Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding

830,092 acre-feet of water. The lake level dropped five feet this week and is currently at 917 ft. above sea level and 168 ft. from full. The water is stained in some areas, and clear in others. There are mud lines forming near the shore throughout the day. The average water temperature is 68-73 degrees and rising daily. The boat launch ramps on the Glory Hole side have been moved back out to the end of the point which makes for an easy walk.

Trout: Slow. A few trout are being caught by anglers who are targeting kokanee. The fish are at many different depths and scattered about. In the next couple months they will definitely be favoring the cooler water near the river channel in the main lake. Trolling anglers try fishing various depths from 10-60'. Excel, Needlefish, and Speedy Shiner spoons are all good choices for trolling. Another setup that produces many fish is a flasher/crawler combo. Try threading a crawler onto a straight shank hook and trolling it behind a string of flashers or a teardrop dodger. Bank fishing for trout has been very slow. Trout season is open for rivers, and streams, it might be best to try your luck in these areas. If you do choose to target trout from the bank try using chartreuse or rainbow garlic Power Bait. Night anglers have been having some success fishing under submersible lights. The fish will be in deep water throughout the day and move into shallower water at night to feed. Nightcrawlers and Power Bait will work well and also live minnows are hard to beat. Try using a slip-float and a bobber stop to set your presentation at exact depths. 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: Good. The kokanee bite continues to get better each week. The weather is gradually getting warmer, which usually makes the fishing really good. The main lake has been holding schools of kokanee. Rose Island, the dam and the spillway have all been producing limits. There are also fish being caught near the 49-bridge and Coyote Creek. Most of the fish are starting to look rather healthy measuring from 10-13". They have been biting an assortment of lures including Uncle Larry's Spinners, Glitter Bug's Micro Hoochies and Simon Wobblers. As far as color selection goes, pink, orange and watermelon are all good choices. Also try adding a little extra bend to your dodgers to create more swing from side-to-side. Don't forget to tip your presentations with scented corn, Berkley Nibbles, or Berkley Maggots. Add plenty of scent to draw fish from a distance. Pro Cure garlic, anise, kokanee special and bloody tuna are all proven fish catchers.

Bass: Fair. The water is still dropping quite a bit each week. The bite has slowed down and the majority of fish are heading back into deeper water. The spawn is complete and the fish are in a post-spawn stage. They will be feeding heavily in the morning and evenings and will be hanging in the deep water midday. Try using reaction type baits to catch the fish that are eager to feed. Then as the sun comes up switch to slower moving baits fished sub-surface. The fish are feeding on blue gill, shad, crawdads, and baby bass. Soft plastics and hard baits in these colors would all be good choices. In stained water try using brighter colors or baits that have more flash. Chartreuse and orange crankbaits and spinnerbaits will work well and a dye pen will enhance your soft plastics.

Chad Sutton of Escalon caught a 7-pound largemouth bass. He reported catching it on a soft plastic stick bait.

Please practice catch and release during the spring months. The fish are full of eggs in preparation for the spawn. Take photos and carefully release the fish back into to the lake to maintain a healthy fish population for generations to come.

Catfish: Very Good. The big cats are up in shallow water and feeding heavily. The water temperature is getting warmer each day which has encouraged the cats to move shallow. Try using frozen shad or a ball of crawlers to target these fish. Catfish are drawn to bait by scent so it is a good idea to add additional scent to your bait.

Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week goes to Glenn Mitchell. He and 12-year old Parker Barrington and 14-year old Payton Barrington caught a bunch of fat cats the biggest one weighed 9-pounds, 3-ounce. They reported catching their fish on the south end of the lake, on shad and chicken liver.

Crappie: Slow. The crappie have been a bit hard to find, but we have had reports of a few anglers catching a handful of chunky slabs. There is a bunch of exposed wood and standing timber to fish. Try using a mini jig, or a beetle spin to locate the schools of fish. Red and white is a great crappie color. Chartreuse, yellow, and orange will also trigger strikes.