Fishing Report

Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 603,557 acre-feet of water. The lake level came up three feet this past week. It is currently at 882 ft. above sea level and 203 ft. from full. The water clarity is clear in many areas and stained in a few due to wind and rainfall. There is some debris floating on the surface. The water temperature is gradually rising, with the average being 56-62 degrees. The dam area is still buoyed off. Glory Hole Point boat launch is a two lane concrete ramp with a courtesy dock in place.

Trout: Good. The trout bite this spring has been much better than it was during the winter months. Each week we are seeing more trout near the surface and being caught by anglers. The lake has come up over 80' since the first of the year and all that fresh water has made the trout more comfortable and willing to bite. Boating anglers have had success trolling spoons near the surface and down to 30'. Some anglers have also reported luck trolling a string of flashers trailed by a nightcrawler. The flash and vibration will attract fish and they will eat the crawler. Some kayak anglers have been doing well trolling a wooly bugger or a tube fly behind a teardrop flasher. Bank anglers are having very little success fishing for trout from the shore. It is best to use bait that will appeal to multiple species. Live minnows and nightcrawlers are both good choices.

Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week goes to Bob James of Murphys. He caught a nice limit of trout while trolling a brightly painted Rapala in the 49-Bridge area.

Kevin Wright of Manteca had a great day of fishing for trout. He reported catching his limit from 11:00 to 1:00 on the main lake while trolling an Excel Spoon.

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: Slow. The kokanee bite is right around the corner. We have had a few reports of anglers catching kokanee while trolling for trout. The second week in April is usually when we start to see some fish being caught. May through August, are prime months to target the kokanee. For those who want to start targeting kokanee, try trolling a pink spinner or hoochie trailed behind a slingblade or teardrop dodger. Be sure to add corn to each hook.

Bass: Good. New Melones is a great lake to target spotted bass and largemouth. We have had an exceptional spring and can expect the next few months to continue to produce. The fish are moving to and from the shoreline and are in a prespawn/spawn mode. Look for areas that have both deep and shallow water nearby. The fish will stage in the deep water and then move shallow to spawn when the time is right. Many anglers are using a variety of soft plastic baits to target bass. Wright Baits makes a selection of hand poured worms that have been catching bass on New Melones for years. Try using a weedless rigging method when fishing near wood and switching to an exposed hook when fishing rock. A 6" worm rigged wacky, with a nail insert has great action and can be fished in areas void of wood. A Texas Rig or shakeyhead is best when fishing near cover. With water temperatures raising many fish are becoming more active and will be more likely to chase fast moving baits. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits and chatterbaits are all good choices. The bass will be very defensive during the spawn. Use bright colors that will agitate the bass and draw a reaction strike from them. Bluegill and baby bass colors work extremely well during the spring months. Keep this in mind when choosing colors for reaction baits and soft plastics.

Awesome day on New Melones! Josh Parris and Nick Lynch won the Future pro event with 21.26-pounds and had a 9.25-pound kicker fish.

VERY IMPORTANT: PLEASE PRACTICE CATCH AND RELEASE. The spawn is near and many fish will be holding eggs. Take photos and carefully release the fish back into to the lake to maintain a healthy fish population for generations to come.

Catfish: Good. The water has warmed to a very optimal temperature for the catfish to become active. Many catfish are moving into shallow water and feeding often throughout the day. Catfish are commonly mistaken as bottom feeders, but they will actually hunt and feed on other fish and creatures much like a bass would. Try using shad or nightcrawlers to offer a presentation they would naturally feed on. Catfish have very poor eyesight and feed by scent as well. Add scent to help the fish locate your bait.

Crappie: Good. The crappie have responded well to the raising water levels. Many anglers are catching some nice fish up to 2-pounds. There seems to be schools of crappie to be found, rather than isolated fish here and there. It is best to use a lure that can be fished fast to locate the crappie. A small Beetle Spin is a good choice. Once a few have been located, slow down and fish with a mini jig or a live minnow under a slip-float. Using a mini jig and a live minnow in combination will often work best. The fish will be attracted to the bright colors of the jig and won't be able to refuse the action of the minnow swimming around. Look for areas with large standing timber and shallow water nearby.