FISH REPORT
FRESHWATER
CASTAIC LAKE--Noted big-bass catcher Bob Crupi of Castaic caught what is being called a lower Castaic Lake record 17 1/4-pound largemouth bass on a Stanley tube jig. The bass bite remains steady in the upper and lower reservoirs. Striped bass are biting occasionally on the upper lake. George Nichol, Santa Monica, caught a 13-3 and a 7-0 on a True Trout 2 lure.
LAKE PIRU--Largemouth bass remain in the shallows and plastic worms remain the best lures, though spinnerbaits are getting some. Trout are moving deeper, but trollers using lead-core line at 3-4 colors and Needlefish lures are catching some at the dam. On overcast days, the fish move up and lead line is not necessary.
PYRAMID LAKE--Striped bass are getting the most attention, and some even have been caught on surface lures, which is atypical for this time of year. Top striper, 9-0 by Mike Richards, West Covina, on a sardine. Top largemouth bass, a 5-pounder by Dave Sims, Los Angeles, on a crawdad pattern Rat-L-Trap. Some smallmouth bass and catfish.
LAKE CACHUMA--Trout remain the primary attraction, with big fish being weighed in almost daily. Mel Sanchez, Santa Barbara, caught a 7 3/4-pound rainbow while trolling a Needlefish lure at the west end. Jim Maley, Thousand Oaks, caught a 4 1/2-pounder while trolling a gold Kastmaster. Those fishing for bass are doing OK.
LAKE CASITAS--Three bass were weighed in at 10 pounds or more. The largest was an 11-pounder by Steve Vanoni, Saticoy, on a Wormking lure. A 19-3 catfish was caught by Mike Thorson, Newbury Park, on a night crawler and a 4-pound limit of trout was recorded by Bill Waycasey, Ojai, on a Needlefish lure.
CORONA LAKE--Catfish have become active and trout have become a little sluggish, typical for this time of year at this small lake, which warms more quickly than larger fisheries. Still, a 12-8 rainbow was caught by Donald Cook, Fontana, on glitter Power Bait at the ramp.
SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--The trout bite remains fair to good. The largest was a 16-1 by Dallas Scalf, Los Angeles, on a Thomas Buoyant lure. Several came in at 10 pounds or more. Catfish action is good.
IRVINE LAKE--A 15-pound trout caught by Dan Fitzgibbons tops the list, but several were weighed in at 10 pounds or more. The west shore is producing the best catches, and trollers using fire-tiger Rapalas are catching the bigger fish. Crappie and catfish action is fair and largemouth bass action (purple or brown plastic worms) is very good.
LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--The trout bite is slow. Try chartreuse Power Bait or a silver Kastmaster near the creek inlet. Catfish remain the best bet, as five-fish limits of 2-pound fish are the rule. Tyrell Banks, Long Beach, caught a 14-pounder on shrimp. Bass fishing is superb. Jason Gruner, Newport Beach, caught a 10-10, an 8-0 and a 7-0 on a tequila sunrise RoboWorm. Kids Fish Free Day is May 17. Details: (714) 362-3885.
OSO RESERVOIR--Bruce Rodriguez, San Juan Capistrano, said of his recent afternoon outing, during which he caught 87 bass: “I slayed them.” Fortunately, this is a catch-and-release fishery and Rodriguez was just talking figuratively. But fishing is that good for bass averaging 2-5 pounds. Reservations are required here: (714) 858-9313.
SILVERWOOD LAKE--Trout and crappie are keeping anglers busy, biting throughout the lake. Trolling Kastmasters and soaking Power Bait are best for trout. Casting mini-jigs near brush is best for crappie. An 8-pound largemouth bass was weighed in, but most of those fish are on the small side.
LAKE PERRIS--Largemouth bass remain active, but only the little fish are biting, most coming on waterdogs and dark-colored plastic worms just beyond the trees and brush at the southeast end. Bluegill activity is on the rise, with fish biting in the marina area on mealworms and at the southeast end on crickets and night crawlers.
LAKE SKINNER--Largemouth bass remain active at the south shore, with fish averaging 2-4 pounds biting mostly on plastic worms. Striped bass are striking such baits as anchovies and night crawlers.
BIG BEAR LAKE--Trout remain the primary attraction, but El Nino keeps driving the fishermen away. Some are catching limits of pan-sized fish, however, on the usual baits and lures. Largemouth bass are beginning to stir.
SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--A 12-pound bass caught at Murray tops the list, but the best bass bite is at Sutherland, where 655 anglers reported catching 1,388 bass, the largest a 9-8. Lake Barrett bass fishing is even better (2,869 for 145 anglers) for those able to reserve a place through Ticketmaster: (619) 220-8497. Hodges anglers are doing fair for bass and crappie. Miramar and Murray are still yielding trout and San Vicente has the best catfish fishing.
LAKE CUYAMACA--Bass, crappie and catfish finally have given anglers something other than trout to fish for, as they have moved into the shallows to spawn. Trout fishing spotty.
