Nothing Like Sulfate to Perk Up Fish

Fishermen never know what will start the fish biting--warmer weather, dark of the moon--but Lake Perris marina manager Charlie Lamkin notes that a surge in largemouth bass catches coincided when the Riverside County reservoir received a dose of copper sulfate to reduce algae the past week.

“Maybe it was just a coincidence,” Lamkin said, “but the bass really turned on.”

Trout averaging 1 3/4 pounds also were being caught in good numbers, but Lamkin attributed that to insect hatches at the east end. The O.A. (Tommy) Thomas Fishing Derby for kids 16 and younger is scheduled Sunday. It’s free with park entry.

LAKE PERRIS--Mike Wilmot, Bellflower, 10 1/2-pound largemouth bass; nightcrawler, at east end. Also: Doug Turner, High Grove, 6-12; John Field, Riverside, 8-6; Rafael Samuel, Perris, 7-0; Richard Trujillo, Lake Arrowhead, 7-0. Limits of trout averaging 1 3/4 pounds in east end shallows feeding on insect hatches.

IRVINE LAKE--Reported 12 rainbows to 9 1/2 pounds for week, topped by Tony Emerling, West Los Angeles, 9-8; Wayne King, Whittier, 9-6, and Ed Zavala, Yorba Linda, 9-4. Rainbows hitting Power Bait, smaller German browns going for nightcrawlers. Crappies and largemouth bass fishing also good.

SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--Rainbows and channel catfish dominating catches. Phil Cioni, 7-9 rainbow, from spillway.

BIG BEAR LAKE--Largest trout by Neil Cummings, Fawnskin, 6-8; Lee Mayers, Erwin Lake, 6-8; Raul Vasquez, Riverside, 5-4. Flashers, nightcrawlers, Needlefish, Power Bait working. Bass hitting lightly in coves.

SILVERWOOD LAKE--Improved after slow weekend. Josh Suman, Rancho Cucamonga, 28-12 striped bass and 4-8 channel catfish; mackerel, from inflatable raft. Doil Kim, Rancho Cucamonga, stringer of 30 crappies; blue jig and Power Bait.

LAKE CACHUMA--Bill Sedar and Ray Gaskin, Buellton, 28 pounds of crappies and seven pounds of bass; back side of island. Jess and Buddy from Hawthorne, stringer of bluegill and bass; Cachuma Bay. Brian Seller, Long Beach, five largemouth and smallmouth bass totaling 17 1/2 pounds.

LAKE CASITAS--Paul Shepherd, Culver City, and Kevin Jones, Santa Monica, won American Bass Assn. tournament with six largemouths totaling 25.03 pounds. Largest fish and best of week 10.95 pounds by Jay Carter, Ventura. Ed Buck, Palmdale, 9-0 and 4-0 bass; nightcrawler. Joshua Bautista, Santa Paula, 18-0 catfish, nightcrawler. Larger bass starting to slow for nesting. Some crappies; live shad best.

PYRAMID LAKE--Christopher Miller, age 6, Lancaster, 8-0 striper; nightcrawler, near island, released. Bruce Land, Tujunga, 10-0 striped bass; anchovy, Serrano Cove. Ty Powell, Chatsworth, 3-0 largemouth bass with $10 tag; worms, in marina. Gene Merchant, Castaic, 3-0 smallmouth and 9-0 largemouth; plastic worm, in Serrano.

LAKE PIRU--Crappie John Beale, Ventura; Ken Riddle, Woodland Hills, and Tom Holliday, Los Angeles, 17 bass, 6 trout, 238 crappies; all on Crappie John jigs, six different colors, in Bobcat Cove. Largest bass 6-0 by Beale on two-pound test line; released. Jacinto Fierro, Pacoima, bass limit totaling 17 1/2 pounds, largest 6-4; brown Pig’n’Jig and black plastic worms.

LAKE CASTAIC--Blown out on weekend and some of last week. No wind Tuesday. Largest largemouth bass: Gary Harrison, Castaic, 15-2, 10-0, 9-0 and Worm King, on Fishing Arm, all relasaed; Greg Deane, La Crescenta, 14-6, blue plastic, Fishing Arm, released; Harry (The Hat) Jioras, Arcadia, 11-2, 9-2, 8-4, 7-8 and 7-0, crawfish, in Ski Arm, all released; Sean Young, Orange, 9-12, crawfish, Fishing Arm.

