Water Conditions:New Melones Lake is currently holding 441,129 acre-feet of water. The lake level dropped just under three feet this last week. It is currently at 844 ft. above sea level and 244 ft. from full. The water clarity is fairly clear in most of the lake, with a few areas having some stained water. The water temperature will continue to warm, with the average being 70-75 degrees. Glory Hole Point boat launch is a two lane dirt road and gravel leading off of the end of the point. There is not a courtesy dock and it is best to launch with a 4-wheel drive vehicle.

Trout: Fair. The trout and kokanee anglers had a tough time finding fish at the beginning of the week, but toward the weekend they started to catch some nice fish of both species. Much of the main lake is deep with cool water. During the hotter months the fish will stack up in the cool water areas. To find deep water use your electronics and GPS or purchase a quality topographical map. Trolling anglers are catching rainbows and browns while trolling down 35-55'. A handful of baits are working well. Shad patterned plugs and square-billed crankbaits are a good choice for both browns and rainbows. To get a reaction bite, try trolling at a faster speed. The erratic wobbling action at a high trolling speed will trigger some aggressive strikes. Many anglers have also been catching fish with a string of flashers and a nightcrawler. Night anglers are catching limits of trout while fishing under a submersible light. This is a great way to catch quality fish. The light will draw baitfish near and the big trout will follow. Try using live or artificial minnows fished under a slip-float to catch these feeding fish. Bank anglers can find betterfishing in the local lakes and streams in the high country.

Kokanee: Okay. The kokanee anglers found the bite to be a bit slower this week. The hot weather that is predicted for the next couple weeks should make the bite better. For those who did catch fish, they reported some clean and healthy fish coming out of deep water. Try trolling near the dam and spillway and targeting deep/cool water. The kokanee can be found from 40-60' deep. When the fish are deep it is best to use large slingblades and dark colored lures. Pink, purple and blue are all good choices. Vibration will also become a very important factor when fishing deep. There is less light penetration in deep water and the vibration of a small Colorado spinner will help the fish locate your bait. Another factor that will help boat more fish is scent. Be sure to apply and keep apply scent throughout the day. A scent chamber is a great way to ensure that your presentation will continue to produce scent. Add dyed and scented shoe peg to each hook on your lure.

Bass: Good. The bass are biting and it has been fairly easy to catch a bunch of fish. The lake is full of 1 to 2-pound spotted bass and they are eager to bit many different presentations. Try using reaction baits is the mornings and evenings and switching to a slower soft plastic rig throughout the day. Topwater baits have been working well for a short period of time in the mornings and evenings. Small poppers and walk-the-dog type baits will trigger some heart stopping explosions. The fish have been really keyed in on shad, so try using shad patterned worms fished on a dropshot or shakey head rig. Another lure that seems to never fail is a Senko. A Senko is a soft plastic worm that can be fish many different ways. Fishing the Senko weightless rigged wacky is hard to beat. PLEASE PRACTICE CATCH AND RELEASE. The bigger fish are the future of our lake. Take photos and carefully release the fish back into to the lake to maintain a healthy fish population for generations to come.

Catfish: Very Good. The biggest cats in the lake are heading toward shallow water and scouring the shorelines for small fish to feed on. Frozen shad is a great choice because they are accustomed to feeding on shad in their natural environment. Many anglers will let the bait soak for a few minutes and the drag it slowly across the bottom. The movement of the bait will attracted any nearby catfish. When dragging the bottom it is a good idea to use a sliding sinker and a glass bead. The bead will create a ticking sound that will help bring attention to your bait. Also, catfish have poor eyesight and will feed primarily by smell. Add plenty of scent to your bait.

Crappie: Fair. The crappie will be holding in the standing timber that lines the lake. The best way to catch crappie is with live minnows. A few anglers are dropping submersible lights and catching a bunch of crappie doing so.