Fishing Report (8/19/09)

VALLEY

New Melones Reservoir -- Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing said the kokanee bite has dramatically turned slow with the fish as deep as 120 feet. Melanie Lewis of Glory Hole Sporting Goods reported they are developing hooked-jaws and losing their scales, as they prepare for their attempt to spawn. The best action has been in the main lake with Glitterbug Micro Hootchies in orange or pink, R and K pink hootches and Apex in pink, orange or blue. Crawdad scent has been effective in enticing strikes. Trout fishing from the banks is over until the lake turns over, but fishing under lights with night crawlers has produced rainbows to 3-pounds. Trolling for trout continues slow. Bass bite is fair with a good top-water bite going on at dawn and dusk with Zara Spooks, buzz baits, or Pop-Rs. When the sun is up, crawdad or shad-colored Carolina-rigged 6-inch worms, rip-baits, spinnerbaits, Zoom Baby Brush Hogs or Senkos are working along the strong mud lines that are forming on the lake. Best to target main lake points, fishing the edge of the mud line and on the shady side of coves and against steep drop-offs during the heat of the day. Night fishing with a dark Power Worm is also good for targeting bass. Catfishing remains excellent with fish to 6-pounds on anchovies, mackerel, sardines, chicken liver or a ball of nightcrawlers. Crappie and bluegill is best at night under lights at 10 to 30 feet around submerged trees with live small or medium minnows, or crappie jigs with jigs in red/white or purple/white in Bear, Carson or Mormon Creeks. The lake dropped to 966.89 feet and 49 percent capacity. 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 and O'Neill Forebay -- Ly Tu of Ly's Fishing Goods in San Jose reported quick limits of stripers to 26-inches on mooched anchovies in front of the dam and the trash racks at 60 to 80 feet. Lake levels are coming up slowly with increased pumping from the Delta. In the Forebay, the water is moving quickly due to pumping, and the movement flattens the grass, allowing bait to hide beneath the weeds. As a result, fishing is slower. A few stripers of barely-legal size are landed on grass shrimp or anchovies. Catfish are hitting clams or cut baits near the Forebay Dam. Call: Ly's Fishing Goods (408) 629-9644; Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711

McSwain Reservoir -- The marina said the recent trout plants have turned up the bite with chartreuse Power Bait from the Brush Pile or the handicapped docks. Trolling has been slower, but things are starting to improve with chrome/blue Kastmasters or green Wedding Rings tipped with a crawler from the dam to the second fence line. A trout plant is scheduled for later this week. Call: 378-2534

McClure Reservoir -- Monte Smith of Gold Country Sport Fishing took a couple of trips to the spillway and dam with some decent king salmon action to 2.5-pounds. On his first trip, Smith put in 6 kings, 2 rainbows and 3 kokanee to 17-inches on dropper lines at 40 to 50 feet with the kings down from 85 to 120 feet. On his second trip, the bite was tougher with 6 kings in the deep water on rolled shad. Manny Basi at the Bait Barn in Waterford reported a strong spotted bass bite with shad-pattern plastics on the drop-shot or dart head, brown jigs with a short skirt cut to the base of the hook or Senkos in color 330 from the banks to 40 feet in Temperance Creek or up in the River Narrows. Top water PopR's are working early or late. Diana Mello of A-1 Bait in Snelling said live minnows or crawdads have been hot for bass from the banks to 15 feet. The Keeper 1082 plastic has been a top seller. Catfishing is excellent with anchovies or live crawdads in Piney Creek or any major creek arm along sloping banks. Crappie fishing has been slow with a few fish taken from the Houseboats. Call: A-1 Bait 563-6505, Fishwrangler's Guide Service 604-8222, Bub Tosh 404-0053.