Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 584,901 acre-feet of water. The lake level dropped three feet this last week. It is currently at 875 ft. above sea level and 204 ft. from full. The water clarity is fairly clear in most of the lake with a few areas having some stained water. The water temperature has warmed, with the average being 58-65 degrees. Tuttletown launch is closed. Glory Hole Point boat launch is open with a two lane concrete ramp and a dock. 4wd is no longer needed to launch. Trout: Fair. Trout anglers are finding some nice fish and catching a few limits. The main lake has been productive fishing over deep, cool water. Also, the deep creek channels are good areas to find trout. As the surface temperature warms the trout will head for deep water. They will still be active and biting, finding the depth they are holding is the key. Use your electronics to find the depth with the most activity and start there. Trolling anglers have found most of their luck trolling with spoons. Speedy Shiners, Excels and Needlefish are all good choices. Try different speeds and spoon styles until you determine which one works best at each speed. Then, pick a color that is appropriate for the water clarity in the area you have chosen to fish. Bright colors work best in stained water and natural colors work best in clear water. For bank anglers the bite has slowed quite a bit. The trout have pulled away from the shoreline and are holding over deep water. To target these fish from the shore, try finding steep banks with deep water nearby. A very good way to fish these steep areas from shore is with a slip-float and a live minnow. Set the bobber stop at 25' and cast your presentation as far as you can out into the lake. The stop will keep the minnow at the desired depth. Kokanee: Very Soon. A few local guides have found some kokanee and expect them to start biting in the next few weeks. This warming trend in the weather should jump start the kokanee bite. In the next couple weeks we should start seeing a few limits. To target kokanee try trolling in 40-60' of water. A small blade trailed by a small hoochie is a good setup that works every year. Bass: Good. This spring the bass bite has been exceptionally good. We have seen a bunch of huge fish and some impressive limits. The fish are starting to spawn and it is very important to practice catch and release. So far everyone has done a great job with photographing and releasing fish, Thank You. The water is dropping and the fish have become a bit finicky. Try fishing a variety of soft plastics near the shoreline to find the fish. Senkos, Brush Hogs, Lizards and Roboworms have all been working well. There are many different ways to rig these soft plastics. Choosing the right rigging method depends on the depth you are fishing and the cover in that area. There is a bunch wood and brush, so it would be a good idea to tuck the hook point in on most rigs. Some fish are fairly active and feeding on faster moving baits. Try using a fluke or a chatterbait to cover water and find more aggressive fish. The swimbait bite has slowed up a little as well, but one or two bites on a swimbait, is a good day. In dingy water try adding scent to your bait to help the bass locate it and hold onto it longer. 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: Okay. The catfish are moving into shallow water and the bite should pick up in the next couple of weeks. Catfish anglers have been using frozen shad, mackerel and anchovies to haul in some hefty cats. One key to getting bites is soaking your bait in scent. There is a bunch of exposed wood and the catfish seem to relate to it. Crappie: Good. Early spring is a great time to get into some big crappie. With the lake being lower than normal there are a bunch of trees that the crappie will hold in. The best way to catch the crappie is with a live minnow fished under a slip-float. Another good trick is to put the minnow on a mini jig.