Fish Report

FRESHWATER

CASTAIC LAKE--Largemouth bass remain very active. Mike Carpenter, Canyon Country, caught 23 in one day, the largest 7 pounds, on Wham Fisheze lures. Guide Bob Crupi and Russ Brown, South Carolina, caught 18 to about 4 pounds, on crawdads and waterdogs. Kurt Balles, Van Nuys, three striped bass, largest 14 pounds, on a Castaic Hardbait.

LAKE PIRU--Trout fishermen are still doing best, though limits are not the rule. Trollers using lead-core line at 3-4 colors and chartreuse Needle fish lures are doing best, though Rapalas and small spinners are getting some fish at the surface. Some bass are being caught on crankbaits and spinnerbaits. A family fishing derby is scheduled for June 6. Details: (805) 524-0132.

PYRAMID LAKE--Largemouth and smallmouth bass are a little deeper than they were last week and few are being caught, but striped bass and catfish are providing action. The stripers are biting mainly on sardines, which also are nailing catfish. Top striper stringer, five fish totaling 19 1/2 pounds by Tim Wilson, Lancaster. New hours: 6 a.m.-8 p.m.

LAKE CACHUMA--Trout fishing is very good. Lots of limits and a few big fish. A 6-pounder was caught on a pearl-colored Needlefish. Night crawlers and Power Bait also are getting fish. Largemouth bass picking up.

LAKE CASITAS--Not a lot of big bass being caught, but Matt Newman, Calabasas, landed a 12-4 on a Castaic Trout lure. Smaller fish are biting on night crawlers, crawdads and shad at 5-10 feet. Catfish season is here: Lance Pulley, Ojai, caught 10 totaling 80 pounds, on mackerel. Trout limits are still fairly common, despite the calendar. Try trolling Needlefish with lead-core line at 4-6 colors.

CORONA LAKE--A $50,000 tagged fish contest is under way through Sunday, so this lake will be crowded. Call any Turner’s Outdoorsman for details. Meanwhile, the lake is loaded with catfish to 20 pounds. There are still some lunker trout being caught as well. A 12-8 rainbow was caught by Terri Cob, Corona, on a night crawler doused with garlic oil. Hybrid striped bass also are beginning to bite on spinners and mini-jigs. Some crappie and bluegill.

SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--Largest trout, a 13-pounder by Adam Mecca, El Segundo, one of nine rainbows topping 10 pounds this past week. Power Bait and night crawlers and Power Bait-night crawler combos are the best bets. Catfish remain slow to fair, while sturgeon are starting to bite. A 24-pound sturgeon was caught by Jerry Cooks, Los Angeles, on shrimp.

IRVINE LAKE--German brown trout are expected to be planted in anticipation of the $5,000 Giveaway contest June 4-7, offering cash prizes for the largest of brown and rainbow trout, and catfish. Details: (714) 649-2111. All three species are biting, as are largemouth bass, which must be released.

LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--A catfish derby is scheduled today through Sunday, with $50 being offered each night for the largest catfish. If that doesn’t get you here, the bite in itself might--lake officials rate it at excellent. You be the judge, but try fishing mackerel in early mornings or evenings, when the bite is best, and let the staff know if things are slow, because the bite rating of “excellent” is theirs, not ours.

OSO RESERVOIR--Keith Carlson, Garden Grove, caught an 8-pounder on his first visit, but his day’s tally of 50 bass on dark plastics and a white spinnerbait are more indicative of the bite at this catch-and-release reservoir. Fly fishermen are doing nearly as well using shad-colored deer-hair poppers. George Patterson, Toluca Lake, can attest to this: The Wilderness Fly Fishing Club of Santa Monica member hooked 40 bass this way from a float tube.

SILVERWOOD LAKE--A recent Western Outdoor News bass tournament provided enough anglers to prove that the fish are biting; limits totaling as high as 15 pounds were recorded. Try crankbaits, grubs and spinnerbaits. Crappie and trout are also fairly active.

LAKE PERRIS--This lake is offering some of the best largemouth bass fishing in the Southland. Mike Lillibridge, Riverside, 15-pound bass, on a plastic worm at Fisherman’s Rock. Jason Hiatt, Riverside, 12-pound bass, on a red-flake plastic worm at the east end. A 10-6, a 9-4 and a 7-8 also were caught in the past week. Bluegill activity is fair. Trout fishing is slow.

LAKE SKINNER--An 11-pound largemouth bass is the biggest news. It was caught by James Hanohano, Corona, who said it fought like a 5-pounder. Oh, well. He used a Louie Lure, which suggests he was fishing for striped bass, which also are biting, mostly on plugs and chicken livers and weigh up to 10 pounds. Catfish are biting along with the stripers.

BIG BEAR LAKE--Trout remain active, with lots of limits recorded by anglers using such mainstays as Poer Bait and trolled lures and spinners. An occasional big fish is being caught, but most are pan-sized. Largemouth bass activity

GREEN VALLEY LAKE--Alpers trout are born in the Eastern Sierra, but this little lake in the San Bernardinos has been stocked with them. A 4-pounder was caught by Tom Becker, Fontana, on yellow Power Bait. Another plant of Alpers trout to 5 pounds was scheduled for today or Saturday.

LAKE CUYAMACA--A dry-fly bite in the middle of the day has everyone miffed, but this Alpine lake east of San Diego is full of surprises. Trout limits are common by conventional methods as well, with night crawlers, Sierra Gold and Power Bait the top catchers. A 10-4 rainbow was caught by Patrick Rhodes, Long Beach, on orange Power Bait.

