Being somewhat more addicted to New Melonie's than Pedro. I am some what biased about Melonie's. I use to fish the streams and creeks before the Dams went in on either reservoir for trout and caught my fill of trophey size fish ! But that was then and it's 40 yrs later
So present day stats say to me that Melonie's has produced huge Bass. I once helped weigh in a 15 pound fish found floating at our club tournament by DFG. We figure she would have gone a easy 18 when alive. I have caught some fair size fish at Pedro, but the best is bout 3 pounds and seen fish at Melonie's that would go a easy 10 plus .
There are some huge fish in both..From my own personal experience they are still there, as I have managed to not catch a single one of them..I did, once upon a time get a hook into one on New Melones, and as far as I know the jig is still lodged in its mouth..Seventeen pound test just wasn't up to the task of getting the fish into the boat that day..I have seen pictures of huge fish from both lakes, probably more from Don Pedro than New Melones..Of course, some of those pictured fish are probably no longer alive, but I am reasonably sure others have taken their place..My main complaint about New Melones would be the number of "redeyes" you will probably end up catching there..Them little suckers are all over the place..
mac
Take a kid fishing, and don't forget about us older kids either..
I hear of more big teens (15+) coming out of pedro every year. Melones "official" record was 15 until last year, now its 18. quite a few 18s out of pedro. Melones definatly has the bigger class of spots though.
theres a fine line between fishin and standin on a boat like an idiot
Being a guide on both, Don Pedro is the best bet for big largemouth. There is a larger population of them there and they all are Florida strain. No for catching a world class Spotted Bass it would be Melones.But you can catch a big one of either species at both!
Last edited by Johnny C on Mon Aug 22, 2011 11:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
pedro has more giants but melones gets less pressure so its kinda a wash. 3 of my 5 teen fish came from melones including my best (15.3) but somewere around 25 of my 32 10+ came from pedro, all the others melones. I wont even start trying for 10+ers till late oct and give up around may. not even one of these fish were deeper than 25 feet and most came on a wakebait. one was dropshotted 1 on a senko and one on a spook. all the others i was fishin for big ones. both lakes still have hundreds of 10+ fish and Im purty sure a had a 20 3 feet from the boat at pedro a few years back, broke my 25 lb test like it was thread. look me up in nov and ill let ya know if there biting
Joe, so I take it you didn't catch a big one last Sat at Melones?
I would say Pedro has more big fish, but as Joe mentioned there is a lot more pressure there aand more tourneys so it gets more exposure.
There was a 45 lb limit weighed in earlier this year at Melones, so there are nig fish there too.
i lost an easy 10 at melones a few years ago, and saw a couple of GIANTS at pedro during the spawn this year. i think melones has more cover. perdo has more lake lice and melones has more trout fisherman. when melones was a free lake it was a no brainer for me.
wow joe, i gotta party with you cowboy!
But I think there are big fish in just about all lakes Guy, I have hit nice fish in a lot of lakes. My 1st two DD's were from Mc Clure. If you fish Melones best I think you should always stick with the lake you like most.
Go Big or Go Home!
http://calfishing.com/gallery/v/members/bassindon69/basspics/
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