New Melones Reservoir - New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,368,000 acre-feet of water. It is at 57 percent capacity. Lake elevation rose two feet this week, and is currently at 989 feet above sea level, and 98 feet from full capacity. Water temperature is 52 degrees, and very clear.
The trout bite is off and on - some anglers report easy limits of smaller fish, and others hard a hard time. Bank anglers should try in Angels or Glory Hole Coves, or Glory Hole Point. Throwing a spinner such as a Panther Martin, or a Kastmaster will catch fewer, bigger fish. Bait is working well, too, especially for planters. Try a crawler or rainbow, sherbet, or chartreuse Select Power Bait 5 feet under a bobber (use a small split-shot weight to keep your bait at the 5-foot depth), or a crawler/marshmallow combo or Power Bait with an 18-24 inch leader. Make sure your bait can float the hook and leader before you toss it into deep water. Try trolling right on the surface with crawlers/Wedding Rings, or shad or rainbow trout-patterned Needlefish, Apex or Excel spoons. Some anglers report good luck using flashers, but most are running their lures alone. Remember to have plenty of line out behind your boat, or use a side planer when trolling this time of year - the fish are so shallow that your boat will spook them away - you need to have your lure far away from your boat. Joe Hallett trolled in the main lake with a rainbow trout patterned Kastmasters to catch four nice trout weighing up to 2.7-pounds each. Jim Johnson trolled in Angels Cove with a silver Apex to catch eight trout (he released some) weighing up to 2.5-pounds each. Bill Whitlock of West Point wins Glory Hole Sports' Big Fish of the Week Contest and a free deli lunch from our world famous deli! He trolled frozen shad 50' deep in Black Bart Cove and caught a fat 4.7-pound brown trout. Congratulations, Bill!
Kokanee fishing is done for the season, although trollers are catching the occasional kokanee.
Most anglers reported a tough bite for bass this week. Smaller (one to one-and-a-half pound) spotted bass are being caught, as well as a few bigger black bass. Bass anglers should target rocky main lake points and island tops, 25 to as deep as 60 feet. Eastern and southern facing structures seem to hold the most fish, since they are the warmest. As always, look for shad and you will find the bass. There is a good jig bite. Try brown/green combos such as a Glory Hole Hand-Tied in Tom Schachten Brown or Magic, with a green pumpkin grub trailer, or a black/blue jig/trailer combo. Drop-shotted shad or crawdad-colored 4" worms or grubs, or a Carolina-rigged green pumpkin Baby Brush Hog will catch fish. Remember, with winter weather, a slow presentation is the key. Anglers report a very soft bite, so using a sensitive rod and setting the hook if you feel any change in pressure at all is very important.
The catfish bite is slow, although we did have a big cat caught last week. Glory Hole Point or Angels Cove, near Tuttletown or under the 49 Bridge are all good places for bank anglers to fish for cats. Use mackerel, anchovies or sardines, crawlers, chicken liver, or live large minnows.
Crappie and perch fishing is slow. Fish 30-50 feet deep near structure such as trees, with small minnows or crappie jigs. Bear Creek and Carson Creek are two good places to try. Anyone with current crappie stories, we'd love to hear them!
Winter store hours are Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Remember to get your new fishing licenses and stamps. Striped bass stamps were eliminated, but there is a new stamp needed for fishing in the Delta/Bay Area.
Glory Hole Sports, 736-4333.
Lake Don Pedro - The weather this past week has been pretty chilly. Some days there has been clouds and drizzle. Every once in a while the sun will peek out from the clouds, and shine for a while.
Trout have been doing quite well lately. There have been reports of 12-14 inch trout from Rogers Creek. The fishermen were fishing with orange wedding rings, trolling them behind the boat about 70 feet just under the surface.
For salmon you need to go near railroad canyon. I have heard if you fish on the bottom using an apex or needlefish you could have a good chance of catching a salmon.
The bass are still running a little slow this time of the year. Your best bet for them would probably be using a top water bait. Some good places to try for bass are Jenkins Hill, School House Point, and Six Bit Bay.
