Fish Report (8/5/09)

VALLEY

• New Melones Reservoir — Joe Aksamit of the Central Valley Anglers reported good kokanee action at a weekend tournament with 104 anglers in all portions of the lake with a variety of lures and colors. Apex, hootchies, bugs or spinners by a number of tackle manufactures worked best in pink, green or orange. The kokanee were caught as deep as 120 feet, and the fish are rapidly changing to spawning mode, schooling up and heading toward spawning grounds. Monte Smith of Gold Country confirmed the good action and advised getting deep with greens, purples or UV/glo products and starting to experiment with crayfish scent on the Shoepeg corn. Danny Layne of Fishn' Dan's Guide found the kokanee in the Carson Arm, off the Spillway and in open water off Glory Hole Point down to 110 feet with 6-inch UV Slingblades in front of a Pro-Troll E-chip Kevorkian Killer or Glitterbug double-glow hootchie. Rainbow trout to 3 pounds are at depths of 25-40 feet off Rose Island with small shad-patterned spoons or rolled shad. Night fishing at 30-50 feet under a light with a crawler/Power Bait combination is excellent. Bass bite is fair with the best action on top-water lures at dawn or dusk. Once the sun rises, crawdad or shad-patterned 6-inch Carolina-rigged worms, Zoom Baby Brush Hogs, spinnerbaits, ripbaits or Senkos are working along the edges of the mud line or main lake points. Catfishing is excellent with mackerel, night crawlers, sardines or anchovies along sloping banks. The lake dropped 2 feet. Angels Cove ramp is closed. 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 most area striper fishermen have been heading to the Santa Cruz county beaches. With lower water levels, striper schools are concentrated in front of the dam in the deeper water. Mooched anchovies are working for fish to 8 pounds at 60-80 feet. Action in the Forebay has been slow with a few catfish on mackerel or clams near the dam, and primarily undersized stripers on blood or pile worms. 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 after last week's record rainbow, corn yellow Power Bait has been the hot seller. Use it from the banks near the Handicapped Docks or Brush Pile. It is definitely an early morning bite. Trollers have been able to find limits by working hard from the dam to the 2nd Fence Line with chrome Ford Fenders. Call: 378-2534.

• McClure Reservoir — Manny Basi at the Bait Barn in Waterford said there is an early or late top-water bite with Zara Spooks or PopR's with live minnows. Shad- patterned plastics are working all day from the banks to 40 feet in depth. Diana Mello said trout fishing is excellent at 38-40 feet in the early morning with shad-patterned spoons such as ExCels at the dam or up the river arm. Night fishermen are using live minnows near the houseboats at 25-30 feet for trout and the occasional crappie. A few kokanee have been taken near the dam at 40 feet with king salmon found below the kokanee schools from 88-100 feet with rolled shad. Catfish continue on a hot bite in the shallows to 10 feet at Barrett's Cove or McClure Point with live minnows, crawdads or bag anchovies. Call: A-1 Bait 563-6505, Fishwrangler's Guide Service 604-8222, Bub Tosh 404-0053.

• Lake Don Pedro — Danny Layne said there is a decent bite for rainbows and brookies in the river canyon on Kastmasters, ExCels, Vance's Slim Fins or rolled shad down to 40 feet. A few kings can be taken at first light in Woods Creek on rolled shad at depths to 60 feet. Manny Basi reported a slightly improved bass bite with shad-patterned worms, particularly the ProWorm ProGold 300 small redflake dropshotted or on the dart head from the banks at depths to 40 feet. The Reaction Innovation Little Dipper in Bad Shad Green on a quarter- to half-ounce swimbait head dragged on the bottom has also been productive. Call: Monte Smith 581-4734, Danny Layne 586-2383, Bait Barn 874-301.