Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 277,743 acre-feet of water. The lake level came up two feet this past week. It is currently at 802 ft. above sea level and 284 ft. from full. The water clarity is clear in most of the lake and stained in some of the creek arms. The water temperature continues to cool, with the average being 50-54 degrees. The dam area remains 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. The DFG has recently planted fish in New Melones. We still haven't seen many trout being caught at the lake yet. A few planted fish have been caught, but we are waiting for a wave of holdover trout to move to the shallow water and up toward the surface. This week we are expected to get a bunch of rain in a short period of time. This will hopefully get some of the creek channels and drainages flowing. This fresh water will push out into the lake and the fish should move to where there is current. The moving water will provide oxygen, nutrients and will wash feed into the lake. Try finding areas near running water and drainages. Bank anglers should try fishing with a nightcrawler and a small split-shot weight. Use a worm threader to thread the worm onto the hook. This setup will appear very natural and life-like. Any nearby fish should come over to bite. The water will sometimes be stained with mud and debris. Try adding a bright colored Power Egg or marshmallow to your presentation. The bright color and scent will help the fish locate your bait. Boating anglers should use similar tactics from the water. Look for fresh water washing into the lake and fish with a natural crawler setup. It is not a bad idea to try casting lures to cover water as well. Try fan casting in main lake pockets and toward the mouth of any major creek channel. Once again, if the water has a little stain to it, try using bright and flashy lures. Trolling anglers should try top lining and long lining near the shore line. Small crankbaits and minnow-like baits work best for this presentation. 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. Generally we will start seeing a few fish caught in April.

Bass: Good. The water temperature continues to drop each week and the fish are responding accordingly. The bass have moved to deep water and can be caught using winter time tactics. The fish spend most of their day on the bottom and will come over and bite a slow crawling presentation. The fish will not move very far and will not chase fast moving baits. Be patient and work each are thoroughly. Try using a Texas rigged worm when fishing near wood. The weedless rigging will help when shaking the bait over branches and through brush. When fishing areas that are void of wood, try using a darthead worm. Shad and crawdad colors are always a good choice. If you are fishing near stained water try using just a dash of chartreuse to get the attention of nearby bass. Another great technique that can be used all winter is vertical jigging. Use your electronics to locate areas that are holding bait and bass. This could be anywhere from 25-60' of water and even deeper. Use heavy spoons in deep water and lighter spoon if the fish are shallow or suspended in the upper water column. Creek channels, steep bluffs and long points near deep water are all good places to find fish during the colder months. If they won't hit the spoon, switch to a drop-shot rig which is a more subtle presentation. Sometimes it is best to just lower the bait to the fish, and hold it there without and action. If it sits in front of them for a long period of time they will feel compelled to swim over and eat it. Add scent to entice a few more fish into biting. 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: Slow. Some anglers will target catfish all year long. When fishing for catfish in cold water you can expect to get very few bites. Some huge catfish do get caught during the winter, often by anglers targeting trout. Power Bait dough, nightcrawlers and marshmallow will work for both trout and catfish. Try fishing near the main river channel and deep water. Use plenty of scent to draw fish to your bait.

Crappie: Slow. Very few anglers target crappie at this time of the year. They will school up and feed on shad along with the bass and trout. Try using live minnows or vertical jigging spoons if you can locate a school of crappie. They will generally be found holding tight to large, isolated standing timber.