What’s more important: Trying to impress another angler with your knowledge, or learning something new you’ve never considered before that could change everything for the better in 2012? Can you hear me?

Roger George can be reached at rogergeorge8000@sbcglobal.net

PHOTO GALLERIES

Check out catches from local anglers that have submitted photos from their outings ...

Gallery #51 (New November 3)
Gallery #50
Tournament Gallery #3 (New July 4)
Archived Galleries

Take your digital camera with you so you can send us your pictures for our galleries. Please send your photos to fishpictures@fresnobee.com. Please include the following information: Your name, city, type of fish, length and weight of fish, when and where caught, and what type of bait used. Large photos work best – we can crop and reduce a picture, but we can't expand a small picture and make it look decent. You can also send photos to rogergeorge8000@sbcglobal.net.

KEY:

* Try dynamite
** Have to work hard
*** Limits possible
**** Fish jumpin' in boat

VALLEY

New Melones Reservoir/Tulloch

Bass *** Crappie * Catfish ** Trout *** Kokanee **

Melanie Lewis of Glory Hole Sporting Goods in Angels Camp reported improved trout fishing with bank anglers at Glory Hole Point or Angels Cove having more success than trollers with Power Bait, Power Eggs and night crawler/marshmallow combinations from the access areas. She said, “It is important that your bait floats, so small hooks, light leader material and a gob of floating bait are necessary.” Lewis added that trollers should tie on small flashers or dodgers with night crawlers hanging from 3 to 5 feet behind. Sep’s Sidekicks or Micro Minis are excellent smaller dodgers for this presentation. Minnow-like lures fished alone without any flashers have been working, and a tandem Needlefish set-up is another good bet. Lewis advised, “It is very important to use light line when the water is as clear as it is now, and a 3- to 5-foot piece of 4- to 6-pound fluorocarbon will do the trick.” The smaller fish are biting on the surface, and the bigger fish are down at 15 to 25 feet. It is very early for kokanee, but there also have been reports of kokanee to 15 inches landed near the surface by anglers targeting trout. Lewis rated bass fishing as pretty good with the fish in their winter haunts at depths from 25 to 65 feet along main lake structure. Shad-patterned plastics on a drop-shot rig or Yamamoto Hula Grubs in natural crawdad colors are working best, but the upcoming stormy weather should bring out the opportunity for a few large fish with big swim baits, such as a Spro BBZ or a Huddleston. Few anglers are targeting catfish, but Lewis advised trying at depths from 35 to 70 feet along deep ledges and main lake points with night crawlers, frozen shad or anchovies. Soaking the baits in Pro Cure scents has increased the number of bites, as well as using a weightless rig on an open bail for less resistance. Bill Heinle of Arnold landed an 8.5-pound catfish this week for the big fish of the week. Crappie and bluegill action is still slow to fair with the best action on small minnows, red worms or mealworms on a slip-float rig at depths from 15 to 25 feet with 4- to 6-pound test. The lake dropped a half foot to 1,049.69 feet in elevation and 82% capacity.
Call: (209) 736-4333; Monte Smith (209) 581-4734; Danny Layne-Fishn’ Dan (209) 586-2383; Sierra Sport Fishing (209) 599-2023