Ventura County Boasts Largemouth Bass Run

Full lakes blessed by a wet winter are more attractive to fishermen, and more anglers mean more fish will be caught. That--and a current spawn of largemouth bass--is why some of the best Southland fishing recently has been at the Ventura County lakes Casitas and Piru. For managers Randy King at Casitas and Art Caldara at Piru, their reservoirs are running over.

“The fishermen are coming back from the saltwater,” King said this week as both lakes continued to produce consistent catches of big bass, in particular. “Our numbers over the years show that attendance relates directly to water levels.”

Said Caldara: “It has very little to do with the fishing quality. Last weekend was the best weekend we’ve had for five years.”

IRVINE LAKE--The sixth-annual Sierra Grand Trout Spectacular runs Friday through May 31 at Irvine and Santa Ana River Lakes. Irvine Lake Trout Championships Saturday. Entry free. Special plant includes 200 pounds of trophy fish up to 16 pounds. Logan Williams, Los Angeles, 7-pound rainbow trout, using worms near dam. Anglers report adding Smelly Jelly to bait increasing hookups.

SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--Steve Walker, Buena Park, heaviest five-fish trout limit of season at 44 3/4 pounds, using Mepps spinner near spillway of Rainbow Basin. Largest trout of week by Abel Oiniguez, Los Angeles, 11-5, Power Bait; Richard Kipp, Santa Ana, 10-0, Power Bait.

LAKE PERRIS--David Grohosky, Nuevo, 8-10 largemouth bass; Rat-L-Trap, east end. Others: Rex McConnell, Long Beach, 7 3/4, Power worm; Harold Gathrie, Riverside, 7 3/4, nightcrawler; Scott Parrish, Garden Grove, 7 1/4, crappie jig. Trout plant Monday. Bluegill starting to show.

SILVERWOOD LAKE--David Humphrey, 24-0 striper; large jointed lure. Rodney Beck, 15 1/2 striper; homemade lure. Jeremy Evans, 10 1/2 largemouth bass; plastic worm.

LAKE CACHUMA--Smallmouth and largemouth bass excellent, although few large ones; shallow and hitting most baits and lures as they move in to spawn. John Sibert, Tehachapi, 3 1/4 smallmouth; crankbait, near island. Rick McKelvy, Anaheim, 3 1/4 smallmouth; Fat Wrap, from shore at E Point. Trout slow.

LAKE CASITAS--Jim Mason, Oakview, 14 1/2 and 12-0 largemouth bass; Worm King lure. Jay Carter, Ventura, 12-0 bass; Worm King. Bill Bjornstrom, Oxnard, 10-0 bass; nightcrawler. Mike Costa, Ventura, 11-0 and 10-0 bass; nightcrawlers. Also many limits of smaller fish in new brush; plastics and nightcrawlers. Redear sunfish and crappies starting to show. Trolling best for trout; size 2 Needlefish, five colors deep. Tom and Goldina Stallings, Ojai, limits of trout, largest 2 1/2.

PYRAMID LAKE--Striped bass best. A few largemouth. Ray Merrill, Granada Hills, 24-0 striper; homemade lure. Ed Storm, Frazier Park, 23-0 striper; homemade lure, in marina. Water warming up and clearing.

LAKE PIRU--Big bass continue in good numbers. Dan Gillespie, Castaic, limit of bass, total 23-0, largest 7-0; Pig N Jig. Ernie and Don Roubidoux, 28 pounds of bass, largest 5.9; purple Pig N Jig. Steve Platner and Joel Zide, West Hills, 28 pounds of bass, largest 4-0. James North, Redondo Beach, caught and released nine bass, largest 5-0. James Richardson and Scott Chiu, Burbank, six crappies and seven bass. John Beale, Ventura, 40 crappie; Diablo cove. Trout good, trolling 2 1/2 colors at north end. Stillfishing best with Power Bait. Darrell, Cochrane, Piru, 15-0 and 6-0 catfish; mackerel.

