Fishing Report

FRESHWATER

CASTAIC LAKE--Striped bass and largemouth bass biting steadily. Jerry Scotton, Bakersfield, 11 1/2-pound largemouth bass on a crawdad. Jay Park, Canyon Country, 11- and 13-pound stripers. Larry Thigpin, Santa Paula, 12-pound striper, on Stocker Trout lure. Joe Ivers, Sierra Madre, 6-pound bass, on plastic worm from float tube in lower lake.

LAKE PIRU--Trout bite fair at north end, with several limits coming in on trolled Needlefish and Power Bait. Largemouth bass action fair along rocky ledges and occasionally in shallows, with crankbaits and plastic worms getting most.

PYRAMID LAKE--Striped bass fishermen are happy to see larger striped bass--6- to 7-pounders, which are being caught at 25-30 feet on anchovies. These are still puny compared to stripers caught in lakes that receive trout plants. Catfish bite is very good on anchovies. Bass bite is slow to fair. Some crappie and bluegill.

LAKE CACHUMA--Very few fishermen since the reopening last week. Mooring docks were demolished by storms, but the main ramp is open and boating is available. Shore fishermen have done well for trout using night crawlers and Power Bait. A few limits.

LAKE CASITAS--Lots of small bass being caught in shallows, averaging 2-6 pounds, biting on plastic worms. Larger fish biting at 25 feet. largest a 12-6 by Ed Guyette, Ventura, on a Deadly Duo lure. Chris Nahrstedt, Ventura, caught a 12-pounder and an 11-8 on a homemade wooden lure. A few others over 10 pounds. Catfish bite remains excellent. Largest 16 pounds by Jim Davis, Oxnard, on mackerel. Lots of pan-sized trout being caught, most by trollers using dark-colored Needlefish lures.

CORONA LAKE--Opened Thursday after heavy stocking. Barring rain, trout fishermen should do well.

SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--In the first four days since the lake reopened Feb. 12, 33 trout tipped the scale at 10 pounds or more. New concessionaire promises more of the same throughout the season. Largest rainbow, an 18-3 by Mike Harrison, Orange, on a night crawler-marshmallow combination. Other notable catches: a 9-2 hybrid striped bass (on Power Bait), a 49-3 catfish (mackerel) and a 4-7 largemouth bass (night crawler).

IRVINE LAKE--Trout bite slow, but improving as water clears. Lake has risen dramatically, restricting shore access. Samuel Mestaz, Signal Hill, 13-6 on Roostertail. Ray Hall, Oak Hill, 13-6 trout, on Panther Martin cast from shore. A $10,000 tagged trout contest will be held Saturday. A 47-pound channel catfish reportedly was caught by the dam keeper who presumably was fishing at the dam behind the buoy line. Note: Santiago Canyon Road.--the main access road to the lake--is expected to reopen today after being closed much of the week because of a sink-hole. You might want to call the lake for an update and for details on the contest: (714) 649-9111.

LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--Trout activity depends on clarity of water and has been picking up slowly each day. Night crawlers and Power Bait best bets. Few limits, but a 6-8 was caught by Ronnie Walker, Huntington Beach, on a night crawler. Catfish love the murky water, so this is a good place to catch one or two. A 12-2 was landed by Frank Norman, Aliso Viejo, who used a night crawler. Very few bass being caught.

LAKE SKINNER--Striped bass bite fair, with a few large stripers taken on surface plugs and several smaller stripers taken on anchovies. Largemouth bass slow to fair. Some trout.

LAKE PERRIS--Largest bass 13-1 by Byron Velbick, Boulder City, N.Y., on oxblood plastic worm south of island. Doug Cripe, Temecula, 12-2 bass, on Castaic Sotfbait at east end. Several smaller bass biting on plastic worms and water dogs. Other species slow.

SAN DIEGO LAKES--Lower Otay reservoir is the best game in town for variety, though nothing is wide open. A 7-4 bass was caught on a plastic worm and a 22-2 catfish was caught on a hunk of bonito. Crappie fishermen did OK. The best trout bite was at Miramar, where limits were fairly common. El Capitan is getting some attention from bass fishermen. Murray has some trout fishermen leaving with limits, others going home skunked. Power Bait is definitely the best bet. San Vicente opens Feb. 26. Upper Otay opens for catch-and-release anglers March 1.

LAKE CUYAMACA--Inflated night crawlers are pretty irresistible to trout. Sierra Gold and Power Bait are also accounting for limits, but only after the water clears after the rain, which takes a few days.

SALTWATER

The Times accepts and publishes the catch count as a public service. Any responsibility for accuracy is that of the landing operator.

SANTA BARBARA (Hornet’s Landing)--5 anglers (1 boat): 6 calico bass, 4 sand bass, 3 whitefish, 5 red snapper, 30 rockfish, 1 sheephead, 50 mackerel.

OXNARD (Cisco’s)--17 anglers (1 boat): 1 barracuda, 69 bonito, 55 rockfish, 1 sheephead, 2 whitefish, 16 yellowtail.

MARINA DEL REY--8 anglers (1 boat): 31 calico bass, 10 sand bass.

REDONDO BEACH--25 anglers (2 boats): 4 calico bass, 11 sand bass, 4 halibut, 31 perch, 2 sculpin, 18 whitefish, 60 mackerel.

SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--16 anglers (1 boat): 28 sand bass, 4 calico bass, 4 rockfish, 3 sculpin, 1 sheephead, 1 barracuda. (22nd St. Landing)--20 anglers (2 boats): 5 calico bass, 7 barracuda, 9 sand bass, 2 bonito, 33 sculpin, 3 whitefish, 1 sheephead, 12 rockfish.

LONG BEACH--14 anglers (1 boat): 1 calico bass, 34 sand bass, 4 sheephead, 2 sculpin, 8 rockfish. (Marina Sportfishing)--7 anglers (1 boat): 43 sand bass, 2 sheephead, 12 sculpin.

NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--18 anglers (1 boat): 19 sand bass, 2 calico bass, 3 sculpin, 1 halibut.

DANA WHARF--26 anglers (2 boats): 32 calico bass, 26 sand bass, 2 halibut, 2 sheephead.

OCEANSIDE--14 anglers (2 boats): 17 sand bass, 105 sculpin, 35 rockfish.

SAN DIEGO (Seaforth)--10 anglers (1 boat): 40 yellowtail, 6 bonito. (Islandia)--4 anglers (1 boat): 9 yellowtail, 10 bonito, 6 sculpin, 8 mackerel.

TROUT PLANTS

LOS ANGELES--Alondra Park Lake, Arroyo Seco Creek, Belvedere Park Lake, Upper and Lower Big Tujunga Creek, Crystal Lake, Echo Park Lake, El Dorado Park Lake, Hollenbeck Lake, Legg Lake, Lincoln Park Lake, Magic Johnson Park Lake, Peck Road Park Lake, Puddingstone Reservoir, San Gabriel River (East, North and West forks), Santa Fe Reservoir.

ORANGE--Centennial Lake, Mile Square Park Lake, Ralph Clark Regional Park Lake, Tri-City Park Lake.

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

SAN DIEGO--Lake Murray, Sweetwater Creek.