Water Conditions: New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,325,646 acre-feet of water. The water level fell one foot this week, and is at 984 ft. above sea level and 104 ft. from full capacity. On this date last year, the water level was 965 ft., so we are 19 feet higher than late-August last year. Water temperature is about 77-81 degrees at the surface. Mud lines have formed near shore.

Trout: Best bet for trout continues to be night-fishing under a submersible light.
Fishing 20-30 feet deep under a green "moon-glow" submersible light near the dam, the spillway, or under the Highway 49 Stevenot Bridge had produced limits for many.

The lights attract plankton and bait, which attracts the trout. Use Power Bait,
crawlers, or minnows, and drop your bait about 25 feet deep. Also, vertically fish
Kastmasters and Hopkins jigging spoons in chrome and chrome/blue when you see bait around your light. Tom Dutil's Fishing Charter continues to bring in limits for all who go night-fishing with him, using his Hydro-glo light. Tom uses Power Bait with additional scent- he dips the bait in Berkley scent dips (garlic, roe) or Crave Trout Gravy. Trollers should target the main river channel between the bridges, 30-50 feet deep, with shad or rainbow trout patterned Apex, Excel, Cripplure or Rapala Countdown. Try tipping your lure with a small piece of crawler. Ball trolls on your downrigger weight are a good idea now.

Bank anglers should head to local streams and creeks with Pautzke's eggs, Berkeley Select Scented Power Bait, crawlers, or small spinners such as Mepps or Panther Martins. Fly Fisherman try using a hopper-dropper setup on the rivers and streams, and olive buggers on the lakes.

Kokanee: A little slower for most. Kokanee have not begun to lose their scales
or "pink-up" yet. Troll 50-60 feet deep near the dam/spillway or start heading up
river for best results. Try to fish over and around the main river channel the fish
will use it as a highway as they migrate up river. Hot tip from Danny Layne of Fish'n' Dan's Guide Service: he has found some kokanee near the structure off of Glory Hole Point, and these fish are hugging the bottom- time to try a little "bottom-bouncing" in that area!

Best bite is in the very early A.M. Some reports of limits being caught in the evening also. Uncle Larry's, GlitterBugs or Rocky Mountain Tackle spinners or hootchies in pink have been good. Slingblade dodgers or Wild Things in chrome/green, pink or watermelon are good attractors. John Darroch has had good
luck with pink or orange GlitterBugs Hootchies behind red slingblade dodgers. Remember to tip your lure in shoepeg corn, Pautzke's Fire Corn, or natural Berkley maggots and use Pro-Cure scent. Garlic, Kokanee Special, and freshwater shrimp are good choices right now. It's time to mix in a little crawdad scent, too.

Bass: Early morning there is a reaction and top water bite. Try fishing Lucky Craft
Pointers and Staycees close to the bank. You can get some exciting blow-ups using
Zara Spooks, Pop R's and Jitterbugs. Also Norman, Bandit, and Rapala deep diving
crankbaits will produce some better fish. The fish will move to deep, cooler water
as the sun comes up. Try using Pro Guide jigs with twin tail grub trailers or Carolina-rigged creature baits (such as green pumpkin Zoom Baby Brush Hogs) cast into deeper water across main lake points. If you find some bait you can catch a bunch of fish drop shotting 4" Roboworms and Zoom tiny flukes. Remember to practice catch and release.

Catfish: Still really good catfishing. Lots of catfish from 4-6lbs being caught.

Crappie and bluegill: Best for anglers fishing at night under a submersible light.
Target submerged trees in Bear Creek, Mormon Creek and Carson Creek, or upriver. Small minnows or crappie jigs in red/white, or black/chartreuse are working best. Bluegill are hitting king mealworms or a piece of nightcrawler under a bobber.