Fish Report (5/27/09)

VALLEY

• NEW MELONES RESERVOIR — Danny Layne of Fishn' Dan's Guide Service said kokanee are on a great bite from 35 to 50 feet near the Dam, South Island, Rose Island, the Spillway and to the 49 Bridge. The kokes are hitting Vance's Sockeye Slammers behind a Vance's Gold Dodge or Glitterbug pink hootchies or Uncle Larry's Pink Tiger spinners behind a Shasta Tackle Sling Blade. Layne has been using garlic scent early in the morning and switching to vanilla later. Bank trout action has slowed, with the best fishing in Angels or Murphy's creeks with Power Bait or Pautske's Fire Eggs. Trollers are scoring about 10 feet above the kokanee schools with shad- or rainbow-patterned lures such as Needlefish, Kastmasters, ExCels or blade/crawler combinations. Robert Dabbs of Lodi landed a 3.25-pound rainbow on an Uncle Larry's Pink Tiger behind a green dodger at 53 feet. Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, continues to find excellent bass fishing using top-water plugs such as the IMA Skimmer on the outside before running up the river arm with the Berkley 3-inch Gulp Minnow in smelt color on a Zappu Head or dart-head. After recreational boaters stir up the water and create mudlines, Persuader spinnerbaits or IMA ripbaits are working as the bass take cover. Catfishing is picking up, with fish to 5.2 pounds landed on anchovies, night crawlers, sardines, chicken livers and mackerel. Crappie fishing is fair to good at 10-30 feet with small minnows or minijigs in red/white, black/chartreuse in Bear, Mormon or Carson Creeks. The lake came up three feet to 984.36. Call: 736-4333, Smith 581-4734, Layne 586 2383, Sierra Sport Fishing 599-2023.

• SAN LUIS RESERVOIR and O'NEILL FOREBAY — Coyote Bait and Tackle in San Jose said stripers in the big lake are consistent with anchovy fillets mooched at 40-60 feet in 100 feet of water with 2- to 3-ounces of weight outside of Dinosaur Point. The Forebay has had great interest with white flukes on a half-ounce jig head, Bombers in bone color, Lucky Craft Pointer 128s in American Shad, pile worms or anchovies from the banks for 22- to 26-inch fish. The lake dropped eight feet to 430.80. Wind conditions: (800) 805-4805. Call: Ly's Fishing Goods (408) 629-9644; Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711

• McSWAIN RESERVOIR — Diana Mello of A-1 Bait in Snelling reported good trout action on red or chartreuse Wedding Rings tipped with a crawler, blade/crawler combinations or Cop Car or rainbow trout-patterned Needlefish from Gilligan's Island to the Second Fence Line at depths to 30 feet. Bank fishing remains steady at the Brush Pile and Handicapped Docks with white Power Eggs, rainbow Power Bait or inflated crawlers. Call: 378-2534

• McCLURE RESERVOIR — Mello said top-water lures are producing bass in the morning before switching to brown/purple Berserk jigs, 082 Keeper worms or other dark-colored plastics up the river arm from Barrett's Cove to Horseshoe Bend. Trout slowing, with best action mornings from the surface to 45 feet with chrome/green or blue/ chrome Kastmasters, Cop Car Needlefish, blade/crawler combinations, and Wedding Rings tipped with a crawler behind dodger. Most trout are rainbows, but a few large brooks still being taken. No king salmon or kokanee reports. Crappie are difficult to locate. Best fishing at night at 45-50 feet in Barrett's Cove or the Houseboats near the Spillway with red/white minijigs or small minnows. Catfish picking up with live minnows or crawdads along muddy, sloping banks at 15-20 feet. Call: Fishwrangler's Guide Service 604-8222, A-1 Bait 563-6505, Bub Tosh 404-0053