Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 267,925 acre-feet of water. The lake level dropped two feet this past week. It is currently at 799 ft. above sea level and 286 ft. from full. The water clarity is stained in many areas and will occasionally clear up. The water temperature is starting to cool, with the average being 72-76 degrees. The dam area has been buoyed off due to current that is created when releasing water. Glory Hole Point boat launch is a one lane dirt and gravel road leading off of the end of the point. There is not a courtesy dock and it is best to launch with a 4-wheel drive vehicle.

Trout: Slow. Hopefully we are approaching the last few weeks of an extremely long summer. The water temperature is starting to drop, due to the cooler air temperatures throughout the night. Trout are much more comfortable in cool water conditions and will become very active. The shad will start to school up and start migrating into shallow water and creek channels. The trout will follow the shad and use them as their primary food source. Pay close attention to the air and water temperatures and find this pattern when it first starts. Another factor that will help improve the trout fishing is rain. The fresh water flowing into the reservoir will cool the water and create a current. These patterns are going to be here soon, we hope. This is also a great time of the year to head to the high country lakes. 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: Done. We have not had any kokanee reports for awhile now. Typically this is when they start to move up river to spawn.

Bass: Fair. The lake is starting to transition from summer conditions to fall conditions. The fish seem to be spread out from deep to shallow water. The shad are schooling up and there are bass that target these balls of bait. Use your electronics and find bait in deeper water. To catch them try using a vertical jigging spoon or with a drop shot rig fished directly under the boat. Another way to catch suspended fish is with a rip-bait. A good choice would be a Lucky Craft Staycee 90 or a Pointer. It is good to match the hatch, but with the stained water is also good to incorporate some brighter colors as well. Some fish will not suspend and can be caught dragging baits on the bottom. These fish are usually targeting crawdads. Try using baits that resemble a natural crawdad. Football head jigs are a good choice. California Reservoir Lures offers a variety of jig colors that are tied specifically for fishing the Motherlode Lakes. Another good way to cover water and fish the bottom is with a Carolina Rig. Try using soft plastics that will move water. Zoom Brush Hogs, Lizards and Ol' Monsters are all good choices. PLEASE PRACTICE CATCH AND RELEASE. The bigger fish are the future of our lake. Take photos and carefully release the fish back into to the lake to maintain a healthy fish population for generations to come.

Catfish: Good. This has been a great year for catfishing and the conditions continue to be ideal. The water temperature has cool a little bit and we expect it to continue to cool. Some of the largest catfish ever weighed at Glory Hole Sports were during the transition from summer heat into the fall. To target these lunker cats try using a whole mackerel and an over sized hook. The big bait will detour small fish, leaving your presentation for the giants that swim by. Catfish are known to be bottom-feeders but, they actually feed all throughout the water column. Catfish are opportunistic feeders. This means they rarely pass up the chance to fill their bellies. The lake has an abundance of small shad and that is most likely what the catfish are feeding on. Try using frozen shad to entice nearby feeding fish. Some catfish will leave the bottom and feed in the middle of the water column. Try using a slip-float and a bobber-stop to target these fish. Set the bobber-stop to your desired depth and try fishing near structure that would be a good area to ambush shad. Each year many catfish are caught on a nightcrawler/marshmallow rig. The mallow will float the crawler off of the bottom making it easy for the fish to locate. Remember catfish have very poor eyesight. It is a good idea to add additional scent to your presentation.

Crappie: Okay. We have had a few reports of anglers catching some nice crappie. They have not been catching a bunch, but the ones that are biting are nice and weigh up to 2-pounds. Crappie mini jigs and minnow-like soft plastic will often out fish live minnows when fished properly. Try using light line on an ultra light spinning setup to coax the larger slab-sides into biting.