New Melones Reservoir - New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,678,000 acre-feet of water, and is at 69 percent capacity. The lake elevation rose one foot this week, and is now at 1,022 feet above sea level and 66 feet from full capacity. Surface water temperature is approximately 64-68 degrees. Water is fairly clear, with visibility to 10-15 feet. Due to the rising waters, beware of unmarked islands and partially submerged but still-floating logs.
Ramp update: All ramps are open. We are now using the uppermost ramp at Glory Hole.
Trout fishing has been good for trollers, although 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. Red, fluorescent orange, chartreuse or firetiger Apex, Uncle Larry's Spinners, and Wedding Rings, all trolled behind dodgers, are the biggest producing lures. We saw several nice browns recently, caught mostly by anglers targeting kokanee. Eleven-year-old Kyle Hook (appropriate name!) of Salida wins the Glory Hole Sports' Big Fish of the Week Contest and free deli lunch, with a beautiful 5-pound brown he caught while trolling a green Excel lure 30 feet deep near the dam. Congratulations, Kyle! Sheral Byram weighed in a 4.7-pound brown that she caught while trolling a spinner/crawler combo 35 feet deep off Glory Hole Point. Dave Mettler trolled a pink Apex behind ball troll flashers 35 feet deep near the spillway to land a 4-pound brown. Richard Kowski caught a limit of rainbows while trolling a spinner/crawler combo 45 feet deep near the dam. Bank anglers will not have much luck for trout in Melones until the water cools off in the fall. Bank anglers should target the local creeks such as Angels Creek instead, or should head up to higher lakes. Angels Creek, Shaads Reservoir and White Pines Lane were all planted recently, and Angels Creek and White Pines Lake are scheduled to be planted this week. New Melones and Don Pedro Lakes were also planted last week, along with Beardsley, Cherry Valley, and Lyons Reservoirs, Lyons Canal, Moccasin Creek, Powerhouse Stream, and Lake Tulloch.
Kokanee limits have been easy to come by. Fish are 14-16 1/2 inches and weighing 1 to 1 1/2 pounds. Troll slowly (1.2 mph) 25-45 feet deep, in main lake waters, such as off Glory Hole Point, the spillway/dam area, or near Rose Island. Troll hot pink, red, chartreuse or firetiger Apex, Hootchies, Shasta Scorpions, Wedding Rings or Uncle Larry's Spinners, all tipped with shoepeg corn soaked in Pro-Cure scent (garlic or a combination of garlic and something else seems to be working best), and trolled behind a watermelon or chrome dodger or Sling Blade. Anglers who weighed in limits of kokanee this week include Richard Kowski, T.J. White, Robbie Dunham and Kim Murdoch.
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. Fourteen-year-old Alex Swiggum caught a 4.5-pound spotted bass on crawlers under a bobber near the Glory Hole Marina. 5-year-old Hayden Lee went fishing with his dad, professional bass tournament angler Robert Lee. Hayden caught (and released) a 5.3-pound spotted bass on a top-water lure near the dam. Bass are spawning now, so please practice catch-and-release of largemouth bass.
For catfish, we are hearing good reports from anglers who fish at night. Try Tuttletown, Angels Cove, or under the 49 Stevenot Bridge. 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.
The fishing at Don Pedro continues to be outstanding for rainbows, king salmon and kokanee salmon. Guide Monte Smith fished the Jenkins Hill area and caught kings down to 56-60 feet deep with frozen shad. The rainbows and kokanee were from 35-43 feet deep. The best set-up was a watermelon dodger with a pink e-chip lure or a pink and green kokanee bug and Uncle Larry's Spinners, all scented with garlic Pro-cure scented corn.
852-2369, 989-2206, 848-2746.
Tulloch Reservoir - Fish the main part of the lake for the best action.
Jane Watson at Lake Tulloch Campground and Marina said the bass are still hitting off the point and back in Black Creek. A nice crappie bite has turned up, she added, with most people using crappie jigs. Bluegills, mostly on cheese bait, are also providing a lot of fun for the younger set.
881-0107
McClure Reservoir - Fish in Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend, Cotton Creek and Temperance Creek for the best luck.
Bass fishing has been good for anglers tossing brown/green jigs tipped with pork trailers and dropshotted 4-inch purple worms, Dwayne King said. Watch for overcast conditions to throw swimbaits and sight-fish the bass holding in flats areas. Good areas to fish are the Dam area, Piney Creek and Cottonwood Creek. Some crankbait fish are coming in the shallows. Trout are holding around 40 feet deep and biting flashers and night crawler combos, Cop Car Needlefish or blue/chrome Kastmasters. Crappie are biting for anglers using lights at night and fishing with minnows by the dam or houseboats.
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.
Trout fishing has picked up again with limits for both trollers and shore anglers, said John Kemper of McSwain Marina. Reduced inflows of water and a lowered water level have helped spur the bite. Trollers are killing the trout using flashers in front of a Wedding Ring spinner tipped with a night crawler at around 15 feet. Shore fishermen using rainbow Power Bait by the handicap dock and the Brushpile are scoring limits.
