https://www.fishermanswarehouse.com
New Melones lake was flexing its muscles, forging some of the toughest days of fishing. The fish were in a funk after the spawn while moving to their summer haunts, some fish were chasing bait in pockets and the small fish were running the bank. However, the bigger fish were caught deeper even though the shoreline structure looked perfect for some type of reaction bite. New Melones supported several bass boats racing all over the lake, all trying to find the biggest fish, or even a bite. The weather was in a warming trend reaching 80 degrees with an overcast sky that produced thunder showers later in the day. The water temperature ranged between 65 to 70 degrees. Once the lines were out and all the fish submitted to TourneyX web site, Josh Griffin won the Slay Nation New Melones tournament by smashing an impressive 79.50” besting second place by 2.75”. Griffin dragged a jig on chunk rock in 20 to 25 feet of water over main lake points to produce his winning limit.
“If there was grass, I couldn’t get a bite.” Griffin said, “I had to drag the jig with the current on chunk rock, this was the key.”
Griffin was using a Keitech casting jig in peanut butter and jelly color paired with Deps Barbute craw.
“I was dipping the trailer in chartreuse dip.”
Griffin thanked his wife for all her support. This was Griffin’s first win. Congratulation Griffin!
Robert Yamamoto finished in second place with 76.25”. Yamamoto used a drop-shot with a 4-inch green pumpkin blue Zoom worm to catch his fish. Yamamoto found a cove during practice that was producing some topwater fish. After a slow start with no fish early, he quickly changed up to the drop-shot rig, thus, making the right adjustment to get the fish to bite.
“I fished the Zoom 4” green pumpkin worm in 14 feet of water, this was the key.” Yamamoto said, “I caught one fish on the Cotton Cordel when I saw the fish busting in the back of the cove.”
The last 15 minutes of the day, Yamamoto caught two fish on the drop-shot rig, changing up his rig, he wacky rigged the lure. He culled two 13” fish with two 15” fish.
“I felt that changing to the wacky rig helped me get those last-minute bites.”
Yamamoto thanked his fiancée for all her support and his sponsors Yak Rods and True Tongson.
John Myers finished in third place with 76.50”. Myers caught his three biggest fish on a TM jig paired with a Net Bait chunk in green pumpkin fishing in 30 to 50 feet of water.
“I would have my boat in 30 feet of water and cast the TM finesse jig out to 50 to 60 feet deep.”
Myers had two bites in back-to-back cast catching an 18”, 16.75” and another 16.75” largemouth a little earlier in the day.
“I caught five fish all day.” Myers said, “I did catch two small fish first thing but didn’t take pictures because I figured I could catch several 15” fish during the day, at 10 AM, I was regretting tossing the fish back.”
Myers caught 2 fish on the Lunker Daddy tube in green pumpkin with red flake that finished his limit. He caught his limit fish with just 30 minutes left in the day. Myers thanked his wife for all her support and his sponsors Super Clean, Lunker Daddy Lures, TM custom Lures, Stage Stop Gun Shop, and Ryan Cook Fishing.
Top Ten:
1. Josh Griffin 79.50”
2. Robert Yamamoto 76.75”
3. John Myers 76.50”
4.Daigo Kobayashi 76.25”
5. Brian Hackett 76.25”
6. Scott Savko 75.25”
7.Aaron King 75.00”
8.Pua Yang 75.00”
9. Pang En 74.50”
10. Gustavo Rojas 74.25”
Big Fish
Daigo Kobayashi 18.75”
Advertising