Fishing Report (9/8/10)

VALLEY

• NEW MELONES RESERVOIR — Melanie Lewis of Glory Hole Sporting Goods said that trout fishing under a Hydro-Glo light at night is the most consistent technique, with limits taken near the Dam or Spillway at 20-30 feet deep with Power Bait, night crawlers, small minnows, or vertically-jigged Kastmasters or Hopkins spoons in chrome or chrome/blue. Trollers should target the main river channel between the bridges at 30-50 feet deep with shad- or rainbow trout-patterned Apex, Excel, Cripplure or Rapala Countdowns tipped with a small piece of night crawler. Bank anglers should head to local streams and creeks with Pautzke's eggs, Berkeley Select Scented Power Bait, crawlers, or small spinners such as Mepps or Panther Martins. Kokanee fishing has slowed to just a whisper. For bass, there is an early-morning reaction and top-water bite on Lucky Craft Pointers, Staycees, Zara Spooks, PopR's and Jitterbugs close to the banks. After the sun comes up, the fish are moving into deeper water, and Pro Guide jigs with a twin-tail grub trailer of Carolina-rigged creature baits are effective. Catfish provide consistent action with anchovies, mackerel, sardines, chicken liver or a ball of night crawlers. The crappie and bluegill bites are best at night under a submersible light around submerged trees in Bear, Mormon and Carson creeks, or upriver. For crappie, try live minnows or crappie jigs. Bluegill are hitting king mealworms or a piece of night crawler under a bobber. The lake is starting to release water and has dropped to 54 percent capacity. Call: 736-4333; Monte Smith 581-4734; Danny Layne 586 2383; Sierra Sport Fishing 599-2023.

• SAN LUIS RESERVOIR / O'NEILL FOREBAY — Jason Chin at Coyote Bait said anglers are starting to catch fish in the main lake by drifting jumbo minnows at 60-80 feet deep near the Trash Racks. Merritt Gilbert of Valley Rod and Gun said trollers are working the lake at 90-100 feet deep with broken-backed Rebels, Yozuris or X-Raps. Roger George and Andy Bedell fished the main lake and found a slow bite for trollers, bait and minnow anglers. Bedell managed a 30-inch, 11-pounder and they lost another good striper at the boat. Guy Bobbitt said he got a 9-pounder on a minnow, but few other fish for a full day of fishing. Most fish were around 60-70 feet deep. The top-water bite should start as the lake continues to drop and cool. Anchovies or pile worms continue to be the top baits in the Forebay under the Highway 33 Bridge at night for linesides in the 20- to 26-inch range. Small catfish continue to bite sardines, anchovies, or pile worms near Check 12. The main lake is steadily releasing water and is at 38 percent capacity. Call: Ly's Fishing Goods (408) 629-9644; Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711.

• McSWAIN RESERVOIR — Diano Mello at A-1 Bait said shore anglers have been consistently taking limits on various colors of Power Bait, including chartreuse, Garlic, pink and purple nymph. Calaveras Trout Farm continues to plant the lake on a regular basis, and trout fishing should continue to improve with the upcoming cooler temperatures. Trollers continue to work the main river channel in deeper water. A Department of Fish and Game trout plant is scheduled for this week. The lake level remains high and stable. Call: 378-2534.

• McCLURE RESERVOIR — Manny Basi of the Bait Barn said bass fishing continues to be slow. A few fish have been taken on Senkos or the twin-tailed Yamamoto Hula Grub in color 330 from the banks to 25 feet deep. Crappie have been hitting minijigs or small minnows off of the Houseboats or in the submerged trees in Cottonwood Creek. Anglers continue to take limits of rainbow trout with silver/blue, chrome, or rainbow ExCel spoons at 35-50 feet deep from the Dam to Barretts Cove. Catfishing continues to be good along muddy, sloping banks with live crawdads. The lake dropped to 75 percent capacity. Call: A-1 Bait 563-6505; Bub Tosh 404-0053.