls are great for the rainbows, and fish the lures naked for the browns. Bank anglers interested in catching trout should target the local creeks such as Angels Creek, where DFG planted again recently, or should head up to higher lakes, where regular plants are also scheduled.
The full moon slowed the kokanee bite somewhat, but most anglers still reported easy limits. Fish are 14-16 1/2 inches and weighing 1 to 1 1/2 pounds. We have even seen a couple of 2-pounders already! Troll slowly (1.2 mph) 35-50 feet deep, near the spillway/dam area, or near Rose Island. Pink seems to be the preferred color for lures, with chartreuse green also working. Hootchies and Apex have been the strongest producers when trolled behind a watermelon or chrome dodger, Kone Zone, or Sling Blade. Glitterbugs Fat Fish and Uncle Larry's Spinners have also produced limits this week. Don't forget to tip your lure with shoepeg corn soaked in Pro-Cure Scent. Guide Danny Layne of Fish 'n' Dan's Guide Service took Vernon Lucero out for a great trip - they caught a nice limit while trolling a pink Apex 50 feet deep near the dam. Danny says that ProCure Carp Spit is the scent to use right now. John Darroch has been catching limits of kokanee weighing up to 1 3/4 pounds, on Glitterbugs Hootchies and Fat Fish soaked in garlic scent.
There has been good bass fishing! Major coves and cuts with structure, such as fall-down wood, are holding big bass. Look for the biggest fish to be deeper in the early morning, and then move as shallow as 5 feet during the day. Senkos, Spinnerbaits, 6" Roboworms and green pumpkin Zoom Baby Brush Hogs have been the best producers. Try top-water baits in the early morning and late evening hours. Brandon Alexander used a shad-patterned Rapala to land a 4.8-pounder while shore fishing near the marina. Please practice catch-and-release of largemouth bass.
For catfish, we are hearing good reports from anglers who fish at night, such as John Nelson Hicks of San Andreas, who used crawlers to catch a big 8.9-poind catfish while bank-fishing off of the Tuttletown boat ramp. Tuttletown, Angels Cove, or under the 49 Stevenot Bridge are all good spots to try for big cats. Use mackerel, anchovies or sardines, use a sliding sinker, leave your bait open, and make sure your hooks are sharp. Night fishing is always best for catfish, but we see plenty caught during the day, too.
Crappie anglers tell us the bite has been the best it's been in the last few years. Try fishing live minnows or trying to entice them with jigs in red/white or purple/white. Best spots on the lake are the south side of the lake near Bear Cove, the back of Coyote Creek, Black Bart Cove, and especially cuts upriver near the Parrotts Ferry Bridge that have a lot of stand-up trees in them. As always, fish tight to structure.
Glory Hole Sports, 736-4333
Lake Don Pedro - Best spots to try are around partially submerged trees, near the marina and rocky points.
Lake Don Pedro continues to produce quality fish. Kokanee are on the bite, big kings can be had and rainbows are plentiful throughout the lake. Kokanee action is best off Copper Mountain at 50 feet deep, on popsicle Excels, Sambo's pink spinners and Red Apex, scented with garlic corn. Kings to five pounds are hitting rolled shad and anchovies at 60 feet deep off the dam face and in Woods Creek. Jim Bentz battled a 4.5-pound king off the dam. For some good 'bows in the 3-pound class, work Six Bit Gulch at 30 feet deep with Excel shad-patterned lures at 2 m.p.h. for some solid hookups.
852-2369, 989-2206, 848-2746.
Tulloch Reservoir - Fish the main part of the lake for the best action.
Julie Peters at Tulloch Campground and Marina said fishing has been good for bass and crappie with a few trout thrown in. Asked what people were using and where, she replied, "I hear the cove is good but anymore than that, they just look at me funny as if I were stealing their secrets."
881-0107
McClure Reservoir - Fish in Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend, Cotton Creek and Temperance Creek for the best luck.
Take your pick of catfish to 7 pounds, good bass action on slot-sized fish or trout to 3.5 pounds in the upriver area, Diana Mello of A-1 Bait said. Bass anglers are using Roboworms and Bass Addict worms in a Delta Bug color for 20-fish days working rocky points and ledges. Dwayne King said a good morning topwater bite on Splash-Its in a Tennessee Shad pattern or a Bevy 78 in Chartreuse Shad produced fish. Trout fishing is hot, as everyone is targeting the area from Barretts Cove to the Bagby area. Trollers using flasher/crawler and Wedding Ring/flasher combos are scoring limits of fish more than 3 pounds working 20 feet deep. Catfish are there for those fishing the mud lines of coves and using almost any kind of cutbait. The back of Cottonwood Cove and the area behind the houseboats in the spillway region have been hot for fish averaging 2 pounds, and up to 7 pounds.
563-6505, 378-2441
McSwain Reservoir - Try your luck at the brushpile, in front of the campgrounds and marina, and at Gilligan's Island and the handicap dock.
Heavy water flows, as McClure dumps water, has slowed the bite, John Kemper of McSwain Marina said. Some limits are being taken, but a heavy current and murky water affected the fish. Shore anglers have had to guess where the moving schools of fish were going. Once found, there was good action until they moved again. Trollers using flasher and Wedding Ring combos tipped with a 'crawler working area from Gilligan's Island to first fence line did the best. The park is sold out, but day use is open.
378-2534
