Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 405,853 acre-feet of water. The lake level dropped three feet this last week. It is currently at 836 ft. above sea level and 252 ft. from full. The water clarity is stained in many areas and will occasionally clear up. The water temperature will continue to warm, with the average being 74-79 degrees. Glory Hole Point boat launch is a two lane dirt road and gravel leading off of the end of the point. There is not a courtesy dock and it is best to launch with a 4-wheel drive vehicle.

Trout: Fair. The trout are going to be holding in deep water throughout the hot summer months. There are not many anglers targeting trout, but he few that are fishing, have been catching a mix bag of trout and kokanee. Trolling anglers are using dark baits fished in deep water. Black, purple and blue are all good choices when fishing deep. Try using larger baits that create sound and vibration. Baits that wobble side-to-side will displace water and attract fish. Also try using gold spinners and dodgers. Gold has a higher reflective quality than silver and can be seen best in dark and stained water. Fish feed by sight, sound/vibration and smell. Be sure to add scent or tip your offerings with a chunk of crawler. Night anglers continue to produce, with many anglers catching a handful of fish under a submersible light. Anchor the boat in 25-50' of water, and drop the light 15-25' feet down. Be patient, it may take awhile for the light to attract plankton, baitfish, and trout. To catch them, try using live minnows, mini jigs, Power Bait, and crawlers. Bank anglers have had very little success catching trout from the shore. Fly anglers have been doing well fishing the local rivers and streams.

Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week goes to Bob James of Murphys. He caught a beautiful 1-pound, 12-ounce rainbow and four kokanee while trolling the main lake with an Apex and a Shad Rap.

We do encourage catch and release for the brown trout as The Department of Fish and Game will no longer be planting them. Carefully measure, weigh and photograph trophy fish and send us pictures and information.

Kokanee: Okay. The anglers targeting the kokanee are reporting a hit and miss bite. A few limits of kokanee are being caught some days and other days they are difficult to locate. The kokanee are holding in deep/cool water and can be caught from 45-75' deep. It is very important to use baits that move water or create sound/vibration. The water clarity is a bit stained and the fish are in deep water where there is very little visibility. These fish can be triggered by sound. Spinners with Colorado blades are working well because the pulsating vibration of the blade will help the fish locate the bait. Also, try using large slingblades with a slight bend. The bend will increase the amount of side-to-side wobble and give your overall presentation more movement. Scent become a very important factor when fish in water with low visibility. Be sure to apply and reapply scent throughout the day. Or, use an Oregon Tackle Scent Chamber to ensure your presentation is producing a scent trail.

Bass: Good. The bass anglers continue having much success. The bite for numbers is consistent, and there have been some big largemouth and spotted bass caught and release in the past couple of weeks. Most anglers are using a variety of soft plastics to catch the bass. Try using bulky baits and fishing them on a Texas Rig with a glass bead. Each time the bead and the weight separate and come back together, it will create a ticking sound. This will help bass locate the bait. There has been a good reaction bite and many bass seem eager to chase. It is best to fish baits that's are somewhat weedless and can be pulled through the brush. Spinnerbaits, chatterbaits and swim jigs are all good choices. Try adding a small swimbait, our crawdad soft plastic as a trailer. During the day there will be a few short windows of opportunity to hook some nice topwater fish. It is best to always have one tied on and keep trying it through the day. PLEASE PRACTICE CATCH AND RELEASE. The bigger fish are the future of our lake. Take photos and carefully release the fish back into to the lake to maintain a healthy fish population for generations to come.

Ray Housepian of North Hollywood caught a hefty 8-pound catfish while soaking nightcrawlers near the bridge.

Catfish: Good. The catfish are in shallow water and heavily feeding. This has been one of the best years for catfish, and anglers are bringing in some really nice ones. Some anglers are reporting catching dozens of cats on each trip. The bite seems to be best at night, but it is very possible to catch them during the day as well. Frozen shad, anchovies and mackerel have been producing fish. Try using these frozen baits fished weight-less. Use enough bait to make a short cast and let the bait soak lifelessly on the bottom, without being pinned down with a sinker. Remember, many of the catfish are in shallow water and close to the shoreline. Find areas with a slow, tapered shoreline. What happens on shore usually continues into the water. Try casting your bait somewhat parallel on steep banks and more toward the middle of the lake on flat banks and points.

Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week goes to Parker Barrington, Joshua Sanders and Big Cat Daddy. They hauled in a few cats with the biggest weighing 9-pounds, 5-ounces. They reported using frozen shad to catch their fish.

Crappie: Good. Some anglers have been catching a bunch of crappie at night with mini jigs fished under a submersible light.