Posted by: Kim_Hamilton on 01/19/2009 02:21 PM
Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 01/19/2009 02:22 PM
Expires: 01/01/2014 12:00 AM
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New Melones Fishing Report for January 19th, 2009~By Glory Hole Sports
Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,152,655 acre-feet of water. Water level held steady this week, and is at 962 ft. above sea level and 126 ft. from full capacity. Water in the main lake is approximately 52-54 degrees. The lake has turned over. Water is slightly stained to clear in the main lake.....
Fees are now being charged at New Melones lake: You can pay at the entrance stations if a ranger is there- at this time booths are not manned at all times. If there is no ranger at the booth, you need to go to the Glory Hole boat ramp (upper parking lot- look for the yellow posts) and put money in the Iron Ranger, and put your receipt in your vehicle window in plain view. Fees are $6 for day use, or $8 for day use and boat launch. Annual passes are available at the Visitors Center or the adjacent Rangers Station, or at the entrance booths when they are staffed. Prices are $40 for an annual day-use pass, and $60 for a day use with boat launch pass (two names on one pass, and you can move your pass from vehicle to vehicle). Discounted annual passes are available for seniors and disabled. Call the New Melones Visitors Center for further details (209) 536-9094. Money from the entrance fees will be used at New Melones Lake for improvements, so we can look forward to having a lot of new amenities in the future.
Trout: best from the bank or still-fishing from your boat, but trollers are finding fish, as well. Bank anglers and those still-fishing from their boats close to shore are finding trout in the one-to-two pound range. Glory Hole Point, Angels Cove, Tuttletown, and under the Highway 49 Stevenot Bridge are all good places to fish. Berkley Natural Scents Garlic Trout Bait has been working well. Other good choices include rainbow or chartreuse glitter Power Bait or a marshmallow/crawler combo (be sure your bait is floating off the bottom and not in the silt). Lures have been working surprisingly well- throw a gold or silver/blue Kastmaster, or a yellow or rainbow trout Roostertail. If you have a Second-Rod Stamp, throw a line out with bait, and then cast a lure- double your chances! Jodie Younger of Farmington caught some nice rainbows while bank fishing off of Glory Hole Point. She used pink Berkley Gulp! Bait. Maurice Bess of Madera wins our Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest and a free deli lunch! He caught a 4-pound, 3-ounce brown trout while fishing for crappie in Glory Hole Cove. Using red and white crappie jigs, he caught a smorgasbord of fish that included a catfish, some nice crappie, several rainbow trout, and the big brown! Congratulations, Maurice! Remember- we want to see your catch! Be sure to stop by the store so we can take your picture! We will give you a copy, and post it on the Internet on our web site, as well. Trolling seems to be getting better, especially in the coves such as Angels or Glory Hole Coves. Troll at the surface in the early morning, up to 15 feet deep when the sun is out. Use no flashers, or use ball-troll flashers, and be sure to have plenty of line out behind your boat. Use gold, silver, or shad patterned lure such as a Rapala, Rebel, Kastmaster or Needlefish. Rolling shad is a good way to target big brown trout. The limit of salmonids (trout and kokanee) at New Melones is 5 per day, 5 in possession.
Kokanee: Done for the season.
Bass: pretty slow, unless you are throwing swim baits. Fish are being found anywhere from 5-50 feet deep in creek arms. Bigger bass seems to be in shallower water, and are chasing the trout that are in the creek arms; so if you are looking for a bigger bass, throw a swim bait with a slow rate-of-fall near points and drop-offs. Drag a drop-shot-rigged or split-shot rigged 4 shad-colored worm for greatest numbers of fish, but bite is soft, and action is not wide open. Spoons and jigs are normally good for winter bite, but we havent heard about them working lately. Please gently release any bass that you catch. Remember- the Department of Fish and Game does not plant bass, so it is up to us to maintain our bass fishery.
Catfish: slow. Use anchovies, mackerel, sardines, chicken liver, or a ball of nightcrawlers. Leave your bail open so the cats can pick the bait up and swim with it- you will be more likely to hook them that way. Be sure to use a sliding sinker weight. McCoys McStoppers are great for keeping the sinker off the bait without messing around with a swivel, or splitshot that can damage your line. Tuttletown, Glory Hole Point, and near the Visitors Center are all good places to bank-fish for big cats.
Crappie and bluegill: slow. Night fishing under a light is best. Crappie can be found hanging out in submerged trees, about 10-30 feet deep. Bear Creek, Mormon Creek and Carson Creek are all good bets. With warmer weather (like we have been enjoying) they will move shallower. Ellery Stevenson found the crappie about 6 feet deep in Glory Hole Cove while fishing with clear crappie jigs. For crappie, try fishing live small or medium minnows, or crappie jigs with jigs in red/white, black/chartreuse or purple/white. Remember- 25 is the limit for crappie. Use a small piece of crawler or a cricket under a large bobber fished tight to structure in the backs of coves to target bluegill.
Melanie
Glory Hole Sports
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(209) 736-4333
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