Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 617,717 acre-feet of water. The lake level dropped four feet this week and is currently at 881 ft. above sea level and 204 ft. from full. The water is stained in most areas of the lake, and fairly clear in others. There are mud lines forming near the shore throughout the day, especially on windy days and days with a lot of boating traffic. The average water temperature is 76-82 degrees. Tuttletown launch is closed. Glory Hole Point boat launch is open, and there are no plans to close it. There will be some transition periods between launches where launching will be limited to one or two lanes.


Trout: Fair. Night fishing anglers have been catching some nice rainbows while fishing under a submersible light. The spillway and the dam are good areas to target trout. Also try anchoring near the mouths of major creek channels. These intersections between the main lake and creeks are good places to find bait and trout feeding on shad. Try dropping nightcrawlers, Power Bait or live minnows below the light. If there is no sign of bait within a couple hours, pull anchor and relocate. You might have to try fishing a few areas to find a school of feeding fish. Trolling anglers have been catching a few fish trolling from 40-60' over deep water. Shad patterned spoons work well. Try trolling Speedy Shiners from 2-3 mph. Another setup that works well is a flasher/crawler combo. Thread a crawler onto a straight shank hook and troll it behind a string of flashers.


Kokanee: Good. The fish have been a little harder to find, but most anglers are still catching limits. The fish have moved to deeper water. Try trolling in 70-100' of water to find the schools of kokanee. The fish are schooling on the main lake near the dam, the spillway and Rose Island. With there being less light and visibility in deep water try using baits that disperse a large amount of water. An Apex is a prime example of a lure that moves water. The size of the lure and the side-to-side action will help the fish locate it. Darker colors work best in deeper water and pink is always a good choice. Gold, copper and painted blades have been working well. Try adding a slight bend to your blade to give it more action. Don't forget to add scent to your presentation and tip your hooks with dyed and scented shoepeg corn.


Bass: Fair. It's Official the New World Record spotted bass 10.48-pounds caught by Keith Bryan on February 22, 2014. The bass are in a summer pattern where they will move shallow at night and in the morning for a short period of time to feed. Then they will head back to cool water for the hot hours of the day. First thing in the morning try using reaction type baits. Flukes, spinnerbaits and square billed crankbaits have been working. Once the sun comes up try switching to slower moving baits. Try dragging a Carolina Rig near deep water or, shaking a Texas Rig near some wood. The shad have been schooled up and are in deep water. If you can locate the shad there should be some bass nearby. Try using a jigging spoon to target fish that are feeding on deep water baitfish. 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: Good. Most anglers that are targeting the cats are catching multiple fish on each outing. Some big cats are showing up in shallow water. Melones catfish tend to be fish-eaters rather than bottom foragers, so use live minnows, frozen shad, mackerel, or anchovies for best success. In dark water and murky water it is a good idea to add extra scent to your bait. Catfish hunt by sound/vibration and smell. Try using a couple rods to offer the fish a variety of baits. Also, large baits and large portions of bait will tempt the monster catfish.


Crappie: Slow. We have had a handful of reports of anglers catching some chunky 2-pound slabs while fishing at night under a submersible light. Try using live minnows and crappie jigs. Anchor in the backs of coves where there is a large amount of exposed wood.