Tuna Still Hitting Off San Diego

There seems to be no end in sight for the fall tuna bite out of San Diego, as the fish keep getting closer to shore and the counts better.

Last Thursday, 30 fishermen aboard the Predator caught 150 albacore, 10 bluefin tuna and 50 skipjack. On Sunday, 520 fishermen aboard 22 boats caught more than 1,000 albacore, as well as an assortment of bluefin, yellowfin and bigeye tuna.

“It looks really good and it should continue,” said H&M; Landing’s Caryl Sandner, adding that the fish are being found as close as 40 miles from the landing.

Fresh Water

LAKE MEAD--Striped bass averaging three pounds biting on surface, mainly in lower basin. Bigger fish taken at 45-60 feet on live bait. Richard Holroyd, Costa Mesa, 33-pound striper, caught at Temple Bar. Catfish and largemouth bass slow.

LAKE HAVASU--Striped bass scattered, biting on surface in mornings and evenings, down deeper during day. Good from Thompson Bay to lower end. Largemouth bass to two pounds hitting medium- and shallow-running plugs and plastic worms.

BULLHEAD CITY--Trout biting on Colorado River. Some limits, most coming on small spinners or Berkeley Power Bait. Striped bass biting on river and lake, several to 10 pounds. Steven Bell, Bullhead City, 19 1/2-pound striper. Catfish biting mainly in coves.

SALTON SEA--Orangemouth corvina bite fair, best in mornings at Red Hill. Sargo biting primarily along north side of sea. Croaker active at Bombay Beach. Tilapia biting throughout sea in afternoons. Channel catfish fair in All-American Canal.

LAKE CACHUMA--Catfish providing most action, biting in deep water on mackerel. Trout scattered. Trollers using 6-7 colors and needlefish lures catching some limits. Red ear perch biting at 20-30 feet off drop offs. Largemouth bass slow.

LAKE CASITAS--Largemouth bass picking up, but fish small, biting in shallow water in weeds. Trollers using 8-10 colors catching trout to two pounds. Catfish biting at 60-70 feet near dam.

PYRAMID LAKE--Bluegills and crappie most active near marina and Yellow Bar. David Matthew, Simi Valley, 30 bluegills. Catfish biting primarily at Yellow Bar and Bear Trap. Arland Barlett, Carson, two catfish, 15 pounds. Striped bass taking surface lures mostly in main channel and marina. Paul Selkirk, Simi Valley, two stripers, 18 pounds, caught off Spanish Point.

LAKE PIRU--Trout biting mainly at dam on Power Bait and Kastmaster lures. Catfish most active in San Felicia Cove. Peter Cervantes, Fillmore, 15-pound catfish. Joe Castaneda, Piru, six-pound catfish.

IRVINE LAKE--Catfish the best bet, biting mainly on mackerel. Tony Verling, Orange, five catfish, 38 pounds. Josephine Williams, Irvine, 15 1/4-pound catfish. Largemouth bass picking up as water cools. Crank plugs and spinners best bet.

LAKE SKINNER--Catfish biting primarily at dam and inlet. Night crawlers and shrimp working best. Bluegills and crappie biting on mini-jigs. Ricca Augie, Anaheim, 4-pound 2-ounce bass, caught near dam. Largemouth bass scattered, biting on nightcrawlers and plastic worms.

LAKE PERRIS--Bluegill biting primarily in marina on mini-jigs or meal worms. Largemouth mouth bass most active in east end. George Carson, Hemet, 8-pound bass. Trout and catfish slow.

BIG BEAR LAKE--Trout biting throughout lake, expected to be active until it freezes. Power Bait best bet.

SILVERWOOD LAKE--Some limits of trout and an occasional striped bass. Trout scattered. Stripers biting in Cleghorn and Miller canyons. Crappie plentiful. Catfish fairly active.

BISHOP AREA--Sabrina inlet productive using nightcrawlers or Power Bait. Stocked with three-pound brood stock last Friday. Trollers catching some limits. Pleasant Valley Reservoir fair for pan-sized rainbows. Most baits working. Owens River fishermen doing best with crickets in evenings.

BRIDGEPORT AREA--West Walker River the best bet, with several limits coming on flies, lures and bait. Twin Lakes yielding trout averaging a pound. Bank fishing rated good. Bridgeport Reservoir filling up and fishing improved. Bank fishermen catching trout to 2 1/2 pounds. Boat rental closed.

Trout Plants

LOS ANGELES--Lake Castaic, Puddingstone Reservoir, Lake Pyramid, San Gabriel River (East Fork), Santa Fe Reservoir.

RIVERSIDE--Hemet Lake.

SAN BERNARDINO--Santa Ana River.

SAN LUIS OBISPO--Atascadero Lake, Laguna Lake, Lake Lopez.

INYO--Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek (Middle and South Forks), Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lake Sabrina, Lone Pine Creek, North Lake, Owens River (Laws Bridge downstream to Steward Lane), Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Rock Creek Lake, Taboose Creek, Tinnemaha Creek.

MONO--Convict Lake, Lake George, Grant Lake, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lake Mary, Robinson Creek, Silver Lake, Twin Lakes Bridgeport, Twin Lakes Mammoth.