Healthy Stripers a Nice Alternative

Trout are getting most of the attention throughout the Southland, but anglers at three reservoirs are finding a hard-fighting alternative in striped bass.

Top catches: 17 1/2- and 14 1/2-pound stripers, by Un Young Hong of Los Angeles at Pyramid Lake; 16- and 15-pound stripers by Dan Villanueva of West Covina at Silverwood Lake; and a 14-pound striper by Jerry Schlemmer of Riverside at Lake Skinner.

LAKE PERRIS--Largemouth bass fair, but few larger than 14 inches. Plastic worms at east end best bet. Bass pro Don Iovino, 10-2 bass, on crankbait at east end. Trout good at Lots 11 and 12, biting best on orange Power Bait.

IRVINE LAKE--Trout fair to good throughout lake. Dan Arriola, Huntington Beach, 14-1 trout, on yellow and white mini-jig at west shore cove. Jake Cole, Anaheim Hills, 11-8 trout, on night crawler at Sierra Cove. Several limits of smaller fish. Private stocking of 4,000 pounds scheduled today.

CORONA LAKE--Trout good. Tim Soncrant, Bloomington, 9-0 trout, on crappie jig at launch ramp. Jason Craig, Riverside, 8-1 trout, on inflated night crawler.

SILVERWOOD LAKE--Striped bass slow to fair. Dan Villanueva, West Covina, 16-0 and 15-0 stripers, on night crawlers at spillway. Del East, San Bernardino, 17-0 striper, on anchovy at spillway. Some largemouth bass biting off points in channel. Night crawlers and plastic worms getting most.

LAKE CACHUMA--Trout good for trollers using Needlefish at east end, fair for shore fishermen using Power Bait and small lures. Steve Anderson, Valencia, 3-8 trout, on green Roostertail at Apache Shore. Billy Meng, Buellton, five trout totaling 6-8, on Kastmaster at Apache Shore. Red ear perch fair at Cachuma Bay and Santa Cruz Bay, biting on night crawlers.

LAKE CASITAS--Largemouth bass slow. Phillip Williamson, Santa Monica, 5-8 bass, on mealworm. Trout fair at Wadleigh Arm, biting mostly on rainbow Power Bait. Catfish slow to fair. Leonard Gibson, Oak View, 15-0 and 5-0 catfish, on mackerel at Dead Horse.

PYRAMID LAKE--Striped bass picking up. Un Young Hong, Los Angeles, 17-8 and 14-8 stripers, on anchovies at Yellow Bar. Jack Matsumoto, Pasadena, 16-0 striper, on anchovy in marina. Michael Chassie, Frazier Park, 10-8 striper on anchovy in channel. Crappie good on mini-jigs off docks. Bluegills good on worms at dam.

LAKE PIRU--Trout fair for trollers between 5-mph barrels and dam. Most lures working, but Rapalas and Needlefish are getting most limits. Largemouth bass fair. Ken Riddle, Woodland Hills, 4-12 bass, on Crappie John jig outside marina.

CASTAIC LAKE--Fishing slow, but some largemouth bass and striped bass being caught in upper lake. Sean Donovan, Santa Monica, 13-0 and 10-12 largemouth bass. Stuart Kam, Reseda, 10-2 and 10-0 stripers, on AC Plug.

LAKE CUYAMACA--Trout fair in afternoons, biting best on inflated night crawlers, but some are hitting small spinners and flies. Craig Smith, San Diego, 19 trout, on Zug bug trailed behind woolly bugger, released.

LAKE SKINNER--Striped bass best bet, biting on shad, anchovies and surface lures. Largemouth bass fair on plastic worms, shad and night crawlers. Randy Klopf, Temecula, 9-8 and 7-0 bass, on shad at marina point.

Trout Plants

LOS ANGELES--Alondra Park Lake, Castaic Lake and lagoon, Crystal Lake, Echo Park Lake, El Dorado Park Lake, Elizabeth Lake, Legg Lake, Peck Road Park Lake, Puddingstone Reservoir, Santa Fe Reservoir, Willowbrook Lake.

RIVERSIDE--Evans Lake.

SAN BERNARDINO--Glen Helen Park Lake, Mojave Narrows Park Lake, Prado Park Lake.

SAN DIEGO--Lake Cuyamaca.

VENTURA--Lake Casitas, Lake Piru.

SANTA BARBARA--Lake Cachuma.

SAN LUIS OBISPO--Atascadero Lake, Lake Lopez, Santa Margarita Lake.

SALTWATER REPORT: C7