Dog-Day Afternoons Are Fine for Bluegill

It’s “dog-day summer fishing,” according to Jim Brown, manager of the San Diego City lakes.

The bass are off at most places, but the bluegill have been biting heavily at San Vicente and, surprisingly, Otay. Red worms or meal worms are working from boats and shore.

“San Vicente has always been good for bluegill, but this is new for Otay,” Brown said.

LAKE PIRU--Largemouth bass picking up. Plastic worms best bet. Joe Aaron, Oxnard, three-pound bass. Catfish most active in San Felicia Cove and north end of lake, averaging 5-7 pounds. Trollers using eight-nine colors, with needlefish lures at dam catching most trout. Some limits.

PUDDINGSTONE RESERVOIR--Water 78 degrees. Trout slow, early morning a must. Redear perch and bluegill active, biting mainly at east end on small meal worms. Largemouth bass slow; cinnamon-colored plastic worm best bet. Catfish most active, biting on mackerel and shrimp at north shore. James Wood, La Habra, nine-pound catfish. Catfish derby Aug. 25: (714) 599-8411.

SALTON SEA--Slow. Some action at Red Hill, from boats, for corvina 12-13 pounds. Croaker and sargo good at State Park and Salt Creek, offshore or jetty, worms and anchovies. Channel cats biting in canals.

LAKE CACHUMA--Good to excellent for trout over weekend, then slowed. Emilio Valcecchi, Santa Barbara, 6 1/4-pound rainbow trout, trolling needlefish eight colors deep. Dale Schade, Los Angeles, 6 1/4-pound bass on Pig ‘N Jig. Don Tolley, Lawndale, 12 1/2-pound catfish on spinner bait.

LAKE CASITAS--Good catfish in shallow water at Wadleigh Arm, using cut mackerel, averaging 5-7 pounds. Trout good, trolling needlefish, 7-10 colors.

PYRAMID LAKE--Stripers and catfish good, with nightcrawlers and anchovies, at the marina and channel. John Hart, Castaic, 20-pound catfish. Scott Davis, Simi Valley, 20-pound striper, anchovies.

SAN DIEGO LAKES--San Vicente and Otay excellent for bluegill, with red worms and meal worms. Leadcore fishing for trout averaging two pounds also good at San Vicente. Hodges best for bass, although Sutherland produced some big ones, including its largest of the season, a 13-pound 7-ounce largemouth caught by Bill Kosmas of San Diego.

IRVINE LAKE--Catfish, crappie, bluegill and largemouth bass and occasional sturgeon. For catfish, mackerel, chicken liver, shrimp and some Velveeta working. Crappie: bullet jigs, chartreuse and firecracker colors. Bluegill: red worms and meal worms. Bass: spinner baits, chartreuse and white; crank baits, crawdad and shadrap patterns. Few trout trolling needlefish 4-5 colors, slowly.

LAKE SKINNER--Patricia Smith, 9, San Dimas, 16-pound catfish, on shrimp and chicken livers, by spillway. Lots of catfish, big stringers. Nightcrawlers best, trolling around dam off buoy lines, 60 to 70 feet, and near launch ramp, 30 feet. Crappie: finger jigs, with pieces of nightcrawlers. Bluegill: red worms and meal worms. Seven-pound largemouth bass reported. needlefish. Randy Basore, Bellflower, 11-pound catfish, nightcrawlers and cheese, near dam.

BIG BEAR LAKE--Water still cool enough for trout. Bait fishermen using Power Bait from shore near dam and along north side to Gray’s Landing. From boat, Rock Wall to Zebra Room best, trolling lead line with needlefish, Kastmasters, Z-Rays. Catfish good, 2-5 pounds, east end off weed beds, 12-15 feet, fresh chicken livers. Crappie good, any jig with white on it, or meal worms.

LAKE SILVERWOOD--Forrest Follett, Fontana, 9 1/2-pound catfish, mackerel, near dam. Matt East, Temecula, 16 1/2-pound striper, J-plug, at Cleghorn. Bob Lodahl, Baldwin Park, 3 1/2-pound striper, anchovies, at Outhouse Cove.

