Bill Kiene semi-retired
12-14-2006, 11:32 AM
By Peter Ottesen
Record Outdoors Columnist
December 13, 2006 6:00 AM
An unprecedented alliance among conservation organizations, local businesses and operators of New Melones Lake are quickly turning the state's fourth-largest man-made impoundment into a trophy black bass and trout fishery.
Want a chance to hook a double-digit brown or rainbow trout, or an 8- to 12-pound Florida-strain black bass? Then this 12,500-surface acre lake, set in the foothills along Highway 49 between Angels Camp and Sonora, is the place you want to try. New Melones has the size, depth and food sources that can produce these types of trophies, with the cooperation of folks who want to support fish and fishermen.
"When we went into business in Angels Camp 11 years ago, something always surprised me about this area," said Melanie Lewis, owner of Glory Hole Sports. "People talked about caves, the Gold Country and historic towns, but they never talked about the lake, so I figured I would."
It was an easy sell. New Melones is the only lake in the Mother Lode region without an entry fee. With the exception of overnight camping, everything is free, even boat launching. There are picnic areas, hiking and horseback riding trails and vast expanses accented by oak trees and the only water where both trophy trout and big bass can be caught.
On Dec. 2, Merced-based Kokanee Power, a non-profit organization, started the first pen-culture in California for brown trout, adding to its previous successes of pen-raising trophy rainbow trout, right in the lake.
"It's nice to be able to put something back into the water that we take fish out of," said Gary Coe, president of Kokanee Power. "We chose quality over quantity. In each pen we're raising 300 trout. We want to turn them loose next spring when they weigh close to 5 pounds."
The effort appears to have turned trout fishing on its ear at New Melones, where shoreline fishing this week is phenomenal.
"I'm wearing out my camera taking pictures of 3- to 5-pound rainbows every day," Lewis said. "Trout seem to come back to areas where they were planted. These beautiful rainbows, with brilliant red sides, are packed into Angels Cove and Glory Hole Cove, locations that are easily accessible on foot for anglers.
Making the trophy trout program work involves the cooperation of the Department of Fish and Game, which provides the fish; New Melones Lake Marina, which provides the boat slip for the fish-rearing pens and employees to feed the trout each day; and Kokanee Power, which provided the materials and built the pens.
"The trout fishery here can use the help we're providing," Coe said. "This is our third year for pen-reared rainbows."
Introduction of Florida-strain largemouth bass is yet another success story. In November, members of the Calaveras Bass Anglers stocked the lake with 86, 1- to 21/2-pound Floridas and another 165 juvenile bass in the 3- to 4-inch class. The put-and-grow effort started six years ago is paying off, big time.
A late-November black bass tournament found the winning angler boasting a five-fish limit that weighed 33 pounds. Included were fish weighing 12 and 10 pounds.
"We hold tournaments at the lake and want to see the fishery thrive," said spokesman Bob Monson of Murphys. "Florida-strain bass, which grow to immense sizes, are inter-breeding with northern largemouth and spotted bass and producing some real big fish. Our federation of bass clubs pays for all the bass plants for the benefit of the lake and everyone who enjoys fishing here."
Operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, New Melones has benefited from new, sophisticated weather forecasting systems so huge draw downs for summer agricultural and domestic uses haven't occurred recently. Of course, having adequate rain and snow runoff have been keys.
"For three years the lake level has held steady," Lewis said. "That allows grass and vegetation to grow that gives protection to every kind of fry, juvenile fish such as perch, crappie, bass and so forth. When little fish can avoid predation, the food chain and the entire fishery flourishes. When bass spawn and their eggs are not de-watered during high-demand periods for downstream uses, the fishery flourishes. That, coupled with these planting programs, is a perfect combination."
For information, contact Glory Hole Sports, (209) 736-4333; Kokanee Power, (916) 221-0806; and Calaveras Bass Anglers, (209) 754-5605.
