FISH REPORT

FRESHWATER

CASTAIC LAKE--Largemouth bass best bet. Guide Gary Harrison with Don Barry, Chatsworth, several bass from 2-6 pounds, on a variety of lures on upper lake. Rex McConnell, Seal Beach, two largemouth bass, largest 7 1/2 pounds, on Castaic Soft Baits. Tom Novikoff and grandson Christopher Haney, Santa Fe Springs, two largemouth apiece, including two 7-pounders, on purple plastics. Some stripers.

LAKE PIRU--Trollers using Rapalas, Needlefish and gold Kastmasters are filling their stringers with pan-sized trout, though limits are not the rule. Largemouth bass biting sporadically, but the action is fair at times, with night crawlers, jigs and plastic worms getting most. Some catfish.

PYRAMID LAKE--Small striped bass remain the fish of choice, and lots of anglers are going home with stringers of fish averaging 2-8 pounds. Drifting with anchovies is the most productive method. Catfish are active as well, biting on anchovies and mackerel.

LAKE CACHUMA--Red ear perch biting at 30 feet on night crawlers. Not many trout caught, but Needlefish at dam are getting some. A few bass are being caught on plastic worms at 30 feet.

LAKE CASITAS--The bass bite has picked up. Rod Thigpin, Santa Paula, 12-pound bass, on homemade lure. J.J. Gerritson, Ventura, 10-12 bass, on Castaic Soft Trout. Terry Baker, Ventura, 9-pound bass, on crawdad. Several from 3-8 pounds. Catfish very active. Leonard Gibson, Oak View, 25-pound bass, on mackerel at 100 feet. Lots of full stringers. Some trout. Try Santa Ana Ramp.

CORONA LAKE--Night crawlers produced the biggest trout, 6-pounders. Power Bait produced the most limits. Sizable crappie also biting, mostly on black Roostertails.

SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--Everyone’s fishing for trout, but some are catching sturgeon with trout bait. A 22-pounder was caught by Johnny Wong, Alhambra, on Power Bait. A 24-pounder was caught by Juan Maldonado, Long Beach, while actually fishing for sturgeon with mackerel. Top trout, an 8-7 by Arthur Torres, Whittier, on Power Bait at dock.

IRVINE LAKE--The big rainbows continue to cooperate off the west shore, biting mostly on Power Bait and inflated night crawlers. Milton Davis, Diamond Bar, caught a 14-pounder on Power Bait to earn big fish honors. Several were weighed in at 10 pounds or more. The lighter the line, the better your chances. Those fishing for bass are doing fair with plastic worms and spinnerbaits. Ed Heminger, Anaheim, and his daughter, Heather, teamed to land 60- and 40-pound blue catfish, which were released after the weigh-in.

LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--Lake officials boast nonstop action on rainbow trout averaging 1-2 pounds, which is probably a slight exaggeration. Still, the bite must be pretty good at times. Manager One morning, Rick Mendoza counted 42 people hooked up at once. Limits of catfish are being filled regularly as well.

LAKE SKINNER--Surface plugs and live shad are the ticket for striped bass averaging 3-8 pounds. Brian Williams, Yucaipa, caught an 18-pounder on a Producer Plug. Largemouth bass and trout are biting sporadically.

LAKE PERRIS--Trout bite fair at Lot 7. Largemouth bass bite fair, but few fish over 15 inches. Purple and green plastic worms working best. Bluegill active in late afternoons, biting on crickets.

SILVERWOOD LAKE--Largemouth bass and crappie biting sporadically, while catfish are in deep water and fairly sluggish. Fishing for all three species is slow to fair.

BIG BEAR LAKE--It’s been cold and blustery. The trout may not mind, but the fishermen do. The crowds are down and reports scarce. Power Bait and Sierra Gold fished at Juniper Point and Boulder Bay are reportedly the best bets.

SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--The bass bite has slowed at all lakes, but an 8-pounder was caught at Murray and a 6 1/2-pounder was landed at El Capitan. Best bet is the trout action at Miramar. Several limits reported.

LAKE CUYAMACA--Sierra Gold, Power Bait and inflated night crawlers might get you a trout or two. But don’t count on it as fishing is slow. Top catch, a 4-9 that bit on a night crawler-Power Bait combination. Duck hunting began Wednesday. The Lake will be closed on Wednesdays and won’t open till noon on Sundays because of Duck Hunting on lake grounds, which will take place through Jan. 18.

