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FISHINLINES
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New Melones Reservoir - Winter store hours are Monday through Saturday 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Glory Hole Sports' sixth annual Free Fishing Seminar Weekend is coming up! Seminars will be held on April 3. On-the-water fishing demonstrations will take place on April 4. Five dollars will buy you one-and-a-half hours on the water with a fishing guide, who will teach you about rigging and using your downriggers effectively. Sign-ups began on March 1. Space is limited for the on-the-water lessons, so be sure to call and reserve your space early. On Sunday, April 3, Dick Pool will be testing your boats to see if you need a Black Box, so if you want your boat tested, be sure to sign up for that, too.

New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,417,000 acre-feet of water (almost exactly what it was at this time last year). Lake elevation rose one foot this week, and is currently at 994 feet above sea level, and 94 feet from full capacity. Water temperature is 52-54 degrees, and clear.

Trout fishing has been fair for most, especially those who get out on the water in the morning. Trout are feeding on shad. Bankies should target Glory Hole Cove and off of Glory Hole Point. Throwing a spinner such as a Panther Martin, or a Kastmaster will catch fewer, bigger fish. Bait is working well, too, especially for planters. Try a crawler/marshmallow combo or pink, rainbow, or sherbet Select Power Bait on an 18- to 24-inch leader. Make sure your bait can float the hook and leader before you toss it into deep water. David Pickens of Twain Harte took his float tube out near Parrotts Ferry Bridge. He threw a white streamer fly and landed a beautiful 2.4-pound rainbow trout. Trollers should tie on a red or pink Apex. Ron Kuhns of Arnold won Glory Hole Sports' Big Fish of the Week contest and a free deli lunch with a 4.9-pound brown trout that he caught while trolling a pink Apex in the south side of the lake. Don Myshrall of Mokelumne Hill trolled a pink Apex near Mormon Cove and caught a beautiful rainbow with his spawning coat on. Other good lures are shad-pattern, fluorescent red or firetiger Rapala Countdowns, Needlefish, Kastmasters and Wee-Tads. Some anglers report good luck using flashers, but most are running their lures alone. Remember to have plenty of line out behind your boat when trolling, or use a side planer this time of year - the fish are so shallow that your boat will spook them away - you need to have your lure far away from your boat.

Trollers are catching the occasional kokanee, although it is really too early to target them. We have been seeing kokanee in the 13-inch (at the tail fork) range, which is really big for this time of year (at this time last year, they were 8-9"). Many anglers report catching 1-3 big kokanee while trolling for trout, especially in the vicinity of the 49 Bridge and beyond, at depths varying from 20-60 feet.

Bass fishing is fair. Bass are feeding heavily on crawdads, which are green right now. Most anglers report best luck with brown/brown or brown/green jigs/trailers, drop-shotting and spinnerbaits (especially in the early a.m.). Best baits are oxblood Roboworm Shakin' Worms, green pumpkin Zoom Baby Brush Hogs and green pumpkin Yamamoto Senkos. Most fish were caught 25-60 feet deep in the main lake. Bass anglers should target rocky main lake points and island tops, tight into structure, such as wood. Nor-Cal held a Pro-Am Tournament this week. In the pro division, Jeff Mathews took first place, with a 12.32-pound limit that included a 5 pounder. Albert Ignacio was his amateur partner. Remember, with winter weather, a slow presentation is the key. Set the hook on anything - bite is very soft, so don't take any chances - hook sets are free!

The catfish bite is slow. Glory Hole Point or Angels Cove, near Tuttletown or under the 49 Bridge are all good places for bank anglers to fish for cats. Use mackerel, anchovies or sardines, crawlers, chicken liver, or live large minnows.

Crappie and perch fishing is slow. Fish 20-40 feet deep near structure such as trees, with small minnows or crappie jigs. Bear Creek and Carson Creek are two good places to try. Anyone with current crappie stories, we'd love to hear them!

Glory Hole Sports, 736-4333.

Lake Don Pedro - Water temperature is 59 degrees, the weather the past couple of weeks has not been very good. It has been rainy, cloudy and windy.

Trout have been doing good. Around the shore using nightcrawlers, powerbait and small minnows. For salmon you need to go near railroad canyon. I have heard if you fish on the bottom using an apex or needlefish you could have a good chance of catching a salmon.

Bass have been doing quite well. There was a tournament this past weekend and almost all of the fishermen had bags of bass. Just here around the marina I saw one man pull out two bass within 10 minutes. You should try using plastic worms. Red, purple and green are good colors, also spinnerbaits and top water work well.

I have seen a few good stringers of crappie the past few days. Using mini jigs and small minnows is most likely going to catch you some crappie. As usual they stay in the areas with grass and brush. The best color mini jigs are yellow, white and green.

I have not heard any new reports as far as catfish go. Your best bet for catfish is using anchovies or good old blood bait. I have seen some nice catfish come from the shore and also School House Point.

Despite the bad weather, the few avid fishermen have been doing very well catching all different kinds of fish.

Lake Don Pedro, 852-2369 or 989-2206.

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

Limits of rainbows have been caught shallow in the past few weeks, biting on wedding rings or Kastmasters in chrome/blue.

There have been no bass reports for a while. The rain should be good for fishing down the road as it helps fill the lakes.

881-0107, 847-3447.

McClure Reservoir - Best places to try your luck are Barrett Cove, Horseshoe Bend, Cotton Creek and Temperance Creek.

Rainbow trout were hitting on flashers and worms, while bass and crappie were taking medium minnows. Anglers were having good luck finding 4-pound black bass with large minnows. The spotted bass are starting to move in and pre-spawn. Use minnows and plastic worms.

The trout bite has picked up with Needlefish, a nightcrawler/marshmallow combo or small minnows.

The crappie bite is improved at night with small minnows and red and white crappie jigs.

563-6505, 378-2441

McSwain Reservoir - For the best chance at catching some fish, try the brushpile, in front of the campgrounds and marina, Gilligan's Island and the handicap dock.

John Kemper from McSwain Marina said anglers are still looking for brook trout, try enticing them around the docks with mealworms and marshmallows. A lot of people are catching rainbows, two to three fish per rod on average. Limits are coming in from the brushpile.

Trollers are having luck with flashers and crawlers and firetiger Rapalas. Float between Gilligan's Island and the first fence line.

378-2534.