New Melones Lake Fishing Report

The bass bite is slowly getting better and better at New Melones. Water temps are now in the low 60s, and spotted bass are starting to key in on shallower transition points and structure in 10-20 feet. Baitfish imitations have been best... blade baits, swimbaits, and jerkbaits are all hooking fish. A few bigger largemouth are being caught as well on green pumpkin crawdad imitations (jigs, soft plastics).

The Kokanee bite is finally going, with limits coming for trollers running pink or gold hoochies in 30-50 feet. Size has been underwhelming, but numbers are good.

A few nice rainbows have reportedly been caught from shore on small swimbaits and ned rigs. Likely from folks going for bass.

The big swimbait bite has fully unlocked at New Melones. Water temps in the low 50s have trout active, and the bass are clearly keyed in. Mussel quarantine rules are still limiting boat pressure, and that’s been a good thing. Over the past month, there have been multiple legit double-digit fish reported, along with a steady run of 8–9 pounders, mostly on 7–9 inch trout-profile swimbaits. It’s a low bite deal… you might only get one or two chances all day… but they’re usually the fish of a lifetime. Other bass anglers are finessing with dropshots, Nekos, and Ned rig setups, pulling in better numbers, but obviously smaller fish.

Trout fishing is still good in the upper 20 feet, with Speedy Shiners and spoons getting bit. Some anglers are putting together quick limits when they stay on suspended schools.

Trout are keyed on baitfish in the 30–40 foot range, and trollers running spoons through those schools are landing decent numbers. Speedy Shiners are producing, with many strikes coming during wide boat turns when the outside lines speed up and swing away from the spread. Water is clear across most of the lake.

Bass action is fair... most are keyed in on jigs, though a few fish are coming shallower on jerkbaits and flukes. But overall, bottom contact near deep structure has proven most productive.