Water Conditions

New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,327,711 acre-feet of water. The lake level came up thirty four feet this past week and will continue to rise with the recent and upcoming rainfall. It is currently at 984 ft. above sea level and 104 ft. from full. The water clarity is stained in most of the lake with some areas clearing faster than others. There is scattered debris floating on the surface throughout the lake. The water temperature is a steady 49-52 degrees.

THE MIDDLE RAMP ON THE GLORY HOLE SIDE IS OPEN WITH TWO COURTESY DOCKS IN PLACE.

Collin Kelley of Modesto spent a couple of days trolling for trout. He caught his limit both days fishing a trolling spoon near the surface.

Trout

It looks like the next couple of days will be clear and then we will be getting some more rain. It is amazing how much fresh water has come into the lake up to this point. The fresh water and flooded vegetation will produce nutrient, making the lake extremely healthy. Many anglers have been doing well on both clear and stormy days. The trout can be found near drainages that have had or have running water. Trolling anglers should target areas near flowing water, trolling just outside of the debris. The water will wash small insects into the lake. Fish will swim just below the surface in search of a meal. Try using a lure that can be fished on a top-line. Small billed plugs and trolling spoons are both good choices. Bright colors continue to produce fish. With live crawlers and insects being pushed into the water, the fish will be very comfortable feeding on these offerings. Try using a small tear drop slingblade trailed by a crawler. The blade will draw the fish near and they will bite the crawler without hesitation. Bank anglers have been catching a few fish during these rapidly rising water conditions. It may take a day or two for the fish to move into shallow and freshly flooded areas. Look for coves and pockets that have a slow tapering shoreline. The trout will swim just below the floating debris that will be pushed into these areas. Try using nightcrawlers in combination with Power Bait or Power Eggs. Once the water clears, try using natural colored Power Bait and fish with bright colors when it becomes stained. This is a great time to use a bubble and fly technique fished on the surface. A wooly bugger or bead headed nymph would be a good choice. You can also fish a crawler, mini jig or artificial minnow with this technique. We do encourage catch and release of brown trout, as there does not seem to be a large population of them in the lake. Carefully measure, weigh and photograph trophy fish and send us pictures and information.

Kokanee

The kokanee generally will not start to bite until spring. April is a good month to start targeting the kokanee again.

Bass

With the water level rising rapidly, the fish have scattered throughout the lake. Some fish will hold deep and others will move shallow. They will also be holding on a variety of structure types. As the water level becomes more consistent, so will the bite and the fish behavior. The water temperatures are fairly cold and the fish are in a winter-like pattern. Slow moving baits will draw strikes. Keep an open mind and fish different depths throughout the day. The fish will move and relocate. There is an abundance of freshly flooded vegetation lining the lake. Weedless presentation can be used to effectively cover water without hauling in grass on every cast. A Texas rigged worm is a great choice. The bullet shaped weight pulls through grass and a texposed rigging is completely weedless. A Carolina rig is another good choice. Many anglers will continue to catch fish on a drop-shot rig. A long leader will hold the worm above the grass. As the water warms, some fish will become more active and be willing to chase. A small swimbait fish on an underspin is a good option.

PLEASE PRACTICE CATCH AND RELEASE. Take photos and carefully release the fish back into to the lake to maintain a healthy fish population for generations to come.

Catfish

The catfish bite during the winter months is generally pretty slow. There will be small critters that are trapped during these conditions and the catfish will often take advantage. Nightcrawlers are a good choice for bait during the cold winter months and into the spring. A little scent will also help the fish locate your bait.

Crappie

The crappie are starting to bite and the prime time to catch them is right around the corner. With the recent rising water level the crappie will start to move back into some of the coves and creek channels. They love flooded brush and vegetation. Try using small spinners or mini jigs to locate crappie. We will have live minnows in a week or so. They work extremely well for locating schools of fish.