As for crappie and bluegill, I have not heard much of anything about them. As usual they stay in the areas with grass and brush. They are very fond of mini jigs and small minnows.
One fisherman reported catching a 24-inch catfish off the shore, he was using yellow powerbait. Your best bet for catfish is using anchovies or good old blood bait.
Tip of the Week: Lately we have only had the few avid fishermen out here, due to the cold weather. The weather is promising to be a little better so now is your chance to get out and fish.
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 trout is still the ticket, but timing is the key. The bite turns off the day before the storm, but comes back during and after the storm when the pressure stabilizes. Troll shallow with a No. 2 or 3 Needlefish in silver shad or blue chrome. Bank anglers are catching trout on night crawlers and rainbow Power Bait.
The bass bite is tough. Try a black jig up the creek arms for a largemouth bass and spinner bait for smallmouth bass. Either way, it will require some patience.
881-0107, 847-3447
McClure Reservoir - Best places to try your luck are Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend, Cotton Creek and Temperance Creek.
Jim McDaniel of A-1 Bait and Tackle said trout fishing is good, and the best spot still is Horseshoe Bend. Use Needlefish and Excels 15 feet deep. Most are in the 14- to 16-inch range. Not much buzz is coming from the trout fishing by the dam.
The bass bite was good this past weekend. Fish averaged almost 3 pounds. Most were caught on plastics in shad colors.
Night fishing is best for crappie around Barrett Cove. Occasionally, there are a few around the marina around McClure Point. Use minnows and jigs.
563-6505, 378-2441
McSwain Reservoir - For the best chance at catching some fish, try the brushpile, in front of the campgrounds and marina, Gilligan's Island and the handicap dock.
John Kemper from McSwain Marina said an angler using a nightcrawler 9 inches behind a dodger was nailing trout in front of the chimney area. That seems to be the best spot for trollers. Bank anglers are doing well at the brushpile. Bigger fish are starting to move in. There was a 2-pounder and a 3-pounder this week. The number of fish wasn't impressive, but the ones being caught are good quality. The lake came up to full pool, so bigger fish have been coming up. A black leech has been working for the fly fishermen, black roostertails or leech-type lures for trollers should work. 378-2534.
The trout bite is off and on - some anglers report easy limits of smaller fish, and others hard a hard time. Bank anglers should try in Angels or Glory Hole Coves, or Glory Hole Point. Throwing a spinner such as a Panther Martin, or a Kastmaster will catch fewer, bigger fish. Bait is working well, too, especially for planters. Try a crawler or rainbow, sherbet, or chartreuse Select Power Bait 5 feet under a bobber (use a small split-shot weight to keep your bait at the 5-foot depth), or a crawler/marshmallow combo or Power Bait with an 18-24 inch leader. Make sure your bait can float the hook and leader before you toss it into deep water. Try trolling right on the surface with crawlers/Wedding Rings, or shad or rainbow trout-patterned Needlefish, Apex or Excel spoons. Some anglers report good luck using flashers, but most are running their lures alone. Remember to have plenty of line out behind your boat, or use a side planer when trolling this time of year - the fish are so shallow that your boat will spook them away - you need to have your lure far away from your boat. Joe Hallett trolled in the main lake with a rainbow trout patterned Kastmasters to catch four nice trout weighing up to 2.7-pounds each. Jim Johnson trolled in Angels Cove with a silver Apex to catch eight trout (he released some) weighing up to 2.5-pounds each. Bill Whitlock of West Point wins Glory Hole Sports' Big Fish of the Week Contest and a free deli lunch from our world famous deli! He trolled frozen shad 50' deep in Black Bart Cove and caught a fat 4.7-pound brown trout. Congratulations, Bill!
Kokanee fishing is done for the season, although trollers are catching the occasional kokanee.
