East Walker River Is a Trout Hot Spot Early in the Season
The Eastern Sierra trout season is less than two weeks old, but already the East Walker River near Bridgeport is emerging as the most consistent producer of quality brown and rainbow trout.
Rick Rockel at Ken’s Sporting Goods said anglers have been battling fish in the two- to five-pound class nearly every day since the April 27 opener.
Top fish this past week: a 6-pound 13-ounce brown caught by Sunnyvale’s Masa Tanaka on a silver Kastmaster.
LAKE PERRIS--Largemouth bass fair on night crawlers and plastic worms. Tom Urmin, Murietta, 9-4 and 6-3 bass, on plastic crawdads. Jim Thompson, Nuevo, 8-8 bass, on crawdad at Bernasconi Beach. Bluegill picking up, biting primarily on crickets at Bernasconi. Some catfish.
IRVINE LAKE--Catfish best bet, biting at mackerel. Trout slow to fair. Night crawlers and Power Bait getting most. Largemouth bass fair on plastic worms. Jose Ramirez, Tustin, 8-6 bass, on plastic worm at red clay cliffs.
SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--Trout best bet. Several in 10-0 range caught. Power Bait getting most. Catfish picking up, biting on mackerel at spillway and bubble hole.
CORONA LAKE--Dam area yielding trout and catfish. William Wright, Riverside, 14-9 trout, on green Power Bait. Hubert Dawson, Rialto, five catfish totaling 20-2, on mackerel. Crappie fair on mini-jigs at east cliffs.
SILVERWOOD LAKE--Striped bass and largemouth bass slow to fair. Tom Bogyan, North Hollywood, five largemouth and one small striper, on chicken liver at Miller Canyon. Craig Bravant, Hesperia, three stripers, largest 17-6, on jigs at inlet.
ARROWBEAR LAKE--Trout fair, with most fish in 1-2. Mike Shintani, Riverside, 13-4 trout, on crappie jig at Rocky Point. Tim Hawkins, San Bernardino, 8-4 trout, on night crawler. Some limits.
GREEN VALLEY LAKE--Trout fair. Mike Ross, Fontana, five trout totaling 6-12, on inflated night crawler. Several fish in 2-0 range.
BIG BEAR LAKE--Largemouth bass active throughout lake. Several limits, most coming on rainbow Power Bait and night crawler-flasher combos. Largemouth bass good on night crawlers and small plastic worms. Crappie fair on mini-jigs.
LAKE CACHUMA--Largemouth bass slow to fair, biting on white and chartreuse spinnerbaits at 12-15 feet. Bluegill picking up, biting on mini-jigs and mealworms close to shore. Some trout caught at 30 feet on Needlefish and Power Bait.
LAKE CASITAS--Largemouth bass picking up. Rick and Mike Faragher, Camarillo, 13-0 and 12-8 bass, on crawdads. Lisa Marschall, Santa Paula, 12-8 bass on night crawler. Several smaller bass. Some catfish. Tim Ragan, Simi Valley, four catfish totaling 48-8, on mackerel.
PYRAMID LAKE--Most species fair. Mark Grace, North Hollywood, and Shilo Chefalo, Frazier Park, 40 largemouth and smallmouth bass between 1-5 pounds, on crankbaits and plastic worms, released. Justen Peltier, Frazier Park, seven stripers, largest 12-0, on surface plugs at dam. Bluegills biting on mealworms off rocks.
LAKE PIRU--Largemouth bass fair to good, averaging 1-3 pounds, biting on spinnerbaits and plastic worms near brush. One weighed in at 12-8. Trout fair at north end and off Reasoner Cove, biting mainly on Power Bait. Some crappie and catfish showing at north end.
CASTAIC LAKE--Largemouth bass good throughout both lakes. Mike Carpenter, Canyon Country, five bass totaling 18-8, on Wham Fisheze lures at upper lake. Gary Harrison, Castaic, and Frank and Mike Malfetta, New Jersey, 11 bass from 4-10 pounds, on crawdads. Patrick Buckley, Castaic, 13-0 bass, on plastic worm. Other species slow.
SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--El Capitan: Largemouth bass, bluegill and crappie good. Chet Ribby, La Mesa, two bass, largest 6-3, on pig-n-jig at north end. Hodges: Bluegill very active: more than 4,000 caught in past week. Crickets and mealworms getting most. Largemouth bass slow to fair. Crappie good. Miramar: Trout and bass best bets, but fishing is slow. Murray: Same as Miramar. Lower Otay: Bluegill good throughout lake. Some bass, crappie and catfish. Upper Otay: Very slow. San Vicente: Bluegill and bass very good. Dustin Baker, Lakeside, 6-9 bass, on Reaper lure at Grassy Bay. Sutherland: Bluegill good. Bass slow to fair. Some crappie and sunfish.
EASTERN SIERRA--Bishop: South Lake still ice-covered and unsafe. North Lake still inaccessible because of snow. Sabrina Lake has thawed but fishing is only fair for small rainbows. Bishop Creek and Intake II best bets, with pan-sized rainbows biting on Power Bait, salmon eggs and Trout Teaser lures. Pleasant Valley Reservoir fair for Sacramento perch. Worms best bet. Occasional brown trout biting on night crawler. Owens River good for fly-fishermen, rising to blue-winged olives and caddis patterns. Wild trout section of Owens slow because of high flows. Mammoth Lakes area: Rock Creek Lake ice-covered, but fishing fair for those dropping gold lures and night crawlers through holes. Crowley Lake fair in mornings, with trollers using Needlefish doing best. A 4-4 brown was caught off Alligator Point, on cinnamon leech at 30 feet. Convict Lake fair. Kenny Moy, Laguna Hills, 5-0 rainbow, on rainbow Power Bait. Mammoth Creek fair on salmon eggs and small spinners. Twin Lakes partially frozen and not yet stocked. Lake Mary and George accessible on skis, fair on night crawlers fished through ice. Owens River fair on streamers. June Lake loop: June Lake best bet, with bait fishermen using red salmon eggs, Sierra Gold and rainbow Power Bait getting limits and occasional fish to 6-0. Gull Lake fair. Fred Sebald, June Lake, 5-7 trout, on Thomas Buoyant lure. Silver Lake fair on night crawlers and small lures. Rush Creek good for rainbows and browns to 3-0. Grant Lake good, but winds hampering effort. Bridgeport: Bridgeport Reservoir best bet, but strong winds hampering effort. Trollers using Rapalas getting fish from 2-5 pounds. East Walker River fair for browns and rainbows. Several fish over 5-0. Masa Tanaka, Sunnyvale, 6-13 brown, on silver Kastmaster. Twin Lakes and Robinson Creek slow to fair, yielding mostly small fish.
Trout Plants
LOS ANGELES--Jackson Lake.
RIVERSIDE--Hemet Lake.
SAN BERNARDINO--Arrowbear Lake, Green Valley Lake, Mojave Narrows Park Lake, Santa Ana River (South Fork).
INYO--Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek (Lower, Middle and South forks, and Intake II), Cottonwood Creek, Georges Creek, Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lone Pine Creek, Owens River (Laws Bridge downstream to Steward Lane and below Tinnemaha), Pine Creek, Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Shepards Creek, Symmes Creek, Taboose Creek, Tinnemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek.
MONO--Bridgeport Reservoir, Convict Creek, Grant Lake, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lee Vining Creek, Mammoth Creek, Mill Creek, Robinson Creek, Rock Creek (Paradise Camp to Tom’s Place and Tom’s Place upstream to Rock Creek Lake), Rush Creek, Sherwin Creek, Silver Lake, Swauger Creek, Twin Lakes Bridgeport.
Catfish Plants
LOS ANGELES--Peck Road Park Lake, Puddingstone Reservoir, Santa Fe Reservoir.
RIVERSIDE--Evans Lake, Rancho Jurupa Park Lake.
