Fishing Report (10/28/09)

VALLEY

• NEW MELONES RESERVOIR — Melanie Lewis of Glory Hole Sporting Goods in Angels Camp reported the trout are feeding heavily on threadfin shad throughout the lake. Rainbows are moving up on the water column as water cools. Small minnows under a bobber or small silver spoons are good options. Trollers are advised to work from the surface to 50 feet with shad-patterned lures such as Needlefish, ExCels and smaller Rapala Countdowns. Sep's Trolling Grubs trailing the lure has been a good choice. Brown trout anglers are trolling Trophy Sticks or Countdown Rapalas at depths from 20 to 40 feet near structure. Bass bite improving but few solid bites. There is a good topwater bite with Zara Spooks, buzzbaits or PopR's in low light conditions. Carolina-rigged Creature baits such as a Zoom Baby Brush Hogs, Reaction Innovation Sweet Beaver or Jeff's Arkie Crawlin' Grub worked deep over main lake points at depths from 30 to 40 feet. The larger bass tend to eat crawdads, so creature baits or jigs are effective. Tom Blue caught and released a 10-pound largemouth on a swimbait with John Chiarpotti of Bassin' 1A Guide Service. Catfishing is slowing with the fish moving into deeper water. The lake dropped a foot to 957.39 and 46 percent capacity. Danny Layne touted nearby Lake Tulloch for rainbows to three-pounds on Midge Wobblers, ExCels or Triple Teasers pulled at 2 mph and above in the Green Springs Arm at depths from 8 to 25 feet. 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 the lake is slowly rising with water pumped in, and the striper bite has been consistent on extra-large minnows or frozen shad drifted along the trash racks at 40 to 60 feet. The bank bite has been hit or miss with one angler landing a limit of 37 and 27-inchers from the banks at Romero Visitor Center on frozen shad. Top water lures such as Zara Spooks, Rebel Jumbo Minnows or Yozuris are working on the main lake by anglers who are chasing the diving birds and the shad boils. The Forebay has been getting heavy interest, particularly at night. Some fishermen have been donning waders and plugging mudsuckers for fish to 24-inches. Catfish to 9-pounds have been taken at night on anchovies fished under the Bridge. Wind conditions: 800-805-4805. Call: Ly's Fishing Goods (408) 629-9644; Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711.

• McSWAIN RESERVOIR — McSwain Marina reported continued limit fishing at the brush pile or handicapped docks with night crawlers. Power Bait in various colors is also working, but there has been a big run on night crawlers. Trollers have been picking up limits in the early morning with blade/crawler combinations or Wedding Rings in the regular pattern from the Dam to the 2nd fence line and back. There is a trout plant from Calaveras Trout Farm scheduled for this Friday. Call: 378-2534

• McCLURE RESERVOIR — Manny Basi of the Bait Barn said the bass bite continues to be strong with top water PopR's in the mornings before switching to drop shotting with the Reaction Innovation worm in Bad Shad Green or small profile jig head with a Yamamoto Hula Grub in color 330. Trout fishing has been slow, but things will improve with the trout plants starting within the next month. Catfishing is starting to slow down with the best action on chicken livers, crawdads or anchovies along muddy, sloping banks. The lake is at 41 percent of capacity. Call: A-1 Bait 563-6505, Fishwrangler's Guide Service 604-8222, Bub Tosh 404-0053.