Contact outdoors columnist Peter Ottesen at pottesen@recordnet.com
Record Outdoors Columnist
December 13, 2006 6:00 AM
An unprecedented alliance among conservation organizations, local businesses and operators of New Melones Lake are quickly turning the state's fourth-largest man-made impoundment into a trophy black bass and trout fishery.
Want a chance to hook a double-digit brown or rainbow trout, or an 8- to 12-pound Florida-strain black bass? Then this 12,500-surface acre lake, set in the foothills along Highway 49 between Angels Camp and Sonora, is the place you want to try. New Melones has the size, depth and food sources that can produce these types of trophies, with the cooperation of folks who want to support fish and fishermen.
"When we went into business in Angels Camp 11 years ago, something always surprised me about this area," said Melanie Lewis, owner of Glory Hole Sports. "People talked about caves, the Gold Country and historic towns, but they never talked about the lake, so I figured I would."
It was an easy sell. New Melones is the only lake in the Mother Lode region without an entry fee. With the exception of overnight camping, everything is free, even boat launching. There are picnic areas, hiking and horseback riding trails and vast expanses accented by oak trees and the only water where both trophy trout and big bass can be caught.
On Dec. 2, Merced-based Kokanee Power, a non-profit organization, started the first pen-culture in California for brown trout, adding to its previous successes of pen-raising trophy rainbow trout, right in the lake.
"It's nice to be able to put something back into the water that we take fish out of," said Gary Coe, president of Kokanee Power. "We chose quality over quantity. In each pen we're raising 300 trout. We want to turn them loose next spring when they weigh close to 5 pounds."
The effort appears to have turned trout fishing on its ear at New Melones, where shoreline fishing this week is phenomenal.
"I'm wearing out my camera taking pictures of 3- to 5-pound rainbows every day," Lewis said. "Trout seem to come back to areas where they were planted. These beautiful rainbows, with brilliant red sides, are packed into Angels Cove and Glory Hole Cove, locations that are easily accessible on foot for anglers.
Making the trophy trout program work involves the cooperation of the Department of Fish and Game, which provides the fish; New Melones Lake Marina, which provides the boat slip for the fish-rearing pens and employees to feed the trout each day; and Kokanee Power, which provided the materials and built the pens.
"The trout fishery here can use the help we're providing," Coe said. "This is our third year for pen-reared rainbows."
Introduction of Florida-strain largemouth bass is yet another success story. In November, members of the Calaveras Bass Anglers stocked the lake with 86, 1- to 21/2-pound Floridas and another 165 juvenile bass in the 3- to 4-inch class. The put-and-grow effort started six years ago is paying off, big time.
A late-November black bass tournament found the winning angler boasting a five-fish limit that weighed 33 pounds. Included were fish weighing 12 and 10 pounds.
"We hold tournaments at the lake and want to see the fishery thrive," said spokesman Bob Monson of Murphys. "Florida-strain bass, which grow to immense sizes, are inter-breeding with northern largemouth and spotted bass and producing some real big fish. Our federation of bass clubs pays for all the bass plants for the benefit of the lake and everyone who enjoys fishing here."
Operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, New Melones has benefited from new, sophisticated weather forecasting systems so huge draw downs for summer agricultural and domestic uses haven't occurred recently. Of course, having adequate rain and snow runoff have been keys.
"For three years the lake level has held steady," Lewis said. "That allows grass and vegetation to grow that gives protection to every kind of fry, juvenile fish such as perch, crappie, bass and so forth. When little fish can avoid predation, the food chain and the entire fishery flourishes. When bass spawn and their eggs are not de-watered during high-demand periods for downstream uses, the fishery flourishes. That, coupled with these planting programs, is a perfect combination."
For information, contact Glory Hole Sports, (209) 736-4333; Kokanee Power, (916) 221-0806; and Calaveras Bass Anglers, (209) 754-5605.
Contact outdoors columnist Peter Ottesen at pottesen@recordnet.com