Water Conditions

New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,825,784 acre feet. The lake level came up four feet this past week and should continue to rise throughout the spring months. It is currently at 1036 ft. above sea level and 52 ft. above full. There is a very solid snow pack and the lake could possibly be full by this summer. There is some floating debris on the surface which will increase as you travel upriver.

Bob James of Murphys is a very accomplished angler and one of the best on New Melones. He reported catching this beautiful 2-pound, 10-ounce rainbow while trolling a Hot Steel Rapala on the main lake.

Trout

Some anglers are catching nice holdover and planted rainbow trout. The planted fish have grown to a respectable size and the holdover fish are averaging 3-pounds. As the water temperature continues to warm, the trout will start to head toward deeper cooler water. Trolling anglers should focus on toplining in the early morning and dropping down 20-30' as the sun comes up. Brightly painted lures continue to be productive. Firetiger, orange and chartreuse are all good color choices and will draw fish from a distance. Floating Rapalas are great choice for trolling just under the surface and a Shad Rap will work for trolling down 10-15'. Bank anglers are having less luck as the fish are moving away from the shoreline. Look for areas that have had or have fresh running water. Try floating Power Bait or nightcrawlers off the bottom. A long leader is recommended to ensure your presentation is floating above the flooded vegetation.

Niko Coromeles caught a very impressive holdover rainbow. This fish weighed 3-pounds, 12-ounces and was caught on a nightcrawler in 35' of water.

Jed Bender and his daughter Iris caught two giant trout while floating Power Bait near a creek channel. These two fish weighed 3-pounds, 10-ounces and 3-pounds, 6-ounces.

Judy Rogers caught a nice crappie and a nice trout while trollingg between the dam and Rose Island with a Rapala and a trolling spoon.

Kokanee

The season is right around the corner and the first fish usually start showing up in April. The lake is very full in comparison to the past few years. The kokanee will still associate to deep water on the main lake. Try the dam area toward the spillway and the mouth of Angels Cove.

Josh Parris caught a giant spotted bass on a River2Sea Swaver. This monster weighed 8.75-pounds and was released safely back into the lake. Couple more pounds and we are looking at a World Record Fish.

Bass

It has been a good spring to bass fish and many anglers have caught some giant largemouth and spotted bass. The conditions are changing daily and the fish are slightly indecisive. They will move shallow when the water warms and is at a fairly stable level. Then they pull back to staging areas when the weather is cloudy and cold or when the lake is quickly rising. Try using lures that can be fished in both deep and shallow water. Small swimbaits fished on an underspin is a great option. Cast shallow and retrieve fast to find actively feeding fish. Once your bait get into deep water slow your retrieve and tick the bottom to coax mow finicky fish into biting. Soft plastics are always a good choice during the spring months. A weightless Senko is a good option and can be easily fished near grass and vegetation. Some anglers have been catching giant bass on swimbaits.

Patrick Osburn of Murphys caught a beautiful 3-pound, 6-ounce largemouth. He reported using a CRL Jig to coax this fish into biting.

Catfish

The catfish will start to move shallow as the water temperatures warm. As the water rises many critters will be caught off guard. The catfish will search in extremely shallow water looking for some larger meals. Try fishing near rock in areas that have shallow flats. If running water is near that is a bonus. Try fishing with large chunks of frozen bait or a ball of nightcrawlers.

Jerry Valentine of Mountain Ranch caught a 8.04-pound catfish on a nightcrawler near Tuttletown.

Allen Ray of Angels Camp caught a 7-pound, 5-ounce catfish near Glory Hole Point.

Crappie

This has been an extremely exceptional year for the crappie. Many anglers are catching a bunch of large crappie on a variety of baits. The crappie can be found in creek channels and coves. They absolutely thrive when the lake is lined with flooded grass. Try using crappie jigs and small artificial minnows to cover water and find schools of crappie. Live minnows fished under a slip-float can also be very productive.