New Melones Lake level has dropped 2.5 ft. since June 4, currently at 1045.69 ft. and 42.31 ft. from full. Water temperature across the lake is 75 degrees. Water clarity is clear. Summer Solstice is upon us, June 21, so if your thinking there's not enough daylight hours to make it out to New Melones, you have around 14.5 hrs of daylight to make it.

We like to promote catch and release on New Melones. If you do so, provide us a picture and bring it in for a copy or email it to us at gloryholesports@yahoo.com so we can put it on the board or in the newsletter.

Anglers FYI: For anyone with a potential lake record please call us at the store and hopefully we can send someone to weigh, photograph and measure the catch at the lake. GHS is the unofficial recorder of lake records for New Melones, and we understand there is sometimes conflicting interest in the welfare of the catch, whether or not to release the potential record, sacrificing your place as a record holder for the lake.

We do promote catch and release. For potential lake records, record the statistics of the fish... length, girth, weight and photographed at the lake before releasing her. If indeed we can verify the information that is provided, such as a witness, comparing the scale used with ours, a photograph with the fish hanging from the scale and can see the scale weight, etc...then we can accept this as proof. If your catch has expired than indeed bring it in to GHS so we can record it here, and you can have it mounted!

TROUT

Anglers on New Melones continue to see a good bite, mostly trolling and using common trolling gear and baits. Alot of guys like rolling shad which has been very successful. Also, there are many ways to treat the frozen shad. It can be fished frozen, or it can be put in a firebrine to dye and also you can add scent. The brine will cure the shad making it last longer.

Trolling Needlefish, and using what is referred to as a Kokanee setup using a hoochie trailing a blade are also bringing in the large Rainbows and Browns as Marvin Wells of Sonora showed us with this nice 6 lb. Brown trout. Marvin was trolling a pink Needlefish up river at a depth of 38 ft.

Not to be outdone by age or height, 7 year old Justin Grey takes no prisoners in his mission to land trophy trout. He was out by the spillway and brought in this awesome 21" Rainbow trout 1/2 his height!

KOKANEE

We've had a slow start to the Kokanee season this year, but this week alone we have heard of multiple limits of koks being landed on Melones. Kevin Ogg of Paulina Peak Tackle shows us what a quality afternoon on Melones produces. Kevin was using Purple Haze blade and hoochie combo by Paulina Peak.

Jeff Jackson and Jimmie Dirkson (sp) of Angels Camp came up with the right date, time and color combination of sling blade,and hoochie, both in pink to land these Kokanee. Best bite time 10:00 to 12:00.

Put your time on the lake, come up with the best combination to land some quality koks.

BASS

There is probably no better time to fish bass than when the top water bite is on. Watching a Bass crush your bait on top water makes for some great footage if you can set up a camera on your boat or have someone filming for you. Your sure to get an adrenaline rush using River2sea Rover, or a Whopper Plopper. We have the Rover in a 98 (top picture) or a 128. Whopper Plopper we have them in a 90 and 110.

Casey Strom of Angels Camp had a nice adrenaline-soaked hookup with this nice bass he landed using a River2Sea Rover.

CATFISH

Catfish are scouring the bottom and are on the prowl for an easy meal. Jocelyn Glessman of Angels Camp had a fun day drop shotting minnows to the bottom of rocky underwater structure coming up with a 5 lb. catfish by the dam. Chicken livers, Anchovies, Mackerel are getting quality catfish.