Water Conditions

New Melones Lake is currently holding 535,219 acre-feet of water. The lake level remained stable this past week and it appears more water is being held and less is being released. It is currently at 865 ft. above sea level and 220 ft. from full. The water clarity is clear in most of the lake with a slight stain in some areas. The water temperature is warm and slightly cooling, with the average being 72-76 degrees. The concrete ramp is CLOSED and longer in use. There is also a courtesy dock on the dirt launch which will be in place for the remainder of the summer and until the concrete ramp is open again.

Trout

This is typically a tough time of year to catch trout. They will be holding in extremely deep water and moving up shallow once the surface temperature drops and the lake turns over. Generally the first couple weeks of November we will see the lake fully turned. As we approach cooler water, the bite should slowly start to get better as the fish move up in the water column. Trolling anglers should try fishing from 70'-90' over the main river channel were the water temperature will be the coolest. There are schools of shad holding in deep water and the trout are feeding on them. Shad patterned spoons rig in tandem will work well. Also, try using larger plugs that would be typically used for bass fishing. Rattle Traps, Jointed Shad Raps and Speed Traps can be trolled at faster speeds which will draw the attention of these deep water trout. Night anglers have been few and we have not received any current reports. Minnows and Power Bait can be used to catch trout under a submersible light at night. Bank anglers will find better luck in the High Sierras fishing the rivers, streams and lakes. The bank fishing will pick up once the water temperature cools. We are looking forward to seeing some large trout move shallow this late fall and winter. 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.

Lake Record Rainbow Trout 8-pound 2-ounce

This fish was caught by John Gray of Groveland on September 7, 2012. John caught this fish while fishing on the Take it to the Limit Guide service boat with guide Gary Burns. He was trolling the main lake in 73 feet of water with a chrome/blue Excel.

Kokanee

The season has pretty much come to an end. It has been a couple weeks since we've heard of any kokanee being caught. They will be on the move and working their way upriver to spawn.

Bass

The bass fishing has been good for numbers, but not great for catching big fish. Many of the bass are schooling and chasing shad in open water. The shad are in deep water where it is much cooler. The bass will ambush the shad as they move toward the surface and main lake structure. The mornings and evening there will be a small window of opportunity to catch a bunch of fish while they are feeding. This is a good time to throw topwater baits and reaction type baits. During the day the bass are suspended and can be caught with finesse presentations. A small shad patterned worm fish on a dropshot rig will work. Also, try using small swimbaits fished at various depths to find schools of fish. Sometimes the fish will key in on multiple shad and not just one here and one there. This is a good time to throw a multi-lure presentation such as an umbrella rig or double fluke rig. Match the size of your swimbaits to the size of the shad they are feeding on. PLEASE PRACTICE CATCH AND RELEASE. Take photos and carefully release the fish back into to the lake to maintain a healthy fish population for generations to come.

Catfish

We are very excited to be bringing back the Glory Hole Sports Fall Catfish Contest which will be going for the entire month of November. Sign-ups will start October 1st. The bite has been pretty good and many anglers are landing some nice 6 to 10-pound catfish while fishing from shore or off a boat. Catfish will feed at any hour but the bite is usually best at night and slow throughout the heat of the day. Throughout the cooler fall months they will feed all day and night in order to bulk up for the cold winter months. Melones catfish are fish eaters and will feed on shad, trout, kokanee, baby bass and sunfish. Frozen fish will often coax some of the largest fish into biting. Nightcrawlers and chicken livers will also catch some hefty cats each year. Target depths from 5-25' and switch location and bait until you find what the fish want. Look for shallow water areas with deep water nearby. The fish will seek refuge deep and move shallow to feed.

Crappie

The crappie bite has slowed and there are very few anglers targeting them. In the late summer the best time to target crappie is at night. They will suspend in tall timber near deep water and feed on schools of shad that swim past throughout the night. Try using live minnows or mini jigs fished under a slip float.