Cat Fishing New Melones

Fishing Report (8/31/11)

VALLEY

• NEW MELONES RESERVOIR — Catfishing is the best thing going Anglers will find them in the shallow waters of coves and they'll bite when you move your baits often, particularly in the daytime. The best action is in the evenings. Trout are biting under lights in set at 30 to 50 feet near the dam or spillway. It takes awhile for the rainbows to congregate after the lights have been turned on. Small minnows, Power Bait or night crawlers are working. The occasional trout has been taken by trolling in the deepest water over the main channels with shad patterned spoons. Bank fishing is slow. Kokanee action is basically over with the fish turning toward spawning colors. Bass fishing is fair with a small window for top-water lures such as Lucky Craft LV500s, Luhr Jensen Speed Traps or a Strike King Red Eye Shad tossed close to the banks early. As the day warms, the fish move to 30 to 50 feet and hit crawdad-patterned jigs on a half-ounce football head. Crappie are holding close to submerged trees in creek arms such as Bear Cove, Coyote Creek or up the river arm. Night fishing under a light with small or medium minnows, Beetle-Spins, or red/white minijigs is the best method for crappie in the summer months. Call: (209) 736-4333, Monte Smith (209) 581-4734, Danny Layne (209) 586 2383, Sierra Sport Fishing (209) 599-2023.

• SAN LUIS RESERVOIR and O'NEILL FOREBAY — Most fishermen are heading to Dinosaur Point or the rockwall at the big lake for stripers, which are hitting large white flukes on a 1-ounce Scrounger head, chartreuse/white Super Spooks, the Fin-S-Fish in alewife, or Lucky Craft 128s in Aurora black. Fishermen have been running along the banks to toss rip baits into infrequent boils. A few fishermen are drifting jumbo minnows in Portuguese Cove or around the trash racks, but they're getting mixed results.

The Outdoorsman: Loon has good action | Mountain Democrat

Loon Lake above Ice House and Union Valley in the lakes basin is triggering good action for trollers all over the lake.

The rainbows range from 10 to 13 inches and will take nightcrawlers behind flashers, and will also slap at small lures behind flashers. Occasionally, a brown trout will be caught.

If you are looking for kokanee, they are slowly disappearing and are sporting spawn color with hooked noses. The best koke lake right now appears to be Berryessa, even though the kokes are deep at 70 to 80 feet. They are nice sizes, stretching out to 18 and 19 inches.

Trout fishing has also been good at Berryessa, with rainbows ranging around 16 inches.

The kokanee action at New Melones Reservoir has slowed but veteran anglers are still reeling in limits. The catfish action there is excellent with night anglers landing ‘cats up to 8 pounds.

Lake Camanche also has some fine cat fishing at the causeway. Shrimp has been the best bait. The planters have moved out from the marina area at Lake Pardee with many catches recorded near the dam.

Salmon can be found up and down the ocean from Eureka down to Monterey and Santa Cruz. Charter boats are finding limits for their clients — two kings for everyone aboard. The kings have been weighing nearly 20 pounds with an occasional salmon at 25 pounds or more.

The kings are scattered from Freeport to Red Bluff on inland waters. The take has been good at the mouth of the American River and up to Sailor Bar as well as a few at the Nimbus basin.

Anglers get on the water early in the high country at Eagle Lake to boat limits before the sun shows. Most trout are nearly 3 pounds. The bite is good very early and on most days, it’s over by 7 a.m.

Caples Lake above Jackson is spilling and trollers are doing well at Wood’s Creek. Most rainbows are checking in at the 2- to 2 1/2-pound mark.

Docksters at Donner Lake, which is nearly full, are hooking rainbows early in the day before the recreational traffic. Trollers are also doing well.

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