KERN RIVER/LAKE ISABELLA--Planting river regularly. Trout good in high-country wilderness area. Five-pound brown at Hell’s Hole. Some goldens to 8 inches. Lake fair.

LAKE CASTAIC--Michael Daudet and Vinnie Lorenz, Inglewood, double limit of 20 catfish, total 225 pounds, upper lake from boat, nightcrawlers. Carlos Matus, Arcadia, 13 1/2-pound catfish, upper lake, nightcrawlers.

BISHOP AREA--Owens River best in morning and evening hours, with flies or Power Bait. Wild trout area above Five Bridges Road producing 1 1/2- to 2 1/2-pound browns on nymphs, worms and Power Bait. River off Line Street also good. Lake Sabrina good from shore, using anything, or trolling a Dave Davis with a nightcrawler.

BIG PINE--Limits with worms or Power Bait on creek. Anglers willing to suffer mosquitos at Owens River catching two-pounders on Kastmaster Golds or spinners.

ROCK CREEK--Excellent in creek and lake, worms and Power Bait. Try flies and lures at dusk.

CONVICT LAKE--Best success trolling needlefish 5-10 colors deep. Area streams best early morning and evening.

CROWLEY LAKE--Few anglers, but catches averaging 1 1/2 pounds.

MAMMOTH LAKES--A banner year for back-country lakes. Rain gear and mosquito repellent recommended. Lake Mary and Lake George good, but Mamie slow.

JUNE LAKE--June best in early morning with Power Bait or Nuggets, or trolling a Rapala, needlefish or triple teaser. Gull: troll the surface with eggs and marshmallows. Silver: shore fishing best, with worms and Power Bait. Grant: Nightcrawlers working at narrows.

BRIDGEPORT--Trout to 4 1/2 pounds coming off bottom of Bridgeport Reservoir, using nightcrawlers and Power Bait.

LAKE MEAD--Topwater action for small stripers, with anchovies. Topfishing good evenings in coves, with anchovies, nightcrawlers, shrimp. No bass. Too hot.

LAKE HAVASU--Black bass slow, but stripers good, although small, casting chunks of anchovies. Small topwater lures good for catch-and-release, or trolling shallow runners such as Wig-L-Stix. Cut bait best, 35-44 feet deep. Glen Sweeney, Bullhead City, 40-pound, 48-inch striper on upper river. Catfish good at night.

BULLHEAD CITY--Stripers fair, 3-4 pounds, on anchovies, drifting in river around Mojave Valley area. Catfish very good, below Davis Dam or any coves of Lake Mojave. Biting anything. Lots of pan-size trout in river, Power Bait.

Trout Plants

LOS ANGELES COUNTY--Piru Creek (Frenchman’s Flat).

SAN BERNARDINO--Arrowbear Lake, Big Bear Lake, Green Valley Lake, Gregory Lake, Jenks Lake.

SAN DIEGO--Doane Pond, San Luis Rey River.

INYO--Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek (Lower, Middle, South forks and Intake II), Cottonwod Creek, Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lake Sabrina, Lone Pine Creek, North Lake, Owens River (below Tinnemaha), Rock Creek (Rock Creek Lake to the end of the road), Rock Creek Lake, Shepherds Creek, Taboose Creek, Tinnemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek.

MONO--Convict Lake, Deadman Crek, East Walker River, George Lake, Glass Creek, Grant Lake, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lake Mary, Mamie Lake, Owens River (Big Springs), Pine Creek, Rock Creek (Paradise Camp to Tom’s Place, Tom’s Place upstream to Rock Creek Lake), Silver Lake, Twin Lakes Bridgeport, Twin Lakes Mammoth.

KERN--Kern River (Democrat Dam to KR1 Powerhouse, Borell Powerhouse to Democrat Dam, Isabella Dam to Borell Powerhouse, KR3 Powerhouse to Lake Isabella).

TULARE--Kern River (from Tulare County line to Johnsondale Bridge), Tule River (Middle Fork, North fork of Main Fork).

MADERA--San Joaquin River (Middle Fork), Starkweather Lake.