SALTWATER

VENTURA (Captain Hook Sportlanding)--5 anglers (1 boat): 5 calico bass, 16 sand bass, 1 rockfish, 5 sculpin.

OXNARD (Cisco’s)--4 anglers (1 boat): 5 yellowtail, 11 rockfish, 4 calico bass. (Gold Coast)--7 anglers (1 boat): 17 calico bass, 22 sand bass, 42 whitefish, 4 sheephead, 6 rockfish, 1 sculpin, 1 bonito.

PORT HUENEME--14 anglers (1 boat): 20 yellowtail, 40 calico bass, 20 sand bass, 2 halibut.

MARINA DEL REY--36 anglers (3 boats): 3 yellowtail, 66 barracuda, 60 sculpin, 54 bonito, 6 red snapper, 3 sand bass, 20 rockfish.

REDONDO BEACH--30 anglers (3 boats): 5 yellowtail, 60 bonito, 2 sand bass, 2 barracuda, 3 sculpin, 3 sheephead, 14 whitefish, 178 rockfish.

SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--39 anglers (2 boats): 6 yellowtail, 34 bonito, 36 sand bass, 18 whitefish, 4 calico bass, 5 sheephead, 4 sculpin, 5 rockfish. (22nd St. Landing)--9 anglers (1 boat): 1 black sea bass (released), 3 bonito, 3 sculpin, 32 whitefish, 4 sheephead, 2 blue perch, 43 rockfish, 1 red snapper.

LONG BEACH--38 anglers (2 boats): 1 yellowtail, 46 barracuda, 11 calico bass, 18 sand bass, 2 halibut, 114 whitefish, 4 sheephead, 9 bonito, 1 perch, 14 sculpin, 24 rockfish. (Marine Sportfishing)--30 anglers (2 boats): 6 whitefish, 3 sheephead, 3 bonito, 86 rockfish, 2 cow cod, 137 rock cod, 10 salmon, 2 red snapper.

NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--16 anglers (1 boat): 159 sand bass, 1 calico bass, 1 whitefish, 27 mackerel. (Davey’s Locker)--8 anglers (1 boat): 32 yellowtail, 5 bonito, 38 calico bass.

DANA WHARF--35 anglers (2 boats): 104 sand bass, 56 calico bass, 1 bonito, 3 rockfish, 6 sculpin, 9 sheephead.

OCEANSIDE--23 anglers (2 boats): 3 bonito, 17 calico bass, 74 sand bass, 1 halibut, 57 sculpin, 6 sheephead, 70 whitefish, 30 rockfish.

SAN DIEGO (H&M; Landing, Fisherman’s, Point Loma)--15 anglers (1 boat): 41 yellowtail, 10 yellowfin tuna, 3 dorado. (Seaforth)--35 anglers (3 boats): 75 yellowtail, 4 dorado, 3 yellowtail, 94 rockfish, 98 mackerel, 11 sculpin. (Islandia)--38 anglers (3 boats): 24 whitefish, 3 sand bass, 2 calico bass, 104 rock cod, 2 sheephead, 18 sculpin, 58 rockfish, 35 mackerel.

TROUT PLANTS

LOS ANGELES--Big Rock Creek, Castaic Lagoon, Crystal Lake, Downey Wilderness Park Lake, Echo Park Lake, El Dorado Park Lake, Kenneth Hahn Park Lake, La Mirada Park Lake, Legg Lake, Lincoln Park Lake, MacArthur Park Lake, Peck Road Park Lake, Piru Creek (Frenchman’s Flat), Puddingstone Reservoir, San Gabriel River (East, West and North forks), Santa Fe Reservoir, Willowbrook Lake. ORANGE--Carr Park Lake, Centennial Park Lake, Greer Park Lake, Huntington Park Lake, Mile Square Park Lake, Ralph Clark Park Lake, Tri-City Park Lake, West Haven Park Lake. RIVERSIDE--Cahuilla Park Lake, Evans Lake, Lake Perris, Rancho Jurupa Park Lake. SAN BERNARDINO--Glen Helen Park Lake, Mojave Narrows Park Lake, Prado Park Lake, Yucaipa Park Lake. SAN DIEGO--Chollas Park Lake, Cuyamaca Lake, Doane Pond, Lake Murray, Lindo Lake. IMPERIAL--Sunbeam Lake, Weist Lake. SAN LUIS OBISPO--Lopez Lake.