EASTERN SIERRA--Crowley Lake is yielding regular limits of 14-inch rainbows and browns, but an occasional 3- or 4-pounder is being caught on a Rapala or other such large lure. Convict Lake produced a 5-pound Alpers rainbow for Mike Pulicari, Rancho Cucamonga, who used a mini-jig at the south shore. Twin Lakes remains partially iced over and the road to lakes Mary, Mamie and George remains closed because of snow. On the June Lake loop, crowds are small and the fishing is fair to good. A 3 1/2-pound rainbow was caught on yellow Power Bait at Gull. Try worms at Rush Creek. In the Bridgeport area, crowds are down but the fishing is great. Limits at Bridgeport Reservoir require only about an hour’s effort. Top fish, a 9 1/2-pound brown by Thatcher Wikel, Granada Hills, on a black and white Roostertail at the dam.

SALTWATER

MORRO BAY (Virg’s Landing)--13 anglers (1 boat): 9 salmon.

AVILA BAY (Patriot Sportfishing)--15 anglers (1 boat): 30 salmon.

SANTA BARBARA (Sea Landing)--10 anglers (1 boat): 21 calico bass, 1 sand bass, 2 sculpin, 12 rockfish, 1 salmon.

VENTURA (Captain Hook Sportlanding)--16 anglers (1 boat): 45 rockfish, 14 sculpin, 1 whitefish, 16 red snapper, 4 white seabass.

OXNARD (Cisco’s)--61 anglers (4 boats): 1 white seabass, 2 halibut, 61 calico bass, 6 whitefish, 38 sculpin, 123 rockfish, 51 red snapper, 1 barracuda.

PORT HUENEME--42 anglers (3 boats): 6 white seabass, 4 halibut, 19 sculpin, 1 barracuda, 1 lingcod, 126 rockfish.

MARINA DEL REY--97 anglers (7 boats): 2 halibut, 60 calico bass, 170 sand bass, 650 barracuda, 42 sculpin, 1 cabezon, 1 yellow croaker.

REDONDO BEACH--70 anglers (3 boats): 37 yellowtail, 10 calico bass, 20 sand bass, 480 barracuda.

SAN PEDRO (22nd St. Landing)--85 anglers (4 boats): 24 yellowtail, 199 calico bass, 337 barracuda, 1 sand bass, 11 bonito, 2 sculpin.

LONG BEACH--33 anglers (2 boats): 250 barracuda, 63 calico bass, 5 yellowtail, 1 halibut, 25 bonito. (Marina Sportfishing)--54 anglers (3 boats): 208 barracuda, 58 calico bass, 20 sand bass, 1 halibut, 3 whitefish, 2 sheephead, 3 bonito, 63 sculpin, 2 rockfish.

SEAL BEACH--14 anglers (2 boats): 70 calico bass, 62 sand bass, 1 halibut, 4 cabezon.

NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--64 anglers (4 boats): 14 yellowtail, 121 calico bass, 33 sand bass, 31 bonito, 9 rockfish, 7 sculpin, 6 sheephead, 12 mackerel. (Davey’s Locker)--92 anglers (6 boats): 36 yellowtail, 22 bonito, 10 barracuda, 103 calico bass, 26 sand bass, 15 sculpin, 10 sheephead, 12 rockfish, 50 mackerel, 23 whitefish, 4 blue perch.

DANA WHARF--88 anglers (5 boats): 4 yellowtail, 216 calico bass, 61 sand bass, 2 halibut, 1 sculpin, 63 mackerel.

OCEANSIDE--50 anglers (3 boats): 2 yellowtail, 130 calico bass, 30 sand bass.

SAN DIEGO (H&M; Landing, Fisherman’s, Point Loma)--112 anglers (7 boats): 445 yellowtail, 31 bonito. (Seaforth)--135 anglers (6 boats): 19 yellowtail, 31 bonito, 103 barracuda, 12 calico bass, 6 sand bass, 50 rockfish, 8 sculpin. (Islandia)--36 anglers (2 boats): 111 yellowtail, 7 barracuda, 11 calico bass, 1 sheephead, 11 rockfish.

TROUT PLANTS

LOS ANGELES--Big Rock Creek, Bouquet Canyon Creek, Echo Park Lake, Elizabeth Lake, Jackson Lake, Magic Johnson Park Lake, Piru Creek (Frenchman’s Flat). ORANGE--Trabuco Creek. RIVERSIDE--Fullermill Creek, Fulmor Lake, Lake Hemet, Lake Perris, San Jacinto River (North Fork). SAN BERNARDINO--Jenks Lake, Lake Gregory, Mojave Narrows Park Lake, Santa Ana River, Santa Ana River (South Fork). SANTA BARBARA--Davey Brown Creek, Lion Canyon Creek, Manzana Creek, Santa Ynez River. VENTURA--Casitas Lake, Lake Piru, Rancho Simi Park Lake. SAN LUIS OBISPO--Lopez Lake, Santa Margarita Lake. 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, Lee Vining Creek (South Fork), Little Walker River, Lundy Lake, Mammoth Creek, McGee Creek, Mill Creek, Reversed Creek, Robinson Creek, Rock Creek (Paradise Camp to Tom’s Place, Tom’s Place upstream to Rock Creek Lake), Rush Creek, Saddlebag Creek, Sherwin Creek, Silver Lake, Swauger Creek, Tioga Lake, Trumble Lake, Twin Lakes Bridgeport, Virginia Creek, Virginia Lakes, Walker River (Chris Flat campground to town of Walker, Leavitt Meadows campground to Sonora Bridge).