378-2534
Ramp update: All ramps are open. We are now using the uppermost ramp at Glory Hole.
Trout fishing has been good for trollers, although 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. Red, fluorescent orange, chartreuse or firetiger Apex, Uncle Larry's Spinners, and Wedding Rings, all trolled behind dodgers, are the biggest producing lures. We saw several nice browns recently, caught mostly by anglers targeting kokanee. Eleven-year-old Kyle Hook (appropriate name!) of Salida wins the Glory Hole Sports' Big Fish of the Week Contest and free deli lunch, with a beautiful 5-pound brown he caught while trolling a green Excel lure 30 feet deep near the dam. Congratulations, Kyle! Sheral Byram weighed in a 4.7-pound brown that she caught while trolling a spinner/crawler combo 35 feet deep off Glory Hole Point. Dave Mettler trolled a pink Apex behind ball troll flashers 35 feet deep near the spillway to land a 4-pound brown. Richard Kowski caught a limit of rainbows while trolling a spinner/crawler combo 45 feet deep near the dam. Bank anglers will not have much luck for trout in Melones until the water cools off in the fall. Bank anglers should target the local creeks such as Angels Creek instead, or should head up to higher lakes. Angels Creek, Shaads Reservoir and White Pines Lane were all planted recently, and Angels Creek and White Pines Lake are scheduled to be planted this week. New Melones and Don Pedro Lakes were also planted last week, along with Beardsley, Cherry Valley, and Lyons Reservoirs, Lyons Canal, Moccasin Creek, Powerhouse Stream, and Lake Tulloch.
Kokanee limits have been easy to come by. Fish are 14-16 1/2 inches and weighing 1 to 1 1/2 pounds. Troll slowly (1.2 mph) 25-45 feet deep, in main lake waters, such as off Glory Hole Point, the spillway/dam area, or near Rose Island. Troll hot pink, red, chartreuse or firetiger Apex, Hootchies, Shasta Scorpions, Wedding Rings or Uncle Larry's Spinners, all tipped with shoepeg corn soaked in Pro-Cure scent (garlic or a combination of garlic and something else seems to be working best), and trolled behind a watermelon or chrome dodger or Sling Blade. Anglers who weighed in limits of kokanee this week include Richard Kowski, T.J. White, Robbie Dunham and Kim Murdoch.
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. Fourteen-year-old Alex Swiggum caught a 4.5-pound spotted bass on crawlers under a bobber near the Glory Hole Marina. 5-year-old Hayden Lee went fishing with his dad, professional bass tournament angler Robert Lee. Hayden caught (and released) a 5.3-pound spotted bass on a top-water lure near the dam. Bass are spawning now, so please practice catch-and-release of largemouth bass.
For catfish, we are hearing good reports from anglers who fish at night. Try Tuttletown, Angels Cove, or under the 49 Stevenot Bridge. 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.
The fishing at Don Pedro continues to be outstanding for rainbows, king salmon and kokanee salmon. Guide Monte Smith fished the Jenkins Hill area and caught kings down to 56-60 feet deep with frozen shad. The rainbows and kokanee were from 35-43 feet deep. The best set-up was a watermelon dodger with a pink e-chip lure or a pink and green kokanee bug and Uncle Larry's Spinners, all scented with garlic Pro-cure scented corn.
852-2369, 989-2206, 848-2746.
Tulloch Reservoir - Fish the main part of the lake for the best action.
Jane Watson at Lake Tulloch Campground and Marina said the bass are still hitting off the point and back in Black Creek. A nice crappie bite has turned up, she added, with most people using crappie jigs. Bluegills, mostly on cheese bait, are also providing a lot of fun for the younger set.
881-0107
McClure Reservoir - Fish in Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend, Cotton Creek and Temperance Creek for the best luck.
Bass fishing has been good for anglers tossing brown/green jigs tipped with pork trailers and dropshotted 4-inch purple worms, Dwayne King said. Watch for overcast conditions to throw swimbaits and sight-fish the bass holding in flats areas. Good areas to fish are the Dam area, Piney Creek and Cottonwood Creek. Some crankbait fish are coming in the shallows. Trout are holding around 40 feet deep and biting flashers and night crawler combos, Cop Car Needlefish or blue/chrome Kastmasters. Crappie are biting for anglers using lights at night and fishing with minnows by the dam or houseboats.
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.
Trout fishing has picked up again with limits for both trollers and shore anglers, said John Kemper of McSwain Marina. Reduced inflows of water and a lowered water level have helped spur the bite. Trollers are killing the trout using flashers in front of a Wedding Ring spinner tipped with a night crawler at around 15 feet. Shore fishermen using rainbow Power Bait by the handicap dock and the Brushpile are scoring limits.
378-2534
