Headed to New Melones on Sunday for a tournament. Was wondering if anyone has been there recently, and if you had any advice for me that would be great. Thanks in advance

Troy

Was there a month ago for a club tourney. The fall transition had not started, so this may not help. Fishing was tough then, all fish were under 2#.

We caught fish on D/S, shaky, and football heads. As far as color: green pumpkin, Xmas tree, and GYCB #221 & 194 worked.

Fish were relating to wood, but this has probably changed. It will not be as hot now.

Don’t know if this will help! Good Luck!

Been much slower than usual for this time of year, but it could and should bust loose any day. 2 weeks ago bait was all over the place (not concentrated) and the fish weren't too interested in much of anything including typical finesse panic box tackle/techniques. I ended up just chasing around any surface action I could see in the creek channels and did okay with topwaters, but those fish weren't going to be helping in a tournament.

 

They had the BBT TOC there last Saturday (Sunday was Pedro) and most of the 120 boats caught limits that were on the lighter side. Every day that it's not hot means you're a day closer to it getting hot, so hopefully this weekend is that time for you. Pretty much any of the typical fall techniques should work, but an underspin with a Keitech has outproduced anything I've ever thrown there in the fall.

I can't give you up to date info on a specific bass bite going on at New Melones. 

I can offer some basics to look for on any California highland reservoir during the early fall transition period. 

1. Locate the termocline depth and the Threadfin Shad school depth. If the lake has turned over and no thermocline is evident, look for any sign of floating bottom debris that indicates the turn over is ongoing or very recent.

2. Birds are key to locating Shad schools, look for Western and Piedbill grebes. The bigger long neck white Western grebe are deep divers and stay on top of Shad schools, watch closely to see if the birds are diving feeding and the direction they are swimming.

Piedbill grebes are the smaller buff balls working the shoreline that indicate Shad are closer to the bank. Ideal bass ambush zones are points and humps that the Shad schools must go over or around. Knowing the depth is key.

3. Add 3/4 to 1 oz Shad colored structure spoons with white/chartreuse feathers to your lure selection. Nothing works better for school bass feeding on deep Shad and most bass anglers have forgotten this lure.

4. Shad are tight to cover during low light periods and move out as the sun brings up phytoplankton. This means 1 to 3 above applies to 9A to 3P mid daylight time periods. Traditional summer period lures worked near or in cover like worms, jigs, top water,  jerk and crankbaits work well early and late.

Tom