FISH REPORT
FRESHWATER
17. CASTAIC LAKE--Mike Woernley, Canyon Country, 40 bass, largest 7-2, on Sept. 26. On Thursday he caught a 15-12 and 13-0. All were caught on crawdads and Lifelike plastics at 20 feet. Steve Glogow, Valencia, 6-8 bass, on crawdad at 19 feet. Wesley, Hech, Tujunga, six bass between 6-14 and 11-0, on mudsuckers and crawdads at 25 feet. Few people fishing for anything else.
18. LAKE PIRU--Don Robinson, Simi Valley, caught a lake-record 15-pound bass, on shad-pattern Rapala near dam. First trout plant of the season took place last Monday. Trollers using Needlefish and Kastmasters catching some. Catfish moving toward north end along west shore, biting on mackerel.
19. PYRAMID LAKE--Crappie and bluegill have finally begun to stir, biting on red worms and mealworms. Striped bass and largemouth bass getting the most attention, however. The bite for both is sporadic, but fairly consistent. Fred Philipe, Los Angeles, five stripers from one to four pounds. Catfish bite fair on anchovies and dough.
20. LAKE CACHUMA--Largemouth bass best bet, with a surface bite taking place in early mornings. Buzz baits and crankbaits getting fish during day. Red ear perch and bluegill biting on meal worms and night crawlers at east end. Catfish bite fair at night, with mackerel getting most.
21. LAKE CASITAS--Largemouth bass bite fair at best, with crawdads and night crawlers getting the bigger fish. Mike Cobb, West Hills, 10-8 bass, on RoboWorm. Sven Vanderhei, Ventura, 10-2 bass, on shad-like lure. Some catfish and perch. First trout plant of season took place recently at Coyote Ramp.
22. CORONA LAKE--Lots of small catfish--the largest was 11-8 caught on mackerel--and little else.
23. SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--Fair-sized catfish being caught--the largest was 10-4--but fishing has been poor because the catfish truck failed to make its delivery. Delivery of fish from eight to 25 pounds expected by this weekend.
24. IRVINE LAKE--Lots of catfish and a smattering of hybrid-striped bass, but the largemouth bass bite is the best-kept secret. The few bass fishermen are having a ball catching and releasing bass from two to five pounds on spinnerbaits and plastic worms.
25. LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--Float-tubing allowed beginning Monday, with a $20 launch fee for all day, $10 for half-day. Catfish bite very good at night. Bass bite fair in early mornings, with night crawlers getting fish averaging two to three pounds.
26. LAKE SKINNER--Striped bass biting on surface at south end, and they finally have some size. Jerry Schlemmer, Riverside, 13-8 striper. Ray Lekowice, Huntington Beach, 12-4 striper. Both were caught on top-water lures. Catfish bite is slowing, but three-pounders still being caught at dam. Largemouth bass bite picking up, with dark-colored plastic worms working at Ramp 2 and along north shore.
27. LAKE PERRIS--The local ranger caught a 12-2 bass, on Pig-n-Jig at Lot 5. Otherwise, fishing is excellent for smaller bass at island and east end. Bluegill bite good, with catches of 30-40 common. Darter jigs and mealworms getting most.
28. SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--A 52-pound catfish was caught at Otay by an unnamed angler. A 16-pound bass was caught at Hodges by Dave Brantley, El Cajon, on a plastic worm at narrows. More than 1,000 bluegill were caught at San Vicente. Overall, there is a slow to fair bite for all species at all lakes.
29. LAKE CUYAMACA--Lots of limits of very small rainbows, with Trout Teasers, Roostertails, Panther Martins and inflated night crawlers all working.
30. BIG BEAR LAKE--Trout bite fair throughout lake, with Rapalas and other trolling lures the best bet. Few limits. Catfish active along north shore, biting on mackerel. Some bass caught at Metcalf Bay.
31. BISHOP--Bishop Creek yielding some limits, with salmon eggs, night crawlers and small spinners accounting for most. South Lake produced a 4-6 rainbow (on a woolly bugger fly) and lots of small browns. North Lake good on Power Bait and salmon eggs. Lake Sabrina fair on most baits and lures. Intake II producing near-limits for most.
32. MAMMOTH LAKES--Brilliant fall colors have most fishing Rock Creek Canyon area, on up to Rock Creek Lake. Limits of small rainbows (caddis flies, salmon eggs and Power Bait) are merely a bonus. Crowley Lake experiencing a great bite for rainbows and browns, particularly at McGee Bay and Crooked Creek. Midge-pattern flies and woolly buggers are the top choice. Convict Lake bite fairly steady, with a lot of fish from two-four pounds showing. Try silver Kastmasters, night crawlers or yellow Power Bait.
