Outdoors : Bass in San Diego Lakes Expected to Be at Peak

San Diego’s seven city fishing lakes, noted for big bass, will all be operating for the season when Sutherland, northeast of Ramona off California 78, opens Friday.

“Now’s the time for big bass,” manager Jim Brown said. “There’s a six-week window in the spawning period when they’re most vulnerable, and this is it.”

SAN DIEGO LAKES--Lake schedules: Wednesday and Saturday-Sunday--Murray, Hodges, Otay; Saturday through Tuesday--Miramar; Friday through Sunday--El Capitan, Sutherland; Thursday and Saturday-Sunday--San Vicente. Water too low at Sutherland for launching, but cartops OK and fishing prospects good. No bait concessions. Sizable bass at San Vicente. Hodges opened last weekend, unusually slow. Ramp open. Consistent crappie bite at El Capitan. Trout steady at Murray. Some bass in 12-13-pound range.

LAKE CACHUMA--Largemouth bass starting to move into shallows as water warms. Mike McNulty, Huntington Beach, six- and eight-pound bass on plastic worms at Jackrabbit Flat. Tai Martin, San Luis Obispo, four- and six-pound largemouths on spinner bait and jigs, along cliff line from Cachuma Bay toward dam. Bob Brakebill, Ventura, five smallmouths totaling 9 1/2 pounds, in 20 feet of water on crawdads near dam. Best trout success to trollers, using three-four colors. Private trout plant due Thursday.

LAKE CASITAS--Heavy catch in bass tournament last weekend, with 15.8-pound largemouth the largest. Several other big ones taken on plastic worms. Best fish last week were caught on live crawdads in 10 feet of water. Larry Chow, Los Angeles, limit of bass, best 9 1/2. Don Dusing, Canyon Country, 12 1/4.

CASTAIC LAKE--Largemouth bass extremely active when weather permits access on the lake. Both lakes producing sizable fish, mostly on crayfish but also on plastic worms and spinner baits. Butch Brown, Moorpark, 16-pound 12-ounce largemouth, caught in the lower lake. Trout fair.

PYRAMID LAKE--Bob Hanley, Westchester, two stripers 10 and 12 1/2 pounds, on bloodworms near marina. Glen Bernier, Los Angeles, released five stripers averaging five pounds. Stripers hitting in every cove on spinner baits. Lots of limits of trout, heavy plants.

LAKE PIRU--Trout active. Trolled lead-core line, three-four colors best bet. Still-fishing in San Felicia Cove and east side of dam good. Trout plant due. Bass started showing Saturday, then slowed down. Catfish deep by dam.

IRVINE LAKE--Water level up. A few bass in shallows. Joe Hunzeker, Cypress, released a three-pound bass. Gene Mayhugh, Chico, five trout totaling 13 1/4 pounds on bullet jigs and Power Bait. Earl Beam, Huntington Beach, won tournament for club members with five trout for 11 pounds, yellow rooster tails. Biggest trout, David Leidenfrost, Fountain Valley, 6 1/2 pounds, on nightcrawler. Robert Holland, Lancaster, nine-pound catfish on cheese.

LAKE SILVERWOOD--Frank Moon, Apple Valley, 11 1/2-pound largemouth on pig and jig by dam. Noel Peterson, San Bernardino, 18 1/2 striper on six-pound test and Rapala by dam. Ralph Sierra, Fontana, six-pound largemouth, pig and jig by dam. Plastics working, too. Stripers on pencil poppers, bombers and spoons.

KERN RIVER/LAKE ISABELLA--Until cold front moved in, bass were hitting in lake on plastic worms and Power Worms. Trout also good around west side from Prince Gulch to dam, on nightcrawlers and Power Bait. Kern River open to Tulare County line, producing nice size planters on Power Bait and crickets.

LAKE MEAD--Fishing slow. A few stripers below the campground and Vegas Wash on anchovies.

LAKE HAVASU--Still slow.

SALTON SEA--Windy, not much action.

PUDDINGSTONE RESERVOIR--Trout still active, biting throughout lake. April Gomez, 8, Downey, five-pound trout, caught on marshmallow-cheese combination at east shore. Felipe Avila, Pico Rivera, five- and four-pound trout, caught at swimming beach on inflated nightcrawlers. Hector Morales, La Verne, five-pound trout caught at swimming beach. Largemouth bass fair, biting best at 25 feet on plastic worms.

LAKE SKINNER--Fair for most species, with trout providing most action, mainly near inlet and Ramps 1 and 2. Tyrone Paulsen, Ron Binggeli, 2 1/2-pound trout. Jim Snyder, Lake Elsinore, 3-9 bass at south shore. Robert James, Rancho California, 1-12 crappie.