Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 312,745 acre-feet of water. The lake level came up two feet this past week. It is currently at 812 ft. above sea level and 274 ft. from full. The water clarity is stained due to recent rainfall and wind. Some areas are clear and not affected by the storms. The water temperature remains cool, with the average being 50-54 degrees. The dam area is 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.

Rod Smith of Sonora caught a rainbow trout upriver on a Kastmaster. He was rewarded a FREE Kastmaster for stopping by the store for a photograph.

Trout: Slow. The DFG has recently planted fish in New Melones. We are waiting for some trout to move to shallow water, but haven't seen any yet. Every year they will move shallow once the lake turns over. The lake has turned and there are still no signs of any trout. Other surrounding lakes have also reported a postponed trout bite. Hopefully the bite turns on soon and we start seeing some of those beautiful holdover trout that New Melones has to offer. Bank anglers should try using a standard bait rig. Try floating Power Bait off the bottom or fishing with a crawler/mallow setup. Use light line and a light wire hook to ensure your presentation remains floating. It is not a bad idea to purchase a second rod stamp and fish with a casting lure while your bait soaks. A Kastmaster is always a good choice. Try using bright colors and gold. The water has a little stain to it and these colors will standout best. Boating anglers should try top-lining a small minnow-like plug or fishing it on leadcore line. Again, use bold colors that will be easily spotted in stained water. Gold, firetiger, hot steel and orange are all good choices. Another lure that works well when fishing in stained or dingy water is a Rattle Trap. This lure creates a lot of sound and vibration and will attract fish from a distance. 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: Okay. The bass bite has been good and you can usually find some actively feeding fish throughout the day. The water temperature has reached its average winter temperature and the fish are responding accordingly. The nice thing about wintertime fishing in the Mother Lode is the spotted bass will continue to feed much more than largemouth. This will provide opportunity to catch some nice fish on each outing. There are plenty of fish that are holding near the bottom or suspended just above. This makes bottom bouncing baits a productive choice. Try using a Texas rigged worm with a crawdad patterned soft plastic. A Texas rig can be fished slowly across the bottom and is a weedless presentation. There are a handful of trees and brush. A weedless presentation will allow you to spend more time fishing and less time retying. Jigs are also a good choice and the fiber weed guard will help prevent snagging. It is not a bad idea to spend a little time watching your graph and searching for bait balls. Once you locate an abundance of shad you can use a vertical jigging spoon to catch a bunch of fish. If they don't respond to the jig, a drop-shot rig should do the trick. When hooking fish in deep water it is best to retrieve them slowly. If they are reeled in to fast, they will not be able to adjust to the pressure and will have an expanded air bladder. Be sure to bring a fizzing needle to deflate their bladder for a safe release. 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.