Fish Report (7/29/09)

VALLEY

New Melones Reservoir — The kokanee bite continues, though the fish are on the move into the northern portion of the lake. Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing took Bill Karr, editor of Western Outdoor News, caught limits of kokanee to 15 inches at depths from 75 to 90 feet from Shipwreck Island to the Coyote Creek Arm. Smith suggested using green lures in the deep water, and he has been pulling the Uncle Larry's Mad Irishman, green Glitterbug hootchies or the Radical Glow Tube with a pink tail behind a Vance's dodger or Sling Blade. He has been using garlic-scented corn, but he will be switching over to crawdad scents as the fish get closer to their attempt to spawn. Rainbows continue to hit rolled shad or shad-patterned spoons above the kokanee schools. Bank fishing is over and shore anglers are advised to head up Highway 4 to Spicer or Lake Alpine. Bass continue to hit Zara Spooks, buzz baits or PopR's early or late before switching to crawdad or shad-colored Carolina-rigged 6-inch plastics, ripbaits, spinnerbaits, Zoom Baby Brush Hogs or Senkos. Night fishing with a dark-colored Power Worm is effective. Melanie Lewis of Glory Hole Sporting Goods said catfishing is red hot with mackerel, chicken livers or night crawlers. The lake dropped two feet to 973.22 feet in elevation. The Angels Cove Launch Ramp is closed with the Tuttletown on the low-water ramp and Glory Hole at the mid-ramp.

Call: 736-4333; Monte Smith 581-4734; Danny Layne 586 2383; Sierra Sport Fishing 599-2023.

San Luis Reservoir / O'Neill Forebay — Ly Tu of Ly's Fishing Goods in San Jose said there is renewed interest in the big lake as the water level has dropped, concentrating the schools of fish. Mooching anchovies or blood worms at 40-60 feet deep in front of the Trash Racks has consistently produced limits of stripers to 5 pounds. The Forebay continues to be busy at night and over the weekends with anglers plugging live freshwater bullheads, the Rebel Jumbo Minnow in bone or white flukes for the occasional legal striper. The majority of fish are undersized. Blood and pile worms are also effective. Catfish have been biting mackerel, anchovies or clams at the back of the Forebay Dam and Check 12. Lake levels continue to drop. Call: Ly's Fishing Goods (408) 629-9644; Coyote Bait (408) 463-0711.

McSwain Reservoir — Diana Mello of A-1 Bait in Snelling reported a lake-record rainbow trout of 19.5 pounds was landed by Debby Hiebert of Modesto on corn yellow Power Bait in shallow water near the Brush Pile. Hiebert is a regular angler from the banks at McSwain. Red Power Bait is also working for limits of planters at the Handicapped Docks. Trolling action is picking up a bit with chrome Ford Fenders trailed by a night crawler in the deepest portion of the lake from the Dam to the Second Fence Line. Call: 378-2534.

McClure Reservoir — Danny Layne of Fishn' Dan's Guide Service said there a few kokanee to 17 inches were taken on spinners or hootchies off of the A-Frame Cabin at depths to 70 feet. He added that king salmon to 16 inches and rainbows are in the same area, and he recommended rolling shad or small shad-patterned spoons. Diana Mello said catfish are on a hot bite in the shallows to 10 feet deep at Barretts or McClure Point with live minnows or bag anchovies. For bass, live minnows or crawdads are consistent for fish over the slot limit. Manny Basi of the Bait Barn said the bass continue to be small and PopR's are working on the surface early in the morning or at dusk. Brown jigs or shad-colored plastics are best during the daylight hours. The lake dropped three feet to 793.01 feet elevation. Call: A-1 Bait 563-6505; Fishwrangler's 604-8222; Bub Tosh 404-0053.