LAKE CASTAIC--Del East, San Bernardino, 15 3/4 largemouth; homemade E-Trout plug, 40 feet deep in upper lake, trolling leadcore line. Gordon Griffith, Lancaster, 12-0, 11-0 and 9-0 largemouth, AC Plug, 15 feet in Fishing Arm; all released. Ariel Shaw, Valencia, with guide Mike Hudek, limit of bass total 30 pounds, released; Ambusher sculpin and purple Phantoms, in Fishing Arm 12-15 feet.

LAKE WOHLFORD--Trout, largemouth bass and crappies all biting. Eric Dickson, 7-8 bass. Green Power Bait best for trout, nightcrawlers for bass. Barbara Mahou, 2-4 crappie.

LAKE SKINNER--Trout, largemouth bass and crappies good. Bass holding off points. Chacho Burgass, Corona, 7-8 largemouth; A few catfish. Some small stripers.

KERN RIVER/LAKE ISABELLA--Lake still rising. Trout on river good; salmon eggs and Power Bait. Catfish at Camp Nine on lake; clams, anchovies and mackerel. A few crappies on red and white jigs. Bass showing up. Some bluegill; mealworms.

SAN DIEGO LAKES--Hodges: Largemouth bass good; largest 6-1 by Kent Radcliffe, Encinitas, using dark, four-inch plastic worm, from shore at narrows. A few crappies; largest 2-0 by Ed and Dave Hargis, San Diego; shiners, in Rancho Bernardo Cove. El Capitan: Bass excellent, averaging three per angler; largest 7-8 by Keith Hopper, Santee; black plastic worm. Also, 7-4 by Jerry Holden, San Diego; black plastic worm, in Conejos Arm. Miramar: Trout fair; bass slow. Otay: Bass fair; largest 8-12 by Rick Wilson, San Diego, in limit of 5 totaling 22-8; crawfish, in Otay Arm. Also, 8-8 by John Bonner, Bonita; nightcrawlers, at buoy line. San Vicente: Bass good; largest 8-0 by Larry Lograsso, Ramona; plastic worm, off island, and 7-3 by Mike Hoover, San Diego; chocolate blue worm, Barona Arm. Brian Baldwin, 4 1/2, Santee, 4 1/2-pound largemouth bass; plastic worm. Some 43 bluegill, trout and channel catfish; largest 9-8 in catch of 15, total weight 68-0, by Trong Ha, Linh and Yung Nguyen, San Diego; mackerel, in Kimball Arm.

COLORADO RIVER--Lake Powell: Striped bass excellent between dam and Wahweap buoy line. Lee’s Ferry: Trout good; spinners. Lake Mead: South Cove ramp re-opened, fishing fair. Stripers at Temple Bar fair to good. Willow Beach: Stringers of stripers 3-18 pounds, trolling anchovies or topwater lures resembling trout. Trout also good upriver; pink Power Bait or small, flashy lures. Below Davis Dam: Trout good from dam to County Park; small gold or silver spinners, pink Power Bait or nightcrawlers. Stripers good from shore at Davis Camp or drift fishing from Davis Camp to River Bend; anchovies. Catfish good evenings; nightcrawlers. Topock: Largemouth bass and catfish very good at Five-Mile Landing. Crappies slowed. Havasu: Stripers good to excellent; anchovies. Largemouth bass in spawn, good to excellent; jigs or spinners. Catfishing good.

Trout Plants

LOS ANGELES COUNTY--Alondra Park Lake, Arroyo Seco Creek, Big Rock Creek, Upper and Lower Big Tujunga Creek, Crystal Lake, El Dorado Park Lake, Elizabeth Lake, Legg Lake, Little Rock Creek, Little Rock Reservoir, Peck Road Park Lake, Piru Creek (Frenchman’s Flat), Puddingstone Lake, San Gabriel River (East, West and North Forks), Santa Fe Reservoir. RIVERSIDE--Fulmor Lake, Hemet Lake, Lake Perris, Lake Skinner, Strawberry Creek. SAN BERNARDINO--Mojave Narrows Park Lake. VENTURA--Lake Piru. INYO--Cottonwood Creek, Georges Creek, Independence Creek, Lone Pine Creek, Owens River (Laws Bridge downstream to Steward Lane), Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Tuttle Creek.

SALTWATER REPORT C7