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September 24, 2001
Water
conditions:
New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,495,000 acre-feet of
water. It is at 62%
capacity. There is still
plenty of water, and all ramps are open. Lake elevation is 1003 ft.
above sea level, and is 85 ft. from full capacity. Water temperature
has begun to cool, and is approximately 74-78 degrees.
Water is stained, with mudlines forming.
Be careful- many obstructions such as island tops and trees are
lurking just under the surface due to falling water levels.
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Dan and Melanie Lewis of Glory Hole Sports will be speaking
on fishing New Melones Lake in the fall and winter months. This free
talk will be held at the New Melones Visitor’s Center this Thursday,
September 27th. Call
(209) 536-9094 for information.
Trout: Fishing
has been somewhat slow. Night
fishing 40’ deep over 70-100 ft. of water near the spillway or dam
under a submersible light with Power Bait/crawlers is a good way to
catch fish this time of year. Best
trolling has been in the mornings in the main lake.
The submerged islands between Glory Hole Point and the spillway
are holding schools of shad, so the trout are also being caught there.
Trout are being caught 40-50 ft. deep (shallowest in a.m.).
The lake is full of shad (and so are the trout being caught),
so any shad imitation lure is a good bet.
A #2 silver/blue,
shad-pattern or cop-car Needlefish or Kastmaster are working well
right now, and most anglers are using ball troll flashers.
As the water temperature cools, trout will move closer to the
surface, and into the coves to chase shad. Bob Koopman wins this
week’s Glory Hole Sports Big Fish of the Week Contest.
Bob, with Francis Kelly, trolled silver Needlefish behind 8
colors of lead-core line in the main lake near the dam.
Bob caught a 3.3-pound rainbow, which wins the contest.
Francis caught a smaller fish.
Dan Karraker trolled 40 ft. deep off of Glory Hole Point with a
red Apex lure to catch a 3.2-pound rainbow. The local creeks are a
good place for bank anglers to try.
Power Bait, crawlers, and yellow/gold or rainbow spinners are
all good choices.
Kokanee
are now humped
back, hooked jawed, and pink. That
signals that the spawn in coming.
October is when they move into the creek arms, spawn and die.
Right now they are still in the main lake, holding 90-110 ft.
deep usually close to the bottom of the lake. The waters from Glory
Hole Point toward Angels Creek seem to be holding the most fish.
Pink Apexes, Hootchies, and Uncle Larry’s Spinners are all
good lures to try. Run
your lure behind a dodger, with a ball troll flasher. This time of
year, as the kokanee become more aggressive, bigger, wigglier lures
work best. Try using two
dodgers together, or a big dodger, to get more movement.
Be sure to tip your hook in shoepeg corn soaked in ProCure oil-
use Kokanee Special and mix in a little crawdad scent.
Since crawdads eat kokanee eggs, the scent triggers an
aggressive strike during the spawn.
***If you catch a kokanee, please look to see if the
adipose fin (the little fin on top, right in front of the tail) is
snipped off. If it is,
please measure the fish from the nose to the fork of the tail, write
the measurement and the date that you caught it on a piece of paper,
remove the head and put it in a zip-lock bag, and bring it into Glory
Hole Sports. These fish
are part of a study that the Dept. of Fish and Game is conducting to
see which strain of kokanee are thriving the best in Melones.
Big
Bass are either chasing
shad in the main lake or are suspended off steep main lake points or
drop-offs, from 10-30 ft. deep during the day.
Smaller bass are plentiful closer to shore.
Target shade and mud-lines in the heat of the day.
Try Carolina-rigging green pumpkin Zoom Baby Brush Hogs or
split-shotting 6”purple ghost worms.
Use a 24”-36” leader.
Black/blue jigs or black/chartreuse worms are great for
night-fishing, and night-fishing has been good.
Remember to practice catch and release!
Catfish
should be spawning now, and very active near shore at night.
Try anchovies or sardines in Angels or Glory Hole Coves, or off
of the Tuttletown boat ramp. Use
a sliding sinker and leave your bail open so that the fish doesn’t
feel the line when he picks the bait up.
Melanie
Glory Hole Sports
<*)))-<
GLORY HOLE SPORTS
P.O. BOX 1195
2892 HIGHWAY 49
ANGELS CAMP, CA. 95222
(209) 736-4333
Fax (209) 736-0802
E-mail: ghs@goldrush.com
Contact: Melanie Lewis
Check out our web sight at www. gloryholesports.com
NEW MELONES FISHING CONDITIONS
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