Fish Report (8/25/09)

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VALLEY

• New Melones Reservoir — Melanie Lewis of Glory Hole Sporting Goods said the kokanee are losing their scales and developing hooked jaws as they prepare to spawn. They aren't showing much color yet and action has been slow. A few trollers are bottom-bouncing downrigger weights in the main lake and upriver above the Highway 49 Stevenot Bridge at 80-120 feet with Glitterbug Micro Hootchies in orange or pink, R and K pink hootchies and Apex in pink, orange or blue. Crawdad scent has been effective. Trout fishing from the banks is over until the lake turns over at the end of November, but night fishing under lights with nightcrawlers or crawler/Power Bait combos has produced rainbows to 3 pounds. The best technique is to drop your light 20 feet deep and fish at 30-50 feet deep. Trolling for trout is still slow, with a few rainbows at 40-50 feet in the main lake or upriver with bright-colored lures. The bass bite remains fair with a good top-water bite at dawn and dusk with Zara Spooks, buzz baits, or Pop-R's. 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 mud lines that are forming on the lake right now. Best to target main lake points and fish the edge of the mud line and on the shaded side of coves and against steep drop-offs and cliff faces during the heat. Bass are biting at night fishing on dark Power Worms. Catfish provide the most consistent action on anchovies, mackerel, sardines, chicken liver or a ball of night crawlers. Jack Porovich landed a 12.5-pound whiskerfish on anchovies off Glory Hole Point. Crappie and bluegill is best at night at 10-30 feet around submerged trees with live small or medium minnows, or crappie jigs with jigs in red/white, black/chartreuse or purple/white in Bear, Carson or Mormon creeks. The lake dropped a foot to 965.04 and 48 percent capacity. Angels Cove Launch Ramp is closed. Call: 736-4333; Monte Smith 581-4734; Danny Layne 586 2383; Sierra Sport Fishing 599-2023.

• San Luis Reservoir and O'Neill Forebay — Mickey Clements of Coyote Bait and Tackle in San Jose said there's a good striper bite in the big lake on rip baits or swim baits tossed from a drifting boat or trolled at 18-20 feet for 5- to 7-pound fish. Schools of stripers are holding around the trash racks and dam. Mooched anchovies, bloodworms and grass shrimp at 60-80 feet deep are working for limits to 26 inches. In the forebay, the striper bite has been outstanding with the weeds dying off and exposing the bait and the fish. Swimbaits and ripbaits such as Lucky Craft Staycees or Pointer 128s in Ghost Minnow or American Shad have been working for 30 to 40 of the small stripers per day. Top-water bite is fair, but it dies quickly once the sun hits the water. There is lots of angling activity under the bridge. 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 trout limits from the banks at the brush pile or the handicapped docks with Power Eggs in sunrise or bubble gum. Recent trout plants have helped the action. Trollers are pulling chrome/blue Kastmasters or green Wedding Rings tipped with a crawler from the dam to the second fence line for limits of rainbows. Call: 378-2534.

• McClure Reservoir — Diana Mello of A-1 Bait in Snelling reported the best trout bite under lights at the houseboats or in Piney Creek with night crawlers, small minnows or Power Bait. Bass have also been hitting these offerings, but crappie have been nonexistent. Bass bite good from the banks at Barrett's Cove with live minnows or crawdads. Manny Basi of the Bait Barn reported a good top-water bite with PopR's in low light conditions before switching to shad-patterned plastics or low profile brown jigs at 40 feet. Good numbers, but they aren't large. Trout trolling has been decent at 35-40 feet near the dam or spillway with Wedding Rings tipped with a crawler, small shad-patterned spoons or rolled shad. Some king salmon were found at 100 feet, but these fish aren't biting. Catfishing continues to be excellent with anchovies or live crawdads in Piney Creek or any major creek arm along sloping banks. Call: A-1 Bait 563-6505; Fishwrangler's Guide Service 604-8222; Bub Tosh 404-0053.