FRESHWATER
CASTAIC LAKE--Striped bass are the best bet on the upper lake. Greg Glogow, Valencia, 15- and 14-pound stripers, on an AC Plug. Dustin Meisner, Valencia, 14-pound 2-ounce striper, on a homemade lure. Largemouth bass have been on the small side and biting only sporadically. Trout are the best bet on the lower lake. Some limits.
PYRAMID LAKE--A great striped bass bite has slowed to fair, but the fish are still boiling in early mornings and biting sporadically on top-water plugs. Night crawlers and crankbaits fished near structures are getting smallmouth bass to three pounds, and anchovies and chicken livers dropped at the dam are taking catfish to seven pounds.
LAKE PIRU--Bass remain the best bet, with shad-pattern lures doing the trick for smallish fish. Trout activity is on the rise, though. Try trolling chartreuse Needlefish lures tied to lead-core line at four-six colors. Power Bait might work too.
LAKE CACHUMA--The bass are fairly deep, averaging three-four pounds and biting on spoons. Trout fishing has slowed, but those using night crawlers are getting some at the dam.
CASITAS LAKE--Greg Parker, Ventura, 26 1/2-pound catfish, while fishing for bass with a crawdad. The bass bite is fair. Top bass, 12 1/2 pounds by Willy DeCoste, Ojai, on a crawdad-pattern crankbait. Lots of small bass. Red-ear perch are biting on worms.
IRVINE LAKE--Greg Lyznicki, Laguna Niguel, 33-pound catfish on mackerel near the dam. Bass fishing is fair for those using spinnerbaits, crankbaits and plastic worms. The trout opener is slated for Nov. 5.
CORONA LAKE--Catfish remain active and limits are fairly common, with mackerel getting most. Top catfish, a 15-pounder by Boun Pravong, Corona, on chicken livers. Crappies and carp are also biting.
SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--Catfish biting best but some crappies are being caught in the trees at Catfish Lake. Top catfish, a 15-pounder by Justin McMihiek, Los Angeles, on a night crawler.
LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--The catfish bite gets going at dusk and limits are not hard to come by if you’re using mackerel. The bass bite is best in early mornings, with top-water lures working very well. Lou Fable, Huntington Beach, caught an eight-pounder and several smaller bass using a white Bass Assassin lure.
GREEN VALLEY LAKE--A few large Alpers rainbows are coming in, but fishing is only fair. Top catch, an eight-pounder by Gordon Gerry, Pomona, on green Power Bait.
LAKE PERRIS--Crystal Apodaca, Moreno Valley, caught a seven-pound bass on a night crawler off Marina Point. Bill Singleton, Rancho Cucamonga, six-pound bass on a crawdad at the island. Bluegills are biting sporadically for those using crickets and worms.
LAKE SKINNER--Barney Gumble, Riverside, 9 1/2-pound striped bass on a surface plug, but the best bite is a little deeper with anchovies and chicken livers. Catfish are biting on mackerel and chicken livers. Crankbaits are catching an occasional largemouth bass.
BIG BEAR LAKE--Trout fishing is good for trollers using Rapalas, Super Dupers and Needlefish. The fish aren’t big, but dozens of limits were filled in the last week so they’re apparently hungry.
SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--Bill and Kevin Porter, San Diego, 10 catfish totaling 120 pounds on mackerel at Sutherland, where the catfish bite is rated fair to good. Largemouth bass are biting fair at San Vicente, Hodges and El Capitan. Bluegills are still a popular draw at San Vicente.
LAKE CUYAMACA--Not a lot of limits but Malcolm Hewitt, San Diego, caught five trout totaling 12 pounds, topped by a 6 1/2-pounder, on orange Rapalas at the north shore.
EASTERN SIERRA--Bishop Creek is an excellent choice for those who like to stalk their prey. Pan-sized rainbows and even some Alpers lunkers are being found in the deeper pools and fooled with a variety of lures and baits, with Roostertails one of the top catchers. The lakes above the creek are producing as well, with South and Sabrina the top choices. Heavy late-season trout plants have made the Mammoth Lakes and June Lake good bets. Owens River flows are still high, but fishing is fair for bait fishermen (salmon eggs) and fly fishermen (egg-pattern flies), and the water has cooled enough at Pleasant Valley Reservoir to spark a solid trout bite. Earl Robitaille, Huntington Beach, reports a sporadic bite--and lots of wintry weather--throughout Bridgeport. His best day was at Bridgeport Reservoir, where two large Alpers rainbows--a seven-pounder was the biggest--were pulled from the center of the lake after striking Rebels and Rapalas.
SALTWATER
MORRO BAY (Virg’s Landing)--20 anglers (1 boat): 1 lingcod, 100 red rock cod, 7 rock cod, 125 rockfish, 1 halibut.
PORT SAN LUIS (Patriot Sportfishing)--18 anglers (1 boat): 93 rock cod, 137 rockfish, 40 red rock cod.
SANTA BARBARA (Sea Landing)--9 anglers (1 boat): 31 calico bass, 20 sand bass, 1 whitefish, 1 rockfish.
OXNARD (CISCO’s)--25 anglers (1 boat): 3 yellowtail, 2 whitefish, 1 sheephead, 3 sculpin, 20 rockfish, 