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New Melones Lake and Reports

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Friday, May 23rd, 1997

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    Water Temp: n/a

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Spring storm blew through this day - ishing was tough with 2-3 oot waves on the main lake, and wind blowing in the coves. On the lake rom 6AM-12Noon, with a good bite right beore 10:00am when the weather turned nasty.
    City: Pine Grove

Friday, May 9th, 1997

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    Water Temp: N/A

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Caught a ew small bass in and around the Mormon Creek arm on white single blade spinner baits.
    City: Pine Grove

Thursday, April 17th, 1997

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    Water Temp: 66-68

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fished Friday or 3 hrs. Major rip bite.9am - noon. Fished main river arm with Shad Colored Rouge orange belly.Biggest 4.23 with eggs.Fish actively chasing baits rom submerged brush and trees.
    City: Sonora

Thursday, April 3rd, 1997

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    Water Temp: 54-60

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Arrived aternoon o 4/3. Wind was very bad, managed 1 keeper bass, 2 rainbow trout deep cranking near glory hole. Friday, 4/4 was much better, Wind was down in AM and picked up 10-12 bass, most small using plastic worms and deep cranking near Tuttletown Launch. Water seemed to be warmest in this area. I it warms, ishingshould really turn on.
    City: San Jose

Saturday, March 15th, 1997

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    Water Temp: 63

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Fishing was real good, considering the time o year, ished Saturday and caught 45 ish the largest was a nice 4lb 1oz bucket mouth, all the rest were averaging 1.5 lbs. Most were caught with a Rapala huskyjerk in the morning ishing backs o coves with muddy bottoms in 1 to 10 eet o water.
    City: San Jose

Tuesday, February 18th, 1997

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    Water Temp: 54-58

    Water Clarity: Stained (2-4 foot visibility)

    Report: Good ishing o points split shotting plastic worms moving the bait very very slowly !!! Also ished grubs on darter head and got ish.
    City: Alemeda

Thursday, October 31st, 1996

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    Water Temp: 59-64

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: On 10/20/96 a riend and I ished the south end o the lake in the back o the creek channels. We ished spoons in 35 to 45 eet. We had seven bass (three over 3#), a 5.1# rainbow trout, 1 crappie, one blue gill and a 15# carp. Talk about an assortment. We went back 10/27 to try it again. We went ishless until about 10:30 when I ound bait ish at 60 t. We dropped our spoons down and caught bass rom 59 to 65 t. We ended up with 7 keepers and 5 or 6 dinks. Big ish was 3lb. 14 oz. I have no idea why th ish went so deep in one week. The water temp. only dropped 1 or 2 degrees. We went back to are most productive spot o the week beore and the ish had moved.
    City: Valley Home

Date Unknown

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    Water Temp: 51-55

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: 1/15/11 Very tough conditions. Lake is rising and fish are lock jawed. Only fish were on jigs and drop shot in 35-50ft of water.

    Tips: Maybe try way up the creek arms, thats the only places we didn't go

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    Water Clarity: Muddy (0-2 foot visibility)

    Report: Jim James, the long time Secretary-Treasurer of Sonora Bass Anglers, passed away last week on February 18th. Jim was diagnosed with cancer in November of 2009. Bass fishing was a huge part of Jim's life. Jim was a personal friend and frequent client of Randy Pringle. Jim will be missed by all who knew him. His family is planning a "Celebration of Life" to be held on the banks of New Melones. When I get the details I will let you know. Jim was my friend and fishing partner for the last eight years.
    City: Sonora

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    Water Temp: 68-70

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Wacked em on just about any thing. Best was a 3 lb'r on topwater. I got distracted and when I looked back I couldn't find my lure... several twitches, still no lure??? Started reeling only to find a nice 3 lb'r on the end! LOL, never heard it hit!

    We had 20 by 9 in the morning and my son Jon even caught a real nice 18" rainbow on a roboworm. With the strong wind and a slight motor problem, we decided to get off the water by noon, finished with 2 dozen, mostly dinks but a blast if you have a kid with you, It's quantity with them...
    City: Somerset

    Tips: If you're older and fat like me, make sure you launch from the right ramp, the 1/2 mile climb back to get the truck/trailer nearly killed me...

    Cast tight to the bank and into the shadows and you'll get bit!!!

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    Water Temp: 65.7

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Played hookie w/ my buddy John and hit the lake at dark thirty until 4:30pm. Fished between the bridges on main lake points and coves w/ water entering the lake for 35-50 spotted bass and 5 or so largemouth bass. Fish averaged 1.5lbs-2.0lbs with a handful of larger fish to 4lbs. Best 5 went 15.9lbs. Most of the bites came on watermelon and watermelon red flake zoom twin tails on 3/8 oz football heads and drop shotting purple ghost keeper and magic worms. Caught a couple on jerkbaits, but the action was a lot slower. Through watermelon purple flake sencos for a couple of the larger fish. Great day and a lot of action, so maybe I'll take my nephews soon!
    City: Stockton, CA

    Tips: Swiming jigs seemed to be the most effective method of fishing. It allowed us to cover water and get the baits down, but seemed to attract the smaller bass. Fill a limit and then switch over to sencos for the kicker fish. Still looking for the largemouth, so maybe get out ove the river and head down to the south end of the lake?

