Delta Report:

The bass fishing is great for anglers fishing a variety of different baits. The always productive bait of choice is the Senko. It’s important this time of year to make more than one pass over a spot if a fish is caught. With the increase in temperature look for the top water bite to take off as there are already signs of fry. Reaction baits are also working really well for those tossing spinnerbaits, chatter baits, rattle traps, and crawdad colored speed traps.

New Melones Lake:

There are some nice brown trout being caught right now. A 5-pound, 14-ounce brown trout was recently caught on a yellow/orange Shasta Tackle Wiggle Hootchie tipped with ProCure Garlic scented corn, behind a Sling Blade dodger, trolled 30’ deep by the dam. Anglers trolling for trout are doing well while fishing up river at depths between 15 and 30 feet. Bass fishing is hit or miss as many bass are on and off the beds due to the weather. The Crappie bite is on right now. Anglers are catching Crappie while fishing around rocky areas where they are gathering to spawn. Minnows fishing under a bobber around 8 feet deep is the technique of choice right now.

Lake Don Pedro:

King Salmon are biting for those fishing the Tuolumne River Arm with rolled shad and anchovies between 60 and 65 feet deep. Kokanee are also being caught between 25 and 35 feet deep for those fishing Chucker T Spoons or Uncle Larry’s Spinners. Bass fishing continues to pick up as this next full moon should move up another batch of spawning fish. Just about everything is working right now as the bass are in all three levels of spawn throughout the lake. Jordan Harris of Kerman caught and released a huge 15.42-pound largemouth on a Yamamoto Hula Grub off of a bed.

Lake Camanche:

The Trout fishing has slowed a bit for anglers fishing Camanche. They have reported that the bite has been picking up as the day goes on and not necessarily in the early part of the day. Anglers fishing off the bank are doing well while fishing with Power Bait. Anglers trolling for Trout are trolling the top twenty feet of water for their limits. Bass fishing continues to get better as the bigger females are starting to show up on the beds found throughout the lake. Make sure to practice catch and release when landing a fish found guarding its young.

Lake Pardee:

Bass continue to be on beds throughout the lake right now. Surprisingly the fishing pressure has been relatively light. Now is the time to throw big swim baits across main lake points. Many believe that the next world record small mouth will be caught out of Lake Pardee.

Tip of The Week:

This time of year when the bass are on their beds many anglers are unaware of the bigger females that are usually cruising just out of sight. The males are the ones that primarily guard the nest. Once the male is removed often the female will have to assume guard duty until the male returns. I always make sure to return to a bed where I caught a smaller fish, sometimes the female will be there when I come back.