At Lake Havasu, Anglers Make Big Run on Striped Bass With New Lure

Anglers looking for action with striped bass have found it at Lake Havasu the past few days.

“I mean a lot of it through the whole lake,” operator Bob Lee reported.

Lee and Sam Perry of Corona caught and released more than 60 stripers in a four-hour frenzy.

The hottest lure is one of the new Wiglstiks.

WILLOW BEACH--Fishing good from shore, with anchovies. Vern Wade had an 18-pound striper near hatchery, offshore, and Craig Honey a 24-pounder by hatchery on an anchovy. Marvin Height of Las Vegas, took a 19 1/2-pound striper trolling downriver with a Long A Bomber.

LAKE MEAD--Most activity from striped bass on anchovies, 25 to 50 feet deep, with a few topwater boils in Vegas Wash and in Overton Arm at Stewart’s Point. A few catfish are in coves at night but running under 2 pounds.

LAKE HAVASU--Lots of topwater action with stripers. Still generally small but individual catches reported from 3-10 pounds. “Wiglstik” lures successful, along with surface and sub-surface lures and chuggers. Catfish and largemouth slow, probably because water relatively cool.

BULLHEAD CITY--Striped bass continuing strong. John Bonner of Bullhead City, Ariz., caught 27-pounder in Ft. Mojave area, using an anchovy. Lots of nice trout from casinos to Laughlin Bridge. Powerbait best. Catfish running at 3 pounds in good numbers, using waterdogs up on the lake. Tuesday’s temperature was 110 degrees.

SALTON SEA--Catch improving on croakers, using frozen anchovies. Catfish slow. One corvina weighed 14 pounds.

LAKE CACHUMA--Trout good, trolling needlefish to seven colors down center at west end. Largemouth bass slow. Catfish good on mackerel in shallow areas.

LAKE CASITAS--Catfish and trout very good. Lots of catfish limits taken on mackerel in 3 to 5 feet along weed line. George Collier, Oxnard, had 10-fish limit totaling 60 pounds, the largest 18. Trolling with needlefish by dam in 50-60 feet producing lots of trout. Largemouth bass first thing in morning only, although some seen on surface. Perch and crappie very slow.

PYRAMID LAKE--Catfish still good, averaging about 7 pounds on mackerel, 10-35 feet deep. Largemouth bass have turned erratic with the weather. Easy to get but small--1-3 pounds. No large stripers. Trout planted at both ends of lake this week.

LAKE PIRU--All fishing slow, despite catch of a 9-pound catfish. Trout and largemouth bass all small, with only a few limits. Night crawlers working best.

LAKE ISABELLA--Nightfishing from shore good for catfish, with clams, mackerel and night crawlers. Some largemouth bass from boats and float tubes.

SAN DIEGO LAKES--Been slow and getting slower. For example, 359 anglers checked at Otay had 54 bass, 24 sunfish, 2 crappie and 70 channel cats. Bob Ulery of La Mesa caught catfish weighing 18-4 and 15-12 at San Vicente. Launch ramp at Miramar closed. Water also dropping at Sutherland.

IRVINE LAKE--Renee Attaway of Fountain Valley caught a 39-pound catfish at night, using a mackerel. Crappie excellent at night, with bullet jigs and yellow chartreuse. Best from boats, but also good from shore and around boat docks, at Sierra Cove and red clay cliffs. A few bass on plastics at Rocky Point and west shore.

LAKE SKINNER--Good for catfish, with mackerel and night crawlers. Some bluegill and crappie. Bass are 30 feet down for experienced anglers. Traditional baits are getting some trout from 60 feet down by dam.

BIG BEAR LAKE--Some thunderstorms and rain this week, but fishing good. Trout being taken from shore from Windy Point west to dam, using Powerbait. Trollers doing well with flashers, crawlers and needlefish, collecting catches 12-14 inches. Catfish running 3-5 pounds on chicken livers and mackerel. Largemouth bass good only in early morning and late afternoon on plastic worms, grubs and spinner baits, at east end around weed beds and bays on south side.

LAKE SILVERWOOD--Many nice stripers, topped by Greg Silks of Alta Loma, 22 pounds, on a Bomber; Steve Mahoney of Barstow, 25, on Bomber 17-J, and Warren Dalfosse of Santa Monica, 20, on Stalker lure, all in channel. Many 13-17s. One 15-pound catfish taken by Allan Cole of Lancaster, with mackerel in channel. A few crappie, some largemouth in channel.

Trout Plants

LOS ANGELES COUNTY--Castaic Lake, Pyramid Lake.

SAN BERNARDINO--Big Bear Lake, Green Valley Lake.

INYO--Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek (Lower, Middle, South Forks and Intake 11); Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lake Sabrina, Lone Pine Creek, North Lake, Pine Creek, Rock Creek, Rock Creek Lake, South Lake, Taboose Creek, Tennemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek.

MONO--Convict Creek, Convict Lake, Deadman Creek, Ellery Lake, George Lake, Glass Creek, Grant Lake, Green Creek, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lake Mary, Lee Vining Creek (and South Fork), Little Walker River, Lundy Lake, Mamie Lake, Mammoth Creek, McGee Creek, Owens River (Benton Crossing and Big Springs), Robinson Creek, Rock Creek (Paradise Camp to Tom’s Place, Tom’s Place upstream to Rock Creek Lake), Rush Creek, Saddlebag Creek, Saddlebag Lake, Sherwin Creek, Silver Lake, Tioga Lake, Trumbull Lake, Twin Lakes (Bridgeport), Twin Lakes (Mammoth), Virginia Creek, Virginia Lakes, Walker River (Chris Flat Campground to town of Walker, Leavitt Meadows Campground to Sonora Bridge).

KERN--Kern River (Democrat Dam to KR1 Powerhouse, Borell Powerhouse to Democrat Dam, Isabella Dam to Borell Powerhouse, KR3 Powerhouse to Lake Isabella).

TULARE--Kern River (Fairview Dam to KR3 Powerhouse, Johnsondale Bridge to Fairview Dam), Tule River (Middle Fork, north and south forks of Main Fork, Cedar Slope area.

ALPINE--Upper Blue Lake.

MADERA--San Joaquin River (Middle Fork), Sotcher Lake, Starkweather Lake.