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    Water Temp: 61-64

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Went out on last Wed. April 21st...three of us fishing upper side of the lake beyond Parrots Ferry, 79 bass (small mouth and spots), most action I have ever seen! Drop shotting short plastics, just about everything worked.
    City: kentfield

    Tips: In clearer water used clear plastics with chartreuse tails. In murkier water darker colors (root beer or motor oil). Fish quality was the only issue - most were pretty small. Look for rock and submerged tree combinations. 5-6 lb test, go prepared to lose gear.

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    Water Temp: 50-52

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: On the water around 0900 and headed or Carson Cove. Stayed there all day. Started getting bit around 1130 in 40 to 60 eet o water near the points. Marked a ton o ish and landed 10 dropshotting. Bite quit around 1430 or me. One Largemouth and the rest spots. A couple had pincers and antanae sticking out o there throats but I had the best luck on shad colored worms. Got the most bites when I marked ish and bait together obviously. Only 3 were keeper size and the rest an inch or two shy.
    City: Stockton

    Tips: Dropshot or me but the crawdads in their throats suggest a jig. I threw one but wasn't very patient with it. Did have a BIG rainbow ollow the jig to the boat though.

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    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Well I have one thing to say Calaveras Bass Club sucks couple o cool guys like jarred and je but that guy mike total ag
    City: Sonora area

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    Water Temp: 56plus

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: ished rom 8am to 3pm 14 ish all drop shotmouth o carson and Islands in ront o carson 3 large mouth 3lbers and spots 2lbersall ish were on keeper 1010 4" 40 to 60t
    City: sonora

    Tips: 1010 work best or me this time o year move bait slow 2 to 3 eet drop line i used 10# pline l carbon. I move bait slow rom 60 to 40 and vice versa back and ourth.. slowly

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    Water Temp: 81

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: Bass are down. Took most at around 35-40 eet, usind 14 ounce salt and peppers grubs. A couple over 3 pounds. All in all a good trip.
    City: San Leandro

    Tips: Dont be araid to ish deep o islands and points. Fish are down there, work slowly.

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    Water Temp: 74

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: The wind had blown real hard Thur nite, but it kept it cool Friday. Lots o ish, mostly dinks upriver. They hit everything I threw at them except topwater. I threw Senkos, Jigs, Worms, Cranks all in dierent colors and sizes. Only a couple, 2.2lb & 2.0lb were boated though. Sat was warmer and went into Angels. Same story with too many small ish and a couple o keepers. Again, they hit everything I threw. Sunday, I ished the WON Team, and my partner sticks a 3.64 (which turns out to win big ish) irst thing in the morning on a light colored crank and the bite slowed where we only caught three more; 1 on a blade in the mudline, 1 on a jig, and another on a crank. That gave us 7.37 lbs or 14th place. Winner had 10.47. Even though those dinks were pesky, it kept the day entertaining.
    City: Fresno

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    Water Temp: 70-72

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: ished a club tourney with my buddy sat. no big ish but alot o them. probally got 50 or the day biggest 3lbs post spawn males alot o un top water and grubs not to crowded either .i you have a kid and want to put them on some ish go whip
    City: livermore

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    Water Temp: warm to touch

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: SAT: ished a ew hours late and caught and released 5 to about 15" (three over 12"). Split shotting watermellon/red baby brush hog. 8'-20'SUN: ished a ew hours late, only one dink on purple/blue "stick" worm. Yesterday's locations and pattern did not work.
    City: Sonora

    Tips: Seeing some surace activity late but getting no takers on topwater, or ANY reaction baits. Is anyone making cranks or blades work Melones these days?

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    Water Temp: ?

    Water Clarity: Clear (4+ foot visibility)

    Report: FISHED FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. CAUGHT ALL MY FISH BETWEEN 8 TO 18 FEET.FRIDAY WAS MUCH FASTER BITE.CRAWDAD PATTERNS WERE BEST.THE FISH ARE UP IN HEAVY BRUSH. COULD NOT GET A GOOD REACTION BITE YET.THE WATER IS STILL TO COOL,BUT IT WONT BE LONG TILL THE BITE IS WIDE OPEN.
    City: SONORA

    Tips: MOST BITES ARE JUST PRESSURE BITES,IF YOU EVEN THINK YOU ARE GETTING A BITE SET THE HOOK.THE FISH ARE NOT HOLDING ON TO THE BAIT VERY LONG AT ALL.