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FISHINLINES
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New Melones Reservoir - New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,366,000 acre-feet of water. Lake is at 56 percent capacity. Lake elevation dropped two feet this week, to 988 feet above sea level, and 98 feet from full capacity. Water temperature is approximately 74-76 degrees, and clear.

Rainbow trout is showing up in mixed limits with kokanee. Trollers should target the main lake near the spillway/dam and Rose Island. Fish are gradually moving deeper, and are about 50-60 feet deep. Trout are feeding on small shad, so tie on a small shad-imitation lure such as a Cop Car Needlefish or a shad-patterned Apex or Rapala Countdown behind flashers. Bite has been best in the early morning, so plan to hit the lake early. John Darroch wins the Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest. He caught a 2.2-pound rainbow. Night fishing under a submersible light is a fun way to catch fish in the summer. The best place to anchor to night fish is near the spillway, the exposed islands between the spillway and Glory Hole Point, or the dam. Drop your submersible light in the water (we have lights available with a 20 foot cord) and fish 10-15 feet below the light, depending on water clarity. For bait, use a worm-threader to thread a nightcrawler onto your line, and put a piece of Power Bait onto your hook, below a small split-shot. The light attracts plankton, which attracts shad, which attracts trout. It takes some time for all that attracting to take place, so plan on slow action for the first couple of hours. If you have been there for two hours and you don't see shad in the water, you may want to relocate. Bank anglers should target the creeks, such as Angels Creek.

Kokanee action is better, with more limits being caught. Anglers who had the best luck hit the water in the very early morning. You should be on the water with your rods out at sun-up. The main lake is the place to be - try near Rose Island, or right in front of the dam. Anglers who found limits in the main lake this week include John Darroch, Joe Hallett, S. Heinrich, Patricia Fitzgerald, Gerry Hallett and Richard and Tim Collins. Fish are moving deeper - troll 50-70 feet deep. Red, pink or orange Apex, Father Murphys Bugs and Killer B's are catching the most fish. Use a dodger or a Sidekick to add action to your lure. Tip your lure with shoepeg corn soaked in ProCure oil - John Darroch says garlic scent is attracting kokanee right now. It is very important to troll slowly (1.2 mph) to catch kokanee. This early in the season, kokanee are very soft-mouthed, and because of this you will tend to get a lot of bites and not too many fish in the boat, since they come off the hook so easily. It will help to get fish into the boat if you use an R & K stinger hook, or a lure with two hooks. This helps get a secure hook-up, and they won't come off so easily.

Bass fishing has been fair, with plenty of smaller fish providing action. Bigger fish are harder to come by. Night fishing is a good way to see some big-bass action. Bass are more shallow at night, and are in 1-20 feet of water. During the day, most bass are in 5-25 feet of water on main lake points, near structure, such as trees or brush, as well as near steep rock walls. If there is a mud line, there will be bass hiding in it. The south side of the lake has been good. Dart-headed salt/pepper grubs are the No. 1 bass catcher right now. Carolina-rigged Zoom green pumpkin or watermelon Tiny Brush Hogs are also working well. Drop-shotted 4" shad-colored worms are producing fish, too. Throw a top-water bait such as a spook or Pop-R in the early morning. White Speed Traps and white or white/chartreuse spinnerbaits are other good lures to throw. Try chartreuse medium diving (8-12 feet) crankbaits for suspended fish off main lake points.

Catfish are good. If you are in a boat, fish the coves at the south side of the lake. For bank anglers, try Angels Cove or near Tuttletown. Use mackerel, anchovies or sardines, crawlers, chicken liver, or live large minnows. The action is always best at night for catfish, when they move into the shallows to feed. If you catch a catfish, be sure to stop by the store and weigh it in - you may win the Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest and a free deli lunch!

Perch are really starting to be active, so it's time to take your kids fishing! Crappie are showing up occasionally as well. Fish brushy coves and creek arms - anywhere there are trees in the water. The south side of the lake has been good, and near Tuttletown is another good choice. Crappie are liking minnows or red/white crappie jigs, and perch are hitting a small piece of crawler under a bobber. Some anglers report finding crappie deep - around 40 feet, on isolated structure.

Glory Hole Sports, 736-4333.

Lake Don Pedro - Best spots to try are around partially submerged trees, near the marina and rocky points.

Power Bait and night crawlers are working for trout Anglers are catching limits of kokanee in 50 feet of water in the mornings, but in the afternoon, the fish move down to 60-80 feet. Use wedding ring spinners. Bass are hitting topwater baits and spinners in the coves. Jerry Morris of Turlock caught a 6.5-pounder. Crappie hitting on medium minnows and white jigs in brushy areas and coves. Chicken liver and anchovies best in evenings for catfish.

Lake Don Pedro, 852-2369 or 989-2206.

Tulloch Reservoir - Fish the main part of the lake for the best chance of action.

Don Jason of Oakdale Bait and Tackle said the trout bite has fallen by the wayside. The fish have gone deep. There is a great crappie bite, however. Fish are all over the lake and are biting small and medium minnows. Bass anglers are using crickets and crawdads from the shore for smallmouth bass, which also are going after watermelon Senkos or any type of plastic with a gold or copper

color.

881-0107, 847-3447.

McClure Reservoir - Fish in Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend, Cotton Creek and Temperance Creek for the best luck.

Diana Mello of A-1 Bait and Tackle said at Horseshoe Bend, anglers were limiting out on bass with crawdads. Try a flasher/crawler combo 40-50 feet deep for limits of trout. Randy Gwinn of Turlock caught a 3.5-pound bass and limited in an hour. Another angler caught two German brown trout, 5.75 pounds and 5.5, plus three rainbow trout caught in Mill Pond at bridge.

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.

John Kemper of McSwain Marina said fishing has slowed a bit, but there was a scheduled Calaveras plant recently. The handicap dock and the brushpile are the best spots for bank anglers, but the other side of the dam has been good, too. Anglers are soaking Power Bait and white Power Eggs. Trollers use flasher/crawler combos and various Rapalas between Gilligan's Island and first fence line.

378-2534.