Outdoors : ‘Bird Month’ at Lake Cachuma
With intermittent strong winds and water levels fluctuating, freshwater fishing is hit and miss in some Southland waters, but there are alternatives.
Lyle Lape says February is “bird month” at Lake Cachuma, north of Santa Barbara, with tours scheduled Wednesday through Sunday to see bald eagles, Canada geese and osprey. Reservations: (805) 508-2460.
Despite a low water level, there also are plenty of fish in the lake, without many anglers.
LAKE CACHUMA--With water low, launching ramp away from marina tackle shop, so top bass anglers not reporting. Heavy plant of 5,700 half-pound trout last week. Low pressure. Catfish slow.
LAKE PIRU--Trout fishing best bet, trolling red core line or monofilament 18 to 20 feet deep, using anything in a rainbow lure pattern. Still-fishing in San Felicia Cove is good, using Velveeta. Bass slow. Catfish active by dam, fishing deep with mackerel.
PUDDINGSTONE RESERVOIR--Lures best for trout--Super Dupers and crappie jigs, smoked silver flake. Most trout in sailboat-swim area. Roy Eves of San Dimas caught 20- and 32-pound carp on corn. Bass in deep water.
LAKE MEAD--Still catching a few stripers on frozen anchovies in Gypsum Wash, otherwise slow.
LAKE HAVASU--Spotty. Most stripers 40 to 60 feet deep, but will go for frozen anchovies or live shad, vertical jigging with Hopkins spoon.
BULLHEAD CITY--Some trout biting in the river on Power Bait, a few stripers on lake with Sassy Shad Rat-L-Trap.
SALTON SEA--Trolling on north shore with Thin Fin lures in afternoon good for corvina averaging seven pounds. Croaker picking up at Bombay Beach, also talapia on Johnson Creek, with nightcrawlers.
LAKE CASITAS--Bass spotty, but Andy Wahrenbrock, La Crescenta, caught a 12 1/2-pounder on a crawdad. Catfish steady and good, going for mackerel at 30 feet. Leonard Gibson, Oak View, caught one 12 pounds, 3 ounces. Trollers getting nice trout at 10 feet, with Power Bait and Needlefish lures. A few crappie, including one of 3 1/4 pounds caught by Jim Hollis, Ojai, on a mini-jig.
LAKE CASTAIC--Gene L. George, Granada Hills, six-pound bass with plastic worm on upper lake from boat.
IRVINE LAKE--Mark Valencia, Tustin, had five trout totaling 10 pounds, using Rooster Tail. Jaime Duenas, Santa Ana, took a 5 1/2-pound trout on Power Bait, on west shore. Samuel Liebmann, Corona, took two three-pound trout on old crocodile lure. Best spots are west shore, Sierra Cove and along buoy line.
LAKE SKINNER--Looking better as water level rises, allowing Ramp 2 to open. Water temperature cooling but northern largemouth bass still active. Onessis Timoteo, Glendale, caught a four-pounder with a nightcrawler at spillway. Jerry Allen, Huntington Beach, got a 7 3/4- and 3.2-pounders using a jig and pork rind in second cove from marina. Trout hitting salmon eggs and Power Bait.
LAKE SILVERWOOD--Lots of largemouths, and Ken East, San Bernardino, took a 20-pound striper with homemade lures by dam. Crews building fish habitat structures on shore while water down, but new influx will bring level up.
PYRAMID LAKE--Bob Chertcoff, Los Angeles, caught a 17-pound striper, using a Big Mac. Alan Wensman, Long Beach, had stripers of 8 1/4 and 10 1/2, with nightcrawlers on two-pound test line in marina. Hugo Arana, Panorama City, had a 3 1/3-pound largemouth on nightcrawler. Lots of limits of trout.
LAKE PERRIS--Pressure light as lake refills. Bass are nearly 60 feet deep near inlet, feeding on nutrients coming in. Some bass to 15-inch minimum.