Southland Reservoirs Are Yielding Catfish

Catfish fishermen are finding their favorite quarry waking up to spring and feeding in the shallows at many Southland reservoirs.

Mike and Evelyn Ehle of Long Beach, fishing Santa Barbara County’s Lake Cachuma, caught 11 catfish totaling 104 pounds in just three hours. Clint Hayes of Torrance caught a 24-pound catfish in upper Castaic Lake of Los Angeles County and William Hopkins of Hawthorne caught a 16-pounder at Pyramid Lake.

LAKE MEAD--Striped bass biting mostly in lower basin, most averaging 1 1/2-2 pounds. Anchovies working. Largemouth bass beginning to spawn but are small and hard to find.

LAKE HAVASU--Striped bass small but active. An occasional fish to seven pounds. Anchovies at 35-45 feet the best bet. Largemouth bass spawning and actively hitting artificials. Catfish biting on most baits.

BULLHEAD CITY--Striped bass of two to five pounds biting in river on anchovies. Catfish active in coves on Lake Mohave, biting on mackerel and anchovies. Largemouth bass bite fair through the brush on lake. Plastic worms best bet.

LAKE CACHUMA--Largemouth bass biting steadily at about five feet near shore. Crank baits working best. Sean Bothwell, Sylmar, 11 1/4-pound bass. Catfish good in backs of bays on mackerel and nightcrawlers, averaging five pounds. Trout biting primarily at mouth of Johnson Bay and near dam. Power Bait best bet.

LAKE CASITAS--Largemouth bite excellent at 15-20 feet with live crawfish. Harry Jioras, Chatsworth, nine-pound largemouth, caught on crawfish at 15 feet. Dave Inghram, Torrance, 10-pound bass, caught on Fat Rap lure. Trout biting at 50 feet on orange Power Bait and nightcrawlers. Trollers using 11 colors and needlefish or Kastmaster lures. Crappie and perch becoming active in brush at 10-15 feet. Minijigs and meal worms working best.

PYRAMID LAKE--Catfish averaging 10-15 pounds, biting in channel and coves. Mackerel best bet. William Hopkins, Hawthorne, 16-pound catfish. Corey LaGuire, Canoga Park, 13-pound catfish and two three-pound largemouth bass. Largemouths, averaging three pounds, biting in coves at about eight feet. Plastic worms and nightcrawlers working best. Striped bass most active at dam, biting on anchovies and Red Fin lures. Choh Chung, Van Nuys, five stripers, largest 7 1/2 pounds.

LAKE PIRU--Largemouth bass still in shallows, biting on plastic worms and other artificials. Derek Yamamoto, North Hollywood, three-pound bass. Trout fishing good in deep water. Power Bait and trolled Kastmasters working best. Catfish picking up toward northeast part of lake. Peter Cervantez, Fillmore, 14-pound catfish.

CASTAIC LAKE--Largemouth bass biting in both lakes on crawfish and artificials. Kurt LaChance, Castaic, 4 1/2-pound bass, caught in lower lake on Rapala lure. Simon Camarillo, Oxnard, seven-pound bass, caught on plastic worm. Catfish picking up in both lakes.

IRVINE LAKE--Rainbow trout still active at West Shore and Sierra Cove. John Paul Bohnlein, Long Beach, 7 1/2-pound trout, caught on nightcrawler. Largemouth bass becoming active near weeds in coves, and off points at eight feet. Crappie biting between Trout Island road and boat dock. Minijigs tipped with meal worms best bet.

PUDDINGSTONE RESERVOIR--Largemouth bass biting in several areas, spawning in shallows. Green Weenie lures working best but plastic worms and grubs also productive. Jerry LaPointe, San Dimas, 10-pound bass, caught on crawfish in sailboat area, released. Trout scattered, biting on cheese, nightcrawlers and red worms. Bluegills and red-ear perch biting on worms at east shore and swim beach.

PERRIS LAKE--Largemouth and spotted bass active throughout lake in shallows. Plastic worms and live baits working. LeRoy Eastin, Bloomington, 8 1/2-pound largemouth. Catfish fair. Jay Gier, Rialto, 9 1/2-pound catfish, caught on mackerel at east end. Bluegills biting in shallow weed areas on crickets and meal worms. Trout to 1 1/2 pounds biting near dam and between Lots 11 and 12.

BIG BEAR--Trout fishing good throughout lake for boaters. Shore fishermen doing best at dam and north shore. Most baits and small lures working.

LAKE SILVERWOOD--Largemouth bass biting in channel off rocks. Lilly Spire, El Cajon, 11-pound largemouth. Striped bass in several areas. Gary Overstreet, Apple Valley, 25-, 16- and six-pound stripers. Trout fishermen doing best in Cleghorn Canyon. Catfish active through Miller Canyon, biting on chicken livers and mackerel.

BISHOP AREA--South Lake and North Lake roads closed. Sabrina: good for pan-sized rainbows and an occasional large brown. Al Davies, Ontario, 9-6 brown, caught on nightcrawler. Pleasant Valley Reservoir: Small lures and standard cheese baits producing several near-limits of rainbows and some browns. Mike McDonough, Van Nuys, nine trout weighing between 2 1/2 and four pounds apiece.

CROWLEY LAKE--Rainbow trout active, with several limits caught opening day. Most fish from pan size to four pounds.

MAMMOTH LAKES--Road closures in effect at Lakes Mary, George and Mamie. Trout action fair at Twin Lakes.

JUNE LOOP--Most lakes reporting excellent fishing. Big fish include seven-pound rainbow caught at Gull Lake by Yorba Linda’s Craig Bruckner; a 4-11 rainbow by El Monte’s Tom Rameriz at Silver Lake. Stream fishing also considered excellent.

BRIDGEPORT AREA--Lower Twin Lake best for big brown trout, producing a 10-pound 14-ounce, 33-inch brown caught by Bridgeport’s Joe Garcia and a 10-2, 32-inch brown by Bob Shere of Bakersfield.

Trout Plants

LOS ANGELES COUNTY--Big Rock Creek, Lower Big Tujunga Creek, Bouquet Canyon Creek, Castaic Lake, Castaic Lagoon, Elizabeth Lake, Little Rock Creek, Little Rock Reservoir, Puddingstone Reservoir, Pyramid Lake, San Dimas Reservoir, San Gabriel River (East, West and North forks).

RIVERSIDE--Lake Skinner.

SAN BERNARDINO--Big Bear Lake, Jenks Lake, Lytle Creek (Middle and North forks), Santa Ana River, Santa Ana River (South Fork).

SAN DIEGO--Cuyamaca Lake.

INYO--Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek (Lower, Middle, South forks and Intake II), Cottonwood Creek, Diaz Lake, Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lake Sabrina, Lone Pine Creek, Owens River (below Tinnemeha, Shepherds Creek, Taboose Creek, Tinnemeha Creek, Tuttle Creek.

MONO--Bridgeport Reservoir, Buckeye Creek, Convict Creek, Green Creek, Lee Vining Creek, Little Walker River, Mammoth Creek, McGee Creek, Reversed Creek, Rush Creek, Sherwin Creek, Swauger Creek, Virginia Creek, Walker River (Chris Flat camp-ground to town of Walker, Leavitt Meadows campground to Sonora Bridge).

KERN--Alder Creek, Cedar Creek, Deer Creek, Erskine Creek, Hart Park Lake, Kern River (Democrat Dam to KR1 Powerhouse, Borell Powerhouse to Democrat Dam, Isabella Dam to Borell Powerhouse, KR3 Powerhouse to Lake Isabella).