Fishing The Puddles At New Melones

A friend and fellow Amador Flyfisher Club member, sent me an email last Thursday. He and his buddy were scouting New Melones for Bass and knocking off twenty or so when then cruised by the "hand" launch boat ramp. Just to explain the "hand" launch, it's only for a "you carry your boat" to the water, launch spot. It also happens to be right below the Highway 49 bridge over New Melones.

He said that one of the guys on the shore told him that the DFW planted 6000 pounds of trout just a little while before they got there. He rigged up a silver/blue Kastmaster and within a half hour they put two limits in the boat.   

I sent Yuki an email and said "lets go". We met at 9:00 this morning and made the short 100 yard walk down the ramp to the water. By 10:30 we had 8 on the stringer. Just about then, a couple guys in a Zodiac boat came paddling up to the ramp. Seems they had outboard motor problems and Yuki, being the nice guy he is, volunteered to drive him over to the Glory Hole launch to get his truck and trailer.

You notice I didn't volunteer and the reason why, is the same reason Yuki didn't drive him. He got into contact with a friend and that friend was coming, so he didn't need Yuki's help after all, BUT we had already packed up our gear so the day was over. Kind of pissed me off because we could have gotten the other two for a limit each. As it turned out, I got five and Yuki got three.

I do want to note that Yuki caught the first one, then I got one, then Yuki got the second and I got my second. By then I quit keeping count. I want to also note that Yuki stopped for coffee on the way out and I didn't so maybe that's the hex breaker.   

Anyway here's a couple pictures from where we were fishing.

Glad I didn't have to climb down from up there.

One could get height sickness just looking up there.

The end of the "hand" launch ramp.

Make it big if you want to see 5 dead trout.

Hot bite at New Melones. The winter fishing season begins.