New Melones Lake in Tuolumne County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Tuolumne County end of California holds New Melones Lake. The ground round it is pine and hardwood. At roughly 14.0 sq miles it ranks among the larger waters in the region. Some 89 miles of shoreline means conditions can differ from one end to the other. Nothing else we list in Tuolumne County covers more water. Jamestown is the closest town at 5.5 miles. After that come Copperopolis at 6.6 miles and Angels Camp at 6.6 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on New Melones Lake

  Depth on file is 565 ft. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. Tuolumne County records list rainbow trout, brook trout and Sacramento sucker among the fish reported. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. New Melones Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, August reads 77°F and January reads 45°F. Fish stay active all year, but they move with the heat. The first and last hours carry the summer; the middle is slow. The hot months push the fishing to dawn and dusk. At New Melones Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public ownership means the bank is normally open to anglers. A ramp is mapped within half a mile. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. A jetty or pier is mapped about half a mile from here. Toilets are half a mile away, which matters on a long session. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Tulloch Reservoir, 6.5 miles away. Confirm before you fish New Melones Lake.