VALLEY

• NEW MELONES RESERVOIR — Guide Danny Layne said trollers are catching trout, especially near the spillway toward Angels Creek using Cop Car Needlefish at 30 to 40 feet. Melanie Lewis of Glory Hole Sporting Goods said action for rainbows and browns is strong as the fish are feeding on abundant shad. Trolling at 35 to 50 feet near the mouths of coves and creek arms with shad-patterned lures scented with Pro-Cure threadfin shad scent is working. Guide Gary Burns has been scoring with Shasta Tackle's Cripplures. Night fishing under a submersible light has produced some nice trout. Melones bank fishing will pick up as soon as the water and weather cools. Bass fishing is fair, but an 11.65-pound largemouth was caught on a California Reservoir Lure during Sunday's Western Outdoor News tournament. Timing is important, trying to catch the bass when they're feeding on shad druing the mornings and evenings. Catfish are biting in the shallows of coves, preferring anchovies, sardines or a ball of night crawlers. Move your bait often, even dragging it along the bottom and bouncing it into rocky crannies. Steve Smith of Sonora landed a 22-pound lunker on liver and 6-pound test while bank-fishing. Crappie, bluegill and other sunfish are hiding around large boulders upriver; cast into shade pockets. Small minnow or a piece of night crawler are working. Crappie can also be found under submersible lights with small minnows or minijigs. Call: (209) 736-4333, Monte Smith (209) 581-4734, Danny Layne (209) 586 2383, Sierra Sport Fishing (209) 599-2023.

• DELTA/STOCKTON — Bullheads are catching striped bass at the Middle Grounds, Seal Island and near Roe Island, but pesky tiny Dungeness crabs are eating the baits. James Nguyen at Dockside Bait in Pittsburg said the wind was blowing all weekend, making things difficult for those trying sit on the anchor. One or two salmon per day are hitting heavy spinners tossed from the rocks near the launch ramp. Allison Shawnego of Hap's Bait in Rio Vista said stripers are biting, and one girl picked up an 8-pounder by tossing crawdad-patterned crankbaits near a running pump. Alan Fong has been punching the pennywort or hyacinth off of the San Joaquin River for good largemouth action. He suggests working the current. Fong has been using the Spro Tournament Frog. Guide Randy Pringle reported good action for largemouths to 3-pounds working the PopNWalker top-water bait in the early morning before switching to Timber Tiger DC 8 crankbaits in red/black on the high tide. Working moving water was the key, as Pringle and clients caught and released at least 35 bass to 3 pounds Monday working both the main San Joaquin and adjacent sloughs. Call: Randy Pringle (209) 543-6260; Mark Wilson (916) 682-1630; Jolly Jay's Guide Service (209) 478-6645; Gary Vella (209) 652-7550.

• SAN LUIS RESERVOIR / O'NEILL FOREBAY — With lower water levels and cooler temperatures, the top-water bite has started on both the main lake and in the forebay. The stripers are boiling on the surface in the mornings and evenings in both places, and Super Spooks, Lucky Craft Pointer 128s in ghost minnow, Aurora black or American shad are working on the surface with white flukes, jerkbaits or RatLTraps effective once the fish drop. Drifting minnows over the bait balls in Portuguese Cove or around the trash racks have picked up quality linesides. Call: Ly's Fishing Goods (408) 629-9644.

• McSWAIN RESERVOIR — Stephanie Powell of the McSwain Marina reported good trout fishing for trollers and from the banks after last Friday's Calaveras Trout Farm plant. The Winton VFW had a weekend trout derby with a winning fish at 16.5-inches. Bank fishing at the brush pile or handicapped docks is good with Bubble Gum Power Eggs, pink Power Bait, or salmon eggs. Trollers are pulling Wedding Rings tipped with a piece of night crawler behind a dodger at 25 feet from the floating restrooms to the chimney. Call: (209) 378-2534• McCLURE RESERVOIR — Manny Basi of the Bait Barn in Waterford reports fair bass fishing, but there is a small window for top-water with the River2Sea Rover in ghost lite or Okie shad. Senkos in colors 306 and 330 are also effective. Diana Mello at A-1 Bait in Snelling said RatLTraps and live crawdads are working. Late September has traditionally been a good window for kokanee. Call: A-1 Bait (209) 563-6505, Bub Tosh (209) 404-0053.

• LAKE DON PEDRO — Guide Danny Layne reported continued good rainbow action, with fin in the 14- to 22-inch range at 20 to 40 feet in Mexican Gulch, Big Creek, Graveyard Bay and off Oat Hill toward Hatch Creek. They're biting silver Apex lures, Vance's Nasty Boys, ExCel spoons, Shasta Tackle's Paddle Tails or rolling threadfin shad. King salmon can be found at 60 to 100 feet with pearl or pink hootchies or rolled shad or anchovies. Guide Monte Smith confirmed the great action with three quick limits within two hours and 15 minutes. Manny Basi reported bass fishing has been slow, with the best action from top-water lures. Basi said catfishing from the banks has been excellent with dip baits, frozen shad or anchovies, and trout fishing is also good from the shore with nightcrawlers or salmon eggs. Call: Monte Smith (209) 581-4734, Danny Layne (209) 586-2383, Bait Barn (209) 874-301.

OCEAN

• SAN FRANCISCO BAY — The steep southerly swell shut down salmon fishing on Saturday, but counts soared Sunday. Capt. Bob Wright of the Happy Hooker went north to Rocky Point on Saturday, but saw the swell and decided to head for the bay rather than make everyone uncomfortable. Capt. R.J. Waldron on the Sundance out of Emeryville Sport Fishing reported flat, calm conditions at Rocky Point by Sunday, and his anglers caught limits of salmon to 18 pounds. The C Gull II mooched with 20 rods for nearly a fish per rod Sunday with 15 salmon to 19 pounds and 3 thresher sharks to 30 pounds. Rockfishing is outstanding with the New Huck Finn and Captain Hook heading to the Islands on Sunday for a combined 46 limits of rockfish and 70 lings to 20-pounds before returning to the bay for 3 halibut to 14-pounds.

• HALF MOON BAY — All of the boats at Huck Finn Sport Fishing went for rockfish over the weekend with the Tigerfish heading to the Farallons on Saturday for 21 limits to go with 23 lings to 13 pounds. Sheryl Jimno at the Rusty Hook in Pacifica reported striped bass, salmon and surf perch are abundant. Stripers have been hitting blood or pile worms from the pier and the beaches. Call: Happy Hooker (510) 223-5388; Huck Finn Sport Fishing Center (650) 726-7133, Emeryville Sport Fishing (510) 654-6040.

• MONTEREY/SANTA CRUZ — Todd Arcoleo of Chris's Landing in Monterey reported quite a few salmon have been caught near Santa Cruz. White sea bass are biting, and his boat picked up two 50-pounders on 10 rods Friday. Bayside Marine in Santa Cruz reported solid salmon scores in front of the Santa Cruz harbor from the Lighthouse to Capitola at 70 to 85 feet, either trolling or mooching. Barracuda have moved into the area, and the occasional 'cuda is being landed by salmon trollers. Call: Chris' Landing (831) 375-5951, Bayside Marine (831) 475-2173

TROUT PLANTS

Reservoirs and lakes that will be planted with trout during the week of Sept. 18:

• Tuolumne County — Lyons Canal; Middle Fork Stanislaus River; Moccasin Creek; Powerhouse Stream.

• Madera County — Corrine Lake.

• Fresno County — Kings River below Pine Flat Reservoir; San Joaquin River below Friant Dam.

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