Water Conditions

New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,871,053 acre feet. The lake level came up four feet this past week and should continue to rise throughout the spring months. It is currently at 1040 ft. above sea level and 48 ft. above full. There is a very solid snow pack and the lake could possibly be full by this summer. There is some floating debris on the surface which will increase as you travel upriver.

Rick caught a handful of New Melones trout.

Trout

There are still trout biting up near the surface from 5' to 15'. As the lake warms the trout will move toward deeper water on the main lake and over the main river channel. When the lake is this full, the trout will often bite throughout the summer months as well. Trolling anglers should try fishing a top-line in the morning and dropping down a little deeper as the sun comes up. The water will have a slight stain in some areas along with a bit of debris. A gold trolling spoon is an excellent choice under these conditions. An Acme Phoebe in 1/4oz. will do the trick. With the kokanee bite nearing, try using a lure that will appeal to both trout and kokanee. Trout will often bite Apex, bladed hoochies and wiggle hoochies in bright colors. Bank anglers will find a few trout while fishing from the shoreline. Try using Power Bait and nightcrawlers to entice fish. Bright colors work best. The river and stream trout season opens the last Saturday in April. The creeks and rivers will be flowing high for a month or two, be sure to use heavier lures that will sink down to where the fish are holding.

Kokanee

The season is right around the corner and the first fish usually start showing up in April. The lake is very full in comparison to the past few years. The kokanee will still associate to deep water on the main lake. Try the dam area toward the spillway and the mouth of Angels Cove.

Casey Strom of Angels Camp caught this healthy largemouth on his first outing of the year. He reported using a Senko to catch this one.

Bass

The lake continues to rise each week and the bass will follow the rising water. During the spring the bass prefer shallow water, however they will pull out to deep water when the weather is unstable and cold. On nice sunny days the fish will continue to move into coves and pockets. It is best to fish a presentation that will work in both deep and shallow water. A Texas rigged worm is a good option. There are a few ways to enhance a standard Texas rig. Add a bead to create a ticking sound, dye the tail and add scent. These slight adjustments will trigger a few more strike on each outing. There is an abundance of grass and flooded vegetation lining the lake. Lures that can be pulled through the grass without hanging up will trigger strikes. Small swimbaits and flukes are both good options.

Crappie

This has been an extremely exceptional year for the crappie. Many anglers are catching a bunch of large crappie on a variety of baits. The crappie can be found in creek channels and coves. They absolutely thrive when the lake is lined with flooded grass. Try using crappie jigs and small artificial minnows to cover water and find schools of crappie. Live minnows fished under a slip-float can also be very productive.

Catfish

The catfish have started to move into shallow coves and pockets. As the water rises many critters will be caught off guard and not survive. The catfish will search in shallow water and near islands looking for some larger meals. Try fishing near rock in areas that have shallow flats. If running water is near that is a bonus. Fish with large chunks of frozen bait, a ball of nightcrawlers or live minnows.