Fish Report

FRESHWATER

CASTAIC LAKE--Striped bass and largemouth bass continue to bite sporadically. Don Coil, Torrance, 12 1/4-pound striper on a Castaic Hardbait lure. Wes Jordan, Lomita, 12 1/2-pound striper on a night crawler. Pat Buckley and Bob Crupi, Castaic, four largemouth bass, topped by 12 1/2-pounder. Smallest was a 9-2, on crawdads and waterdogs. Lower lake also yielding fair largemouth catches.

LAKE PIRU--Trout remain the prime attraction, with trollers accounting for some limits. Firetiger Rapalas are the top catchers, with shad-pattern Needlefish a close second. Largemouth bass remain skittish, though small plastic worms are enticing some to bite. A trout plant will take place for a family fishing derby Saturday. Details: (805) 521-1231.

PYRAMID LAKE--Smallmouth bass are readily striking crankbaits, plastic worms and night crawlers fished in any of the coves. In some pockets, they’re mixed with largemouth bass, which are biting a little deeper. Striped bass remain active as well, averaging 5-7 pounds and biting on night crawlers and anchovies at 25-40 feet. Some catfish and bluegill.

LAKE CACHUMA--Trout and red ear perch remain the catches of the day. Sherry Michaels, Simi Valley, 4- and 2 1/2-pound trout, on green Power Bait at E Point. John and Sara Necol, Palmdale, a stringer of red ear perch totaling 27 pounds, on night crawlers and mealworms behind the island.

LAKE CASITAS--Kym Shull, wife of local guide John Shull, caught largemouth bass weighing 8 and 7 pounds to go along with two 5-pounders, using crawdads. Catfish are spawning in the shallows, and being caught on mackerel and anchovies. A 15 1/2-pound albino cat was landed by Lane Pulley of Ojai. Trout are still biting, despite the calendar. They’re slowly moving into deeper water, though, so lead-core line at 4-6 colors is needed to reach them. Try Needlefish.

CORONA LAKE--Trout and crappie are keeping anglers fairly busy, but catfish are the main attraction. Top cat, a 13-7 and a 12-1 by Carlos Johnson, Ontario, on mackerel dipped in Hog Wild sauce.

SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--Catfish and trout are sharing top-billing, with five-fish stringers of both common. Top trout, a 12-1 by Robert Diftee, Norwalk, on a chrome Kastmaster. Top catfish, an 8-1 by John Chapman, Anaheim on mackerel at the Kids’ Lake.

IRVINE LAKE--German brown trout to about 3 pounds were stocked Tuesday in anticipation of a cash derby scheduled today through Sunday. Details: (714) 649-9111. Meanwhile, large rainbow trout still are hitting the scales regularly. A 12-pounder was caught by Ernie Medina, Whittier, on a Rapala. Power Bait and night crawlers are also the hot tickets. Some crappie and bass.

LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--Catfish from 2-10 pounds are biting at the dam and big island. Use mackerel for the best results. The most recent plant was 1,200 pounds on Wednesday. Largemouth bass are biting mostly in the mornings on jigs and crankbaits. Jason Gruner, Newport Beach, 7-pound bass, on a seven-inch RoboWorm.

OSO RESERVOIR--A 10-3 bass by John Flaherty, Claremont, tops the list. He used a black plastic worm and hooked and released 24 smaller bass on the same day. Catfish activity is on the rise. Paul Johnson, Anaheim, caught a 17-pounder on Berkeley Power Chow.

LAKE PERRIS--Largemouth bass and bluegill are being targeted with fair success. Top bass, an 8-4 by Cad Yang, San Dimas, on an eight-inch blue plastic worm near the ramp. Myron and Diane Hankins, La Puente, 42 bluegill, on crickets at Lots 11 and 12. Sergio Victoria, Rancho Cucamonga, 38 bluegill, on crickets at the east end. The bluegill are averaging just under a pound.

BIG BEAR LAKE--Lunker trout are being weighed almost daily. Clyde Towles, West Covina, an 8 1/2-pounder on a night crawler-flasher combination. An 8-3 was caught on Power Bait and an 8-2 was caught on a Roostertail. The largemouth bass bite has yet to develop.

GREEN VALLEY LAKE--Sande Martin, San Bernardino, caught a five-fish trout limit--all on Power Bait--totaling 23 pounds. Limits are fairly common and the top catches--one rainbow weighed in at 8 pounds--have come on Power Bait and Trout Teasers.

LAKE CUYAMACA--Things have finally taken a turn for the better, for both trout and bass fishermen. Top trout, a 7-2 by Caleb Fasching, Ramona, on a Power Bait-night crawler combo. The bass are averaging 2-4 pounds and readily striking plastic worms. Crappie are active as well.

SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--Fair bass bites are in progress at Hodges, Otay, San Vicente and Sutherland, with Hodges and Sutherland yielding the bigger fish. Tops was a 12-2 at Sutherland. Plastic worms, water dogs and shiners are catching the most. Best crappie bite is also at Hodges. Best bluegill bite--a truly outstanding bite--is at lower Otay, where 653 anglers reported catching 3,083 fish. San Vicente anglers did nearly as well.

EASTERN SIERRA--Bridgeport Reservoir is perhaps the hottest fishery in the region. Limits of trout averaging 2-4 pounds are the rule, and everything from flies to Power Bait are getting them. Twin Lakes Bridgeport is also a great place to fill a stringer, but the fish are on the small side. Virginia Lakes is still yielding fish through the ice. Yes, there is still three feet of ice covering this reservoir. East Walker River flows are down to 375 cfs, which will make fishing a lot more productive. Kirmin Lake is still producing brook trout to 19 inches, which are cooperating for fly fishermen (scuds) and lure fishermen (everything). Elsewhere, the best bets remain Bishop Creek for limits of pan-sized rainbows and some sizable browns; Convict Lake below Mammoth Lakes is producing lots of rainbows from 2-5 pounds. The road to the upper Mammoth Lakes basin lakes remains closed above Twin Lakes because of snow. The road to San Joaquin River is also closed. All of the lakes in the June Loop are fair for small fish and for an occasional lunker to 5 pounds.

SALTWATER

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

MORRO BAY (Virg’s Landing)--27 anglers (2 boats): 4 lingcod, 100 red rock cod, 224 rock cod, 4 salmon, 4 albacore.

AVILA BAY (Avila Beach)--9 anglers (1 boat): 40 red rock cod, 95 rock cod. (Patriot Sportfishing)--16 anglers (1 boat): 80 red rock cod, 144 bonito, 16 rock fish, 14 lingcod.

SANTA BARBARA (Sea Landing)--5 anglers (1 boat): 45 rock fish.

VENTURA (Captain Hook Sportlanding)--11 anglers (1 boat): 25 sculpin, 3 yellowtail, 44 rockfish, 10 whitefish.

OXNARD (Cisco’s)--39 anglers (3 boats): 1 yellowtail, 2 white fish, 2 sheephead, 47 sculpin, 76 rock fish, 1 halibut, 1 calico bass. (Gold Coast)--14 anglers (1 boat): 3 calico bass, 85 rockfish, 4 sand bass, 3 sheephead, 1 cabezon.

PORT HUENEME--12 anglers (1 boats): 3 yellowtail, 2 sheephead, 1 barracuda, 31 rock fish, 4 ocean white fish, 49 sculpin.

MARINA DEL REY--67 anglers (5 boats): 22 yellowtail, 1 sand bass.

REDONDO BEACH--42 anglers (3 boats): 22 yellowtail, 1 bonito, 79 calico bass, 16 sand bass, 5 Spanish jacks, 1 cabezon, 3 sculpin.

SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--55 anglers (3 boats): 31 albacore, 15 yellowtail, 24 bonito, 66 calico bass, 34 barracuda, 1 white sea bass, 2 white fish. (22nd St. Landing)--115 anglers (5 boats): 6 bluefin tuna, 90 albacore, 61 yellowtail, 193 calico bass, 58 barracuda, 1 sand bass, 85 bonito.

LONG BEACH (Sportfishing/Berth 55)--36 anglers (2 boats): 140 bonito, 3 rock fish, 12 sculpin, 1 sheephead, 12 yellowtail, 60 calico bass. (Marina Sportfishing)--67 anglers (4 boats): 13 albacore, 1 yellowtail, 5 barracuda, 89 calico bass, 46 sand bass, 2 halibut, 4 sheephead, 32 bonito, 2 sculpin, 1 sole.

SEAL BEACH--22 anglers (2 boats): 83 calico bass, 19 sand bass, 4 sculpin, 1 halibut.

NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--118 anglers (8 boats): 78 albacore, 14 yellowtail, 331 barracuda, 38 sand bass, 29 calico bass, 10 bonito, 6 sculpin, 1 rock fish, 1 sheephead, 1 white sea bass. (Davey’s Locker)--73 anglers (6 boats): 75 albacore, 14 yellowtail, 27 bonito, 287 barracuda, 92 calico bass, 1 bluefin tuna, 3 sheephead.

DANA WHARF--114 anglers (8 boats): 17 albacore, 9 yellowtail, 247 barracuda, 58 calico bass, 47 sand bass.

OCEANSIDE--91 anglers (6 boats): 90 albacore, 32 yellowtail, 55 bonito, 87 calico bass, 84 sand bass, 17 sculpin, 17 sheephead, 9 whitefish, 16 rockfish.

SAN DIEGO (H&M; Landing, Fisherman’s, Point Loma)--314 anglers (15 boats): 361 albacore, 4 bluefin tuna, 77 yellowtail, 32 bonito. (Seaforth)--219 anglers (9 boats): 60 albacore, 2 bluefin tuna, 94 yellowtail, 2 bonito, 35 barracuda, 195 calico bass, 3 sand bass, 17 rock fish, 12 mackerel, 1 sheephead, 6 sculpin.

TROUT PLANTS

LOS ANGELES--Jackson Lake. RIVERSIDE--Fullermill Creek, Fulmor Lake, Lake Hemet, San Jacinto River (North Fork). SAN BERNARDINO--Green Valley Lake, Jenks Lake, Lytle Creek (Middle Fork). VENTURA--Casitas Lake, Lake Piru. INYO--Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek, 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, Rock Creek Lake, Shepards Creek, Taboose Creek, Tinnemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek. MONO--Bridgeport Reservoir, Buckeye Creek, Convict Creek, Convict Lake, Deadman Creek, Ellery Lake, Glass Creek, Grant Lake, Green Creek, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lee Vining Creek, Little Walker River, Lundy Lake, Mammoth Creek, McGee Creek, Owens River (Benton Crossing), Robinson Creek, Rock Creek (Paradise Camp to Tom’s Place, Tom’s Place upstream to Rock Creek Lake), Rush Creek, Sherwin Creek, Silver Lake, Swauger Creek, Trumble Lake, Twin Lakes Bridgeport, Virginia Lakes, Walker River (Chris Flat Campground to town of Walker and Leavitt Meadows Campground to Sonora Bridge).