LAKE WOHLFORD--Henry Smith, Chula Vista, fishing for bluegill with mealworm, caught 8-8 largemouth bass. Others: Marty Gillespie, 6-8; Ralph Huberts, 5-8. Ira Lee, Chula Vista, 35 bluegill total weight 12-12; redworms, near east buoy line. Trout plant Monday.

KERN RIVER/LAKE ISABELLA--Crappies coming on. Bass still slow. Lake trout good. Catfish good. River stocked weekly, opens Saturday above Johnsondale Bridge. Whitney Cardamone, age 7, San Luis Obispo, first fish, a 3-0 rainbow. Lake up 15 feet since March 1.

LAKE SKINNER--$2,500 Tagged Trout tournament Saturday. Entry fee $17.50, includes barbecue. Catfish starting to show. Dan Torres, Hemet, 9-11 largemouth bass; nightcrawler, at Ramp 2. Dave Rich, Vista, 2-6 crappie; small Rapala.

SAN DIEGO LAKES--Sutherland: Bass good; largest 8-4 by Geoff Peterson, Huntington Beach, black plastic, at Mesa Grande Arm. Ken Agnew, John Cooper and Steve Blackwood, Ramona, 30 catfish totaling 70-0, largest 6-0, mackerel. Hodges: Bass good; largest 8-12 by Ron Surrey, San Diego; brown plastic, at narrows. Some crappies, channel catfish and carp. San Vicente: Bluegill excellent; largest 2-8 by Bob Thomas, Spring Valley; redworm, at aqueduct. Bass slow; largest 7-6 by Matt Lowrey, El Cajon; black plastic, at Toll Road. El Capitan: Bass fair; largest 7-4 by Henry Spirs, Spring Valley; shiner, south of boat dock. Otay: Many small bluegill. Bass slow; largest 8-0 by John Allen, Chula Vista; black plastic, at Otay Arm. Miramar: Trout good; largest 6-0 by Roly O’Campo, San Diego, chartreuse Power Bait, at buoy line.

COLORADO RIVER--Lake Powell: Striped bass excellent between dam and Wahweap buoy line. Lee’s Ferry: Trout good. Lake Mead: Largemouth bass and striped bass fair. Willow Beach: Trout slow, stripers fair to good. Lake Mohave: Mornings good for 4-5-pound stripers near dam. Largemouths fair; catfish improving evenings. Below Davis Dam: Trout good from County Park to dam. Stripers good from shore at Davis Camp starting in afternoon. Topock: Water very low. Catfish fair to good, largemouths and crappies fair. Havasu: Stripers excellent; anchovies and live shiners. Largemouths excellent; spinners. Catfish fair to good.

Trout Plants

LOS ANGELES COUNTY--Arroyo Seco Creek, Big Rock Creek, Upper and Lower Big Tujunga Creek, Bouquet Canyon Creek, Castaic Lake, Castaic Lagoon, Crystal Lake, El Dorado Park Lake, Legg Lake, Little Rock Creek, Peck Road Park Lake, Piru Creek (Frenchman’s Flat), Puddingstone Reservoir, Santa Fe Reservoir, San Gabriel River (East, West and North Forks).

RIVERSIDE--Fuller-Mill Creek, Fulmor Lake, Hemet Lake, Lake Perris, Lake Skinner, Strawberry Creek.

SAN BERNARDINO--Cucamonga-Guasti Park Lake, Gregory Lake, Lytle Creek (Middle Fork), Silverwood Lake.

INYO--Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek (Lower, Middle and South Forks and Intake II), Cottonwood Creek, Diaz Lake, Georges Creek, Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lone Pine Creek, Owens River (Laws Bridge downstream to Steward Lane and below Tinnemaha), Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Shepards Creek, Taboose Creek, Tinnemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek.

MONO--Convict Lake, Grant Lake, Gull Lake, June Lake, Robinson Creek, Rock Creek (Paradise Camp to Tom’s Place, Tom’s Place upstream to Rock Creek Lake), Upper and Lower Twin Lakes Bridgeport.

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

TULARE--Bone Creek, Deer Creek, Dry Meadow Creek, Freeman Creek, Kern River (Kennedy Meadows), Kern River (Fairview Dam to KR3 Powerhouse and Johnsondale Bridge to Fairview Dam), Nobe Young Creek, Lower and Upper Peppermint Creek, Poso Creek, South Creek, Tule River (North and South Fork of Main Fork, Middle fork and Cedar Slope area), White River.

SALTWATER REPORT C9