Silverwood Striper Action as Hot as the Weather

The weekend heat wave slowed fishing for largemouth bass at many Southland reservoirs, but it didn’t seem to affect the striped bass activity at San Bernardino County’s Silverwood Lake.

Jim Specht of Fontana used a silver spoon to catch a 35-pound striper in Cleghorn Canyon, and Kevin Correia of Visalia used an anchovy to land a 26-pounder near the spillway.

LAKE MEAD--Striped bass biting consistently in the lower basin, mostly on anchovies. Largemouth bass fair in coves, but require lots of fishing. Other species slow.

LAKE HAVASU--Striped bass active, but most under three pounds. Anchovies at 35 feet best bet. Largemouth bass still spawning, attacking artificials near banks. Catfish fair at 40 feet. Anchovies and mackerel working best.

BULLHEAD CITY--Striped bass between two and five pounds biting on anchovies in river. Catfish and largemouth bass feeding in Lake Mohave coves and near brush.

SALTON SEA--Orangemouth corvina bite fair at Red Hill and Bombay Beach. Tilapia minnows best bet.

LAKE CACHUMA--Trout biting near dam, with Power Bait the best bet. Trollers using lead-core line at four-five colors and needlefish. Largemouth bass fishermen using crank baits at 10-40 feet. Catfish biting on mackerel and nightcrawlers in shallow water. Red-ear perch to two pounds fairly active from 20-25 feet. Nightcrawler pieces best bet.

LAKE CASITAS--Largemouth bass active at 15-20 feet. Rubin Mesa, Oxnard, 18-pound bass. Bernie Cornell, Santa Paula, nine-pound bass. Trout biting at 50-70 feet. Needlefish or Kastmaster lures working best. Crappie and red-ear perch biting at Santa Ana and Deep Cat canyons. Catfish most active at Wadleigh Arm.

PYRAMID LAKE--Largemouth bass active in marina, dam and Brazo’s Cove. Jorge Granados, Glendale, 25 bass, caught on jigs near dam and released. Striped bass biting mostly in marina. Anchovies best bet. Karen Laumbach, Frazier Park, 15-0 striper. Trout slow, biting best in marina. Catfish slow.

LAKE PIRU--Trout planted Tuesday. Trollers doing best at 25-30 feet. Still-fishermen using Power Bait at dam catching three-fish stringers. Largemouth bass averaging 16 inches. Nick Frederick, Bakersfield, 7-8 and 4-8 bass. Catfish active in shallows, mainly in northeast corner of lake. Mackerel and nightcrawlers working best. Joe DeGeer, Sunland, 14-0 catfish.

CASTAIC LAKE--Largemouth bass most active in the lower lake. Mark McMurray, Simi Valley, 9-8 and 7-0 bass. Don Carrillo, Glendale, 13-4 bass caught on nightcrawler. Catfish, crappie and bluegills fair.

PUDDINGSTONE RESERVOIR--Water at 70 degrees. Largemouth bass hitting shad-colored surface lures and brown or purple plastic worms along most of shoreline. Bill Smith, Glendora, five bass to 6-0. Trout planted last Thursday. Fish just becoming active, biting on Power Bait and nightcrawlers. Jim Anderson, Pico Rivera, 4-0 trout, caught at East Shore. Bluegills and red-ear perch biting throughout lake on worms. Marty Wales, San Dimas, 15-fish stringer, caught at East Shore. Catfish hitting on standard baits in shallows.

BIG BEAR--Trout fishing consistent from the solar observatory to dam. Ron Buckmiller, Alta Loma, 6-9 trout. May Trout Classic May 19-20. For information call (714) 866-6260. Largemouth bass spawning, active but small.

LAKE SILVERWOOD--Stripers active in Cleghorn Canyon. Jim Specht, Fontana, 35-0 striper caught on silver spoon. Kevin Correia, Visalia, 26-0 striper, caught in spillway on anchovy. Largemouth bite fair to good with fish to 6-0 this week. Crappie active at dam, Outhouse Cove, and Cleghorn Canyon.

LAKE SKINNER--Largemouth bass fair with fish to six pounds reported. Nightcrawlers best bet. Catfish small but active. Trout fair.

BISHOP AREA--Crowley: Brown trout upward of three pounds have become active, with several limits reported. Sabrina: Mostly pan-size rainbow trout. Water level low and fishing fair. Nightcrawlers best bet. Pleasant Valley Reservoir producing 16-inch trout on most baits and lures. Lower Rock Creek yielding one-pound rainbows, with yellow Power Bait the best bet.

MAMMOTH LAKES--Twin Lakes fair with fish between one and two pounds. Nightcrawlers best bet.

JUNE LAKE LOOP--Trout to a pound biting on Rapala lures and small spinners. Stream fishing best with worms and nightcrawlers.

BRIDGEPORT AREA--East Walker River trout biting on nymphs and Rapala lures. Bridgeport Reservoir producing rainbows to 3-0 and some bigger browns, with Rapalas and nightcrawlers working. Twin Lakes and Virginia Lakes good for pan-sized rainbows.