33. JUNE LAKE--All lakes on the loop are producing occasional limits and lots of near-limits. June Lake and Silver Lake yielded a few in the five-pound range. Power Bait and Rapalas getting most. Rush Creek fair to good on small spinners and Power Bait for mostly pan-sized rainbows.
SALTWATER
2. MORRO BAY (Virg’s Landing)--60 anglers (3 boats): 176 rockcod, 70 albacore, 1 cabezon. (Bob’s Sportfishing)--3 anglers (1 boat): 3 lingcod, 10 red rockcod, 15 gophers, 20 rockfish.
4. SANTA BARBARA (Sea Landing)--15 anglers (1 boat): 83 calico bass, 6 rockfish.
5. VENTURA (Captain Hook’s)--40 anglers (2 boats): 8 calico bass, 1 barracuda, 194 rockfish, 30 sculpin, 3 yellowtail, 9 bonito, 22 perch.
6. OXNARD (Cisco’s)--99 anglers (4 boats): 32 blue perch, 216 calico bass, 3 lingcod, 10 red snapper, 110 rockfish, 17 sand bass, 15 sculpin, 5 sheephead, 1 whitefish, 21 yellowtail, 4 cabezon.
7. PORT HUENEME--59 anglers (3 boats): 15 yellowtail, 82 calico bass, 24 sand bass, 2 halibut, 9 rockfish, 5 sheephead, 13 sculpin, 10 whitefish, 2 blue perch.
8. MARINA DEL REY--59 anglers (5 boats): 56 yellowtail, 1 halibut, 2 barracuda, 80 calico bass, 3 bonito. (In-Seine Sportfishing)--67 anglers (2 boats): 119 yellowtail, 18 barracuda, 25 sand bass, 4 halibut.
9. REDONDO--98 anglers (4 boats): 131 yellowtail, 3 bonito, 15 calico bass, 27 sand bass, 23 barracuda, 1 halibut, 3 sculpin.
10. SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--130 anglers (5 boats): 101 yellowfin tuna, 282 yellowtail, 23 bonito 3 barracuda, 29 calico bass, 1 sand bass, 1 sculpin, 1 sheephead, 2 dorado, 200 skip jack.
11. LONG BEACH--146 anglers (4 boats): 236 yellowfin tuna, 230 yellowtail, 280 skip jack, 4 calico bass, 9 bonito. (Belmont Pier)--16 anglers (1 boat): 38 yellowfin tuna, 21 yellowtail, 8 skip jack.
12. SEAL BEACH--77 anglers (3 boats): 98 yellowtail, 1 barracuda, 27 calico bass, 5 sand bass, 7 sculpin.
13. NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--133 anglers (6 boats): 73 yellowfin tuna, 14 dorado, 91 yellowtail, 355 skip jack, 1 striped marlin (released), 4 sand bass, 12 calico bass, 1 sculpin, 2 bullet tuna. (Davey’s Locker)--167 anglers (6 boats): 146 yellowtail, 102 yellowfin tuna, 178 skip jack, 4 dorado, 21 calico bass, 8 sand bass, 50 sculpin.
14. DANA WHARF--255 anglers (9 boats): 39 yellowfin tuna, 8 dorado, 107 yellowtail, 102 skipjack, 2 bonito, 6 calico, 3 sand bass, 23 mackerel.
15. OCEANSIDE (Helgren’s)--101 anglers (6 boats): 102 yellowtail, 84 yellowfin tuna, 1 calico bass, 10 sand bass, 5 sculpin, 109 skip jack, 12 dorado, 50 mackerel.
TROUT PLANTS
LOS ANGELES--Castaic Lake, Elizabeth Lake, San Gabriel River (east, West and North forks). VENTURA--Lake Casitas, Lake Piru. SANTA BARBARA--Lake Cachuma. SAN LUIS OBISPO--Lopez Lake. INYO--Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek (Lower, Middle, South forks and Intake II), Cottonwood Creek, Georges Creek, Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lake Sabrina, Lone Pine Creek, North Lake, Owens River (below Tinnemaha), Shepards Creek, South Lake, Taboose Creek, Tinnemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek. MONO--Ellery Lake, Lee Vining Creek, Lee Vining Creek (South Fork), Lundy Lake, Owens River (Benton Crossing), Rush Creek, Tioga Lake, Trumble Lake, Virginia Lakes, Walker River (Chris Flat Campground to town of Walker and Leavitt Meadows Campground to Sonora Bridge).
CATFISH PLANTS
LOS ANGELES--Downey Park Lake, El Dorado Park Lake, Puddingstone Reservoir. ORANGE--Carr Park Lake, Centennial Park Lake, Greer Park Lake, Huntington Park Lake, Ralph Clark Park Lake, Tri-City Park Lake.
