Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 812,784 acre-feet of water. The lake level dropped two feet this week and is currently at 915 ft. above sea level and 170 ft. from full. The water is stained in some areas, and clear in others. There are mud lines forming near the shore throughout the day. The average water temperature is 68-75 degrees and rising daily. The boat launch ramps on the Glory Hole side have been moved back out to the end of the point which makes for an easy walk.


Trout: Slow. Night fishing for trout has been good. Most anglers fishing under submersible lights are catching limits of chunky 2-pound rainbows. Nightcrawlers and Power Bait are working well. The trout will school in deeper/cooler water during the hot summer heat and move into shallow water at night to feed. It is a good idea to anchor in 40-60' of water that is near 100-200' areas. Drop your light 10-20' down and fish your presentations below that. Trolling anglers are catching a few trout while targeting kokanee. The fish are at many different depths and scattered about. In the next couple months they will definitely be favoring the cooler water near the river channel in the main lake. Excel, Needlefish, and Speedy Shiner spoons are all good choices for trolling. Another setup that produces many fish is a flasher/crawler combo. Try threading a crawler onto a straight shank hook and trolling it behind a string of flashers or a teardrop dodger. Bank fishing for trout has been very slow. Trout season is open for rivers, and streams, it might be best to try your luck in these areas. If you do choose to target trout from the bank try using chartreuse or rainbow garlic Power Bait. Fly fishing anglers try fishing nymphs under an indicator during the day and switching to mayfly patterns during the evening. Also, try using buggers and streamers in the high country lakes.


Kokanee: Good. The kokanee bite continues to get better each week. The weather is gradually getting warmer, which usually makes the fishing really good. The main lake has been holding schools of kokanee. Rose Island, the dam and the spillway have all been producing limits. There are also fish being caught near the 49-bridge and Coyote Creek. Most of the fish are starting to look rather healthy measuring from 10-13" and we have had a couple reports of a few measuring 15-17". They have been biting an assortment of lures including Uncle Larry's Spinners, Glitter Bug's Micro Hoochies and Simon Wobblers. As far as color selection goes, pink, orange and watermelon are all good choices. Also, try adding a little extra bend to your dodgers to create more swing from side-to-side. Rocky Mountain, Shasta Tackle and Vance's larger blades have been working well. Don't forget to tip your presentations with scented corn, Berkley Nibbles, or Berkley Maggots. Add plenty of scent to draw fish from a distance. Pro Cure garlic, anise, kokanee special and bloody tuna are all proven fish catchers.


Bass: Fair. The water is still dropping quite a bit each week. The bite has slowed down and the majority of fish are heading back into deeper water. The spawn is complete and the fish are in a post-spawn stage. They will be feeding heavily in the morning and evenings and will be hanging in the deep water midday. Try using reaction type baits to catch the fish that are eager to feed. Then as the sun comes up switch to slower moving baits fished sub-surface. The fish are feeding on blue gill, shad, crawdads, and baby bass. Soft plastics and hard baits in these colors would all be good choices. In stained water try using brighter colors or baits that have more flash. Chartreuse and orange crankbaits and spinnerbaits will work well and a dye pen will enhance your soft plastics. 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: Very Good. The big cats are up in shallow water and feeding heavily. The water temperature is getting warmer each day which has encouraged the cats to move shallow. Try using frozen shad or a ball of crawlers to target these fish. Catfish are drawn to bait by scent so it is a good idea to add additional scent to your bait.


Crappie: Slow. The crappie have been a bit hard to find, but we have had reports of a few anglers catching a handful of chunky slabs. There is a bunch of exposed wood and standing timber to fish. Try using a mini jig, or a beetle spin to locate the schools of fish. Red and white is a great crappie color. Chartreuse, yellow, and orange will also trigger strikes.