Most anglers reported a tough bite for bass this week. Smaller (one to one-and-a-half pound) spotted bass are being caught, as well as a few bigger black bass. Bass anglers should target rocky main lake points and island tops, 25 to as deep as 60 feet. Eastern and southern facing structures seem to hold the most fish, since they are the warmest. As always, look for shad and you will find the bass. There is a good jig bite. Try brown/green combos such as a Glory Hole Hand-Tied in Tom Schachten Brown or Magic, with a green pumpkin grub trailer, or a black/blue jig/trailer combo. Drop-shotted shad or crawdad-colored 4" worms or grubs, or a Carolina-rigged green pumpkin Baby Brush Hog will catch fish. Remember, with winter weather, a slow presentation is the key. Anglers report a very soft bite, so using a sensitive rod and setting the hook if you feel any change in pressure at all is very important.
The catfish bite is slow, although we did have a big cat caught last week. Glory Hole Point or Angels Cove, near Tuttletown or under the 49 Bridge are all good places for bank anglers to fish for cats. Use mackerel, anchovies or sardines, crawlers, chicken liver, or live large minnows.
Crappie and perch fishing is slow. Fish 30-50 feet deep near structure such as trees, with small minnows or crappie jigs. Bear Creek and Carson Creek are two good places to try. Anyone with current crappie stories, we'd love to hear them!
Winter store hours are Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Remember to get your new fishing licenses and stamps. Striped bass stamps were eliminated, but there is a new stamp needed for fishing in the Delta/Bay Area.
Glory Hole Sports, 736-4333.
Lake Don Pedro - The weather this past week has been pretty chilly. Some days there has been clouds and drizzle. Every once in a while the sun will peek out from the clouds, and shine for a while.
Trout have been doing quite well lately. There have been reports of 12-14 inch trout from Rogers Creek. The fishermen were fishing with orange wedding rings, trolling them behind the boat about 70 feet just under the surface.
For salmon you need to go near railroad canyon. I have heard if you fish on the bottom using an apex or needlefish you could have a good chance of catching a salmon.
The bass are still running a little slow this time of the year. Your best bet for them would probably be using a top water bait. Some good places to try for bass are Jenkins Hill, School House Point, and Six Bit Bay.
As for crappie and bluegill, I have not heard much of anything about them. As usual they stay in the areas with grass and brush. They are very fond of mini jigs and small minnows.
One fisherman reported catching a 24-inch catfish off the shore, he was using yellow powerbait. Your best bet for catfish is using anchovies or good old blood bait.
Tip of the Week: Lately we have only had the few avid fishermen out here, due to the cold weather. The weather is promising to be a little better so now is your chance to get out and fish.
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 trout is still the ticket, but timing is the key. The bite turns off the day before the storm, but comes back during and after the storm when the pressure stabilizes. Troll shallow with a No. 2 or 3 Needlefish in silver shad or blue chrome. Bank anglers are catching trout on night crawlers and rainbow Power Bait.
The bass bite is tough. Try a black jig up the creek arms for a largemouth bass and spinner bait for smallmouth bass. Either way, it will require some patience.
881-0107, 847-3447
McClure Reservoir - Best places to try your luck are Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend, Cotton Creek and Temperance Creek.
Jim McDaniel of A-1 Bait and Tackle said trout fishing is good, and the best spot still is Horseshoe Bend. Use Needlefish and Excels 15 feet deep. Most are in the 14- to 16-inch range. Not much buzz is coming from the trout fishing by the dam.
The bass bite was good this past weekend. Fish averaged almost 3 pounds. Most were caught on plastics in shad colors.
Night fishing is best for crappie around Barrett Cove. Occasionally, there are a few around the marina around McClure Point. Use minnows and jigs.
563-6505, 378-2441
McSwain Reservoir - For the best chance at catching some fish, try the brushpile, in front of the campgrounds and marina, Gilligan's Island and the handicap dock.
John Kemper from McSwain Marina said an angler using a nightcrawler 9 inches behind a dodger was nailing trout in front of the chimney area. That seems to be the best spot for trollers. Bank anglers are doing well at the brushpile. Bigger fish are starting to move in. There was a 2-pounder and a 3-pounder this week. The number of fish wasn't impressive, but the ones being caught are good quality. The lake came up to full pool, so bigger fish have been coming up. A black leech has been working for the fly fishermen, black roostertails or leech-type lures for trollers should work. 378-2534.
