Fish Report (7/1/09)

For the week of July 1, 2009

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VALLEY

New Melones Reservoir — Jeff Boyle of Bass Pro Shops in Manteca said that despite the heat fish are biting. The kokanee have dropped to 70 feet in the afternoon. Danny Layne of Fishn' Dan's Guide Service reported a continued red-hot bite has made the lake the "talk of the Mother Lode." He recommended any area in the main lake for limits, with fish at 40 feet at first light before dropping to 70. He has been scoring with Sockeye Slammers, Shasta Tackle Humdingers, chartreuse ink Marni bugs or Uncle Larry's spinners behind a Vance's dodger or Sling Blade tipped with unscented corn or scented with anise, vanilla, or garlic. Rainbow trout to 5 pounds are holding at 30-40 feet and are hitting rolled shad, ExCels and blade/crawler combinations. Robert and Chelsea Muhlbeier landed a 4.07-pound rainbow during the Kokanee Power Tournament. An occasional brown trout can be landed on Countdown Rapalas or Trophy Sticks close to structure at 50-60 feet deep. Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, reported an excellent spotted bass bite with the IMA Skimmer crankbait or with the Berkley Gulp Minnow in smelt on a one-eighth-ounce darthead on 6-pound fluorocarbon test. They were working in 15-45 feet. Catfishing is improving with anchovies, sardines or mackerel along sloping banks. Crappie are around submerged trees at 10-30 feet deep in Bear, Mormon or Carson creeks and hitting small minnows or red/white minijigs. Melvin Allen pulled in eight large crappie on minnows in Angels Cove. The lake dropped to 54 percent. 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 anglers have been avoiding the heat and heading to the Forebay at night under the bridge for small catfish or stripers on pile or blood worms. Fresh shad has been difficult to obtain. A few stripers have been taken on white flukes. Merritt Gilbert reported a few stripers to 8 pounds near the Dam at first light on jumbo minnows. The majority of striper anglers continue to hit the San Francisco Bay or the beaches for larger fish. The lake dropped another 12 feet to 380.68 elevation. Call: Ly's Fishing Goods (408) 629-9644; Coyote Bait and Tackle (408) 463-0711.

Delta/Stockton — A 14-pound striper was weighed in at Dockside Bait in Pittsburg on fresh shad; the first striper of this size landed in the past several weeks. Sturgeon fishing remains good, with few anglers targeting the diamondbacks. The Glomar west of the Mothball Fleet, the Horseshoe, Grizzly Bay, Montezuma Slough, Chain Island and Sturgeon Alley have been the top areas. Grass shrimp or eel have been the top baits with ghost shrimp difficult to obtain. Shoreline striper fishing is just starting to pick up on grass shrimp or anchovies. Randy Pringle, the Fishing Instructor, reported water temperatures in the main San Joaquin River are approaching 80 degrees, and anglers must slow down their presentations in order to entice strikes from the sluggish fish. Call: Randy Pringle 543-6260; Kevin Yost, Lucky Strike Fishing (707) 301-8050; Mark Wilson Sport Fishing (916) 682-1630; Fin Addict Sport Fishing 367-4665; Jolly Jay's Guide Service 478-6645.

McSwain Reservoir — McSwain Marina reported trout bite remains good for trollers working the regular pattern from the Second Fence Line to the Dam with blade/crawler combinations, red or chartreuse Wedding Rings tipped with a crawler behind a dodger or small spoons trolled at 35 feet deep. Bank action is steady at the Handicapped Docks or the Brush Pile with Power Bait in corn yellow, purple nymph or chartreuse. Call: 378-2534.