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FISHINLINES
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New Melones Reservoir - New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,117,000 acre-feet of water. Lake is at 46 percent capacity. Lake elevation dropped almost three feet this week, to 958 feet above sea level, and 130 feet from full capacity. Glory Hole and Tuttletown ramps are open. Water temperature is approximately 79-84 degrees, and clear, with good mud lines.

The trout bite has been slow, and will continue to be slow until the weather and water cools off in November. There are large schools of shad upriver, and that is where most trollers do best for trout at this time of year. Locate the big balls of shad on your depth-finder, and fish 10-15 feet below them. Night fishing under a submersible light is an excellent way to catch fish in the summer. The best places to anchor to night fish are near the spillway, the exposed islands between the spillway and Glory Hole Point, the dam, or under the 49 Stevenot Bridge. Drop your submersible light in the water and fish 10-15 feet below the light. For bait, use a worm-threader to thread a nightcrawler onto your line, and put a piece of Power Bait onto your hook, below a small split-shot. Bank anglers should target the creeks, such as Angels Creek or Murphy's Creek.

Kokanee action has been slow. Kokanee are hanging close to the bottom, around 80-100 feet deep. The main lake by the dam/spillway is a good place to try. Other good areas to target are the mouths of major creek arms, such as Angels Creek, Coyote Creek and Mormon Creek, since the kokanee are starting to move into the creek arms to spawn. Pink or red Apex, pink Hootchies, or Uncle Larry's pink, copper pop, or firetiger spinners have caught almost every fish we've seen in the last few weeks. Tip any lure with shoepeg corn. Use a silver or silver/green dodger. It is very important to troll slowly (1.2 mph) to catch kokanee.

Bass fishing has been slow, except for smaller fish. Many anglers are having luck catching good numbers of smaller fish, mostly spotted bass, by wacky-worming a salt/pepper Senko or other shad-patterned grub under the 49 Stevenot Bridge or near the steep rock walls by the dam. Remember that bass must be 12" to keep. If there is a mud line or shade, there will be bass hiding in it. Drag a brown jig or drop-shot a small shad-patterned worm in 5-25 feet of water on main lake points, near structure, such as trees or brush, as well as near steep rock walls near the dam and upriver.

The catfish bite is your best bet for big fish right now. We are seeing lots of big cats. If you are in a boat, fish the coves at the south side of the lake. For bank anglers, try Angels Cove, Glory Hole Point, or near Tuttletown. Use mackerel, anchovies or sardines, crawlers, chicken liver, or live large minnows. The action is always best at night for catfish, when they move into the shallows to feed, but many anglers are having great luck during the heat of the day, too. Glenn Jamerson of Modesto, who brought in two nice cats - an 8.9-pounder and a 6.4-pounder - won the Glory Hole Sports' Big Fish of the Week Contest this week. He was fishing during the day with anchovies in Glory Hole Cove, by the day-use area. We had another young lady bring in two nice cats, and one would have won her the Big Fish Contest, but she left without giving us her name! Her biggest cat was 9.7 pounds.

Bluegill and pumpkinseeds are very active right now, so tie on a large bobber and a small piece of crawler and go have some fun! Fish tight to structure in the back of brushy coves and cuts. Crappie are showing up occasionally as well. The south side of the lake has been good, and near Tuttletown is another good choice. Best crappie bite has been at night under a submersible light, with minnows or red/white crappie jigs.

Glory Hole Sports, 736-4333.

Lake Don Pedro - Best spots to try are around partially submerged trees, near the marina and rocky points.

Bass were hitting on plastic worms, catfish on anchovies and trout on lures about 40 feet deep. Schoolhouse Point is a good place to start fishing.

852-2369, 989-2206.

Tulloch Reservoir - Fish the main part of the lake for the best chance of action.

Don Jason of Oakdale Bait and Tackle said the smallmouth bass bite is pretty good, and bluegill-patterned plastics work best. Some anglers are having good luck catching largemouth bass upriver past the bridge around 6 p.m. in the top water. A Modesto angler brought in two big rainbows - a 10-pounder and a 4-pounder - each caught from shore with chartreuse Power Bait. Trout bite should pick up soon as temperature drops. There is a lot of bluegill activity.

881-0107, 847-3447.

McClure Reservoir - Fish in Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend, Cotton Creek and Temperance Creek for the best luck.

Diana Mello of A-1 Bait and Tackle said crappie and catfish were hitting by the dam in the evening. Catfish are biting on stink bait and frozen shad, and crappie are hitting red crappie jigs and small minnows. Nick Baugh of Modesto caught a 3 1/2-pound trout near the Hornitas Bridge with crawdads.

563-6505, 378-2441

McSwain Reservoir - Try your luck at the brushpile, in front of the campgrounds and marina, and at Gilligan's Island and the handicap dock.

There was a 1,000-pound plant of small fish on Monday by DFG. Fishing is solid because there's little competition. The brush pile is the hot spot for bank anglers with rainbow Power Bait. Trollers are doing well working slot area with flasher/crawler combos.

378-2534.