EASTERN SIERRA--Best bets: East Walker River and Bridgeport Reservoir in the Bridgeport area. Both are producing steady catches of rainbows and browns from 2-6 pounds. All lakes on the June Loop are fair to good for trollers using a variety of lures and baits. Silver Lake might have an edge in terms of big fish. Crowley Lake is the most consistent fishery in the Mammoth Lakes area, as Convict Lake’s trout don’t seem in the mood to bite. A 4-12 rainbow, however, was caught at Convict by Helen Bell, Palm Desert, on a Thomas Buoyant lure. Bishop Creek is yielding lots of limits of mostly pan-sized rainbows. The lakes above the creek remain iced over.
SALTWATER
MORRO BAY (Virg’s Landing)--30 anglers (2 boats): 70 red rockcod, 141 rockcod, 8 salmon.
AVILA BEACH (Patriot Sportfishing)--11 anglers (1 boat): 9 salmon.
SANTA BARBARA (Sea Landing)--27 anglers (2 boats): 121 calico bass, 9 sand bass, 1 halibut, 75 barracuda, 10 rockfish. (Hornet Landing)--16 anglers (1 boat): 33 calico bass, 29 sand bass, 50 barracuda, 1 rockfish.
VENTURA (Captain Hook’s)--14 anglers (1 boat): 22 rockfish, 60 red snapper.
OXNARD (Cisco’s)--24 anglers (2 boats): 183 calico bass, 80 barracuda, 3 halibut, 21 rockfish, 3 sculpin.
PORT HUENEME--13 anglers (1 boat): 55 calico bass, 12 sand bass, 3 rockfish, 1 sculpin.
MARINA DEL REY--66 anglers (6 boats): 6 halibut, 237 calico bass, 5 barracuda, 63 sand bass, 2 sheephead, 15 sculpin, 4 rockfish, 1 cabezon.
REDONDO--30 anglers (3 boats): 155 calico bass, 8 sand bass, 1 barracuda, 1 halibut, 4 sculpin, 6 sheephead, 12 rockfish.
SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--20 anglers (2 boats): 162 barracuda, 57 calico bass, 6 sand bass, 2 rockfish, 1 sculpin. (22nd St. Landing)--33 anglers (3 boats): 6 yellowtail, 100 calico bass, 186 barracuda, 1 bonito, 11 sculpin, 24 whitefish, 15 sheephead.
LONG BEACH (Pierpoint Landing)--28 anglers (2 boats): 4 calico bass, 90 sand bass, 172 barracuda, 1 halibut, 6 sculpin.
NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--38 anglers (3 boats): 79 sand bass, 139 calico bass, 5 sculpin, 4 barracuda, 2 bonito, 1 white sea bass. (Davey’s Locker)--47 anglers (4 boats): 17 yellowtail, 26 barracuda, 87 calico bass, 31 sand bass, 7 sculpin, 3 halibut, 5 leopard sharks.
SEAL BEACH (Big Fish)--18 anglers (1 boat): 19 barracuda, 9 calico bass, 46 sand bass, 3 sheephead, 26 sculpin.
DANA WHARF--87 anglers (4 boats): 220 calico bass, 22 sand bass, 3 barracuda, 1 halibut, 1 sculpin, 1 blue perch, 5 mackerel.
OCEANSIDE (Helgren’s)--57 anglers (3 boats): 4 yellowtail, 225 calico bass, 82 sand bass, 1 halibut, 1 sheephead.
SAN DIEGO (H&M; Landing, Fisherman’s, Point Loma)--80 anglers (4 boats): 192 yellowtail, 10 bonito. (Seaforth)--134 anglers (5 boats): 161 yellowtail, 1 bonito, 4 barracuda, 24 calico bass, 16 sand bass, 5 sculpin. (Islandia)--46 anglers (2 boats): 6 yellowtail, 83 calico bass, 3 sculpin, 1 rockfish.
TROUT PLANTS
LOS ANGELES--Big Rock Creek, Bouquet Canyon Creek, Jackson Lake, Little Rock Creek, Little Rock Reservoir, Piru Creek (Frenchman’s Flat). ORANGE--Trabuco Creek. RIVERSIDE--Hemet Lake, Lake Perris. SAN BERNARDINO--Gregory Lake, Mill Creek, Miller Canyon Creek, Mojave Narrows Park Lake, Santa Ana River, Santa Ana River (South Fork), Silverwood Lake. SAN DIEGO--Sweetwater River. VENTURA--Casitas Lake, Lake Piru, Reyes Creek. SANTA BARBARA--Davy Brown Creek, Lion Canyon Creek, Manzana Creek, Santa Ynez River. 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, Shepards Creek, Taboose Creek, Tinnemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek. MONO--Bridgeport Reservoir, Grant Lake, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lee Vining Creek, Little Walker River, Owens River (Benton Crossing), Robinson Creek, Rock Creek (Paradise Camp to Tom’s Place, Tom’s Place upstream to Rock Creek Lake), Rush Creek, Silver Lake, Twin Lakes Bridgeport, Virginia Creek, Walker River (Chris Flat Campground to town of Walker, Leavitt Meadows Campground to Sonora Bridge).