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FISHINLINES
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New Melones Reservoir - New Melones Lake is currently holding 1,115,000 acre-feet of water. Lake is at 46 percent capacity. Lake elevation held steady this week, at 958 feet above sea level, and 130 feet from full capacity. Water temperature has cooled to approximately 70-72 degrees, and stained.

New Melones Lake Visitors Center has some great free Thursday evening lectures at 7 p.m. On Nov. 4, a Bureau of Reclamation speaker will follow the history of Melones, and address current water management and water uses. Where does the Stanislaus River water go? For information on this lecture and all of the other informative lectures, call 536-9094 ext. 22, or visit Glory Hole Sports to see the schedule of lectures for October and November.

The Angels Cove Boat Ramp is out of the water (we lost it when lake elevation reached 975'). The second ramp at Glory Hole Boat Ramp is being used right now, and will continue to be unless water levels reach 940'. Then the third ramp will be used - it will be usable until the water level reaches 899 feet. Then the lower ramp will be used - it will be usable until the water level reaches 860 feet. There is another ramp below it that volunteers built during the drought, but I have not been able to find any information about how long it is. At Tuttletown Boat Ramp, we are using the lowest ramp. It will be usable until the water level reaches 900'. The unimproved launching area at old Highway 49 at the Visitors' Center will be usable until the water level reaches 760'.

The trout bite won't turn on until the weather and water cools off in November. However, the Department of Fish and Game recently planted approximately 24,000 rainbows in Melones last week, so bank fishing as well as trolling should be fair for smaller fish around Glory Hole, Tuttletown, and the Visitors' Center ramps, where the fish were released. Power Bait is the best choice for bank anglers, and trollers should try Uncle Larry's Power Spin, which allows you to troll with Power Bait. Live crawlers behind Wedding Ring spinners are another good choice. Don Myshrall of Mokelumne Hill wins the Big Fish of the Week Contest at Glory Hole Sports with his 2.4-pound rainbow that he caught while trolling a red Apex 40 feet deep, with no dodgers or flashers, by the dam. 14-year-old Connor Beatty fished with him, and caught a rainbow and some kokanee, too. Nine-year-old Jheri Looper, 16-year-old Leo Agbulos and 5-year-old Elizabeth Looper caught rainbows while trolling a white fly near the surface at the mouth of Angels Creek. Night fishing under a submersible light is another way to catch trout right now. The best places to anchor to night fish are near the three exposed islands between the spillway and Glory Hole Point, or under the 49 Stevenot Bridge.

Kokanee action has been very slow. For the most part, kokanee are done for the season, although anglers are picking up spawned-out kokanee in the creek arms, such as Angels Creek. They are very red and hooked jawed at this time. Looper, Agbulos and Looper landed three red kokanee weighing up to 1.4 pounds, as well as some rainbows, while trolling a red Apex 40' deep near the dam.

Bass fishing has been a little bit slower, probably due to the unstable weather. Bass are in the top 20 feet of water, and feeding heavily as they prepare for winter. Top water baits are working well. Try fishing by main lake points or by steep drop-offs. The new Yamamoto Creatures have been catching fish, when rigged with a rattling weight or brass 'n' glass - noise is very important right now. Another good plastic to use would be Roboworms bold bluegill in 4 or 6-inch worms. At night, a black w/blue or red flake is your best bet, fished in the same areas, but much shallower.

We are still seeing big catfish. Try Angels Cove, Glory Hole Point, under the 49 Bridge, 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 day, too.

Crappie and bluegill are showing up occasionally. 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.

With the rain and wind, nobody is getting out to fish. On Saturday, there was a report of salmon being caught from 45-50 feet deep with silver spoons, but the fish should be well into spawning mode by now.

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 stormy weather discouraged everybody from going fishing. "If a friend of mine hadn't come in (last Tuesday)," Jason said, "I wouldn't have had any business." Before the storm, bank anglers were getting trout with Power Bait - white and chartreuse are the best sellers. The smallmouth bass bite on crickets has slowed. Now minnows are working best for both bass and crappie. But the bite is inconsistent. Most any kind of worm will work for bluegill and redears - both easy fish for kids to catch.

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 bass fishing is still good with crawdads. There is a good top-water bite with Headdon Torpedoes in black shore minnow and silver shore minnow. One angler reported catching 27 bass with top-water plugs. The crappie bite is still good at the dam with red-and-white and yellow-and-white crappie jigs, but the catfish bite has slowed. The rain initially got things moving, but with continued rains the water might be getting murky.

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.

John Kemper from McSwain Marina said that not many anglers braved the rain. But last Monday, a couple of trollers caught nine fish dragging dodgers and night crawlers. They were fishing between the dam and Gilligan's Island - a little area people don't fish much. The bank fishing is thin, though. The bank anglers catching fish are getting them at the brushpile with rainbow Power Bait or white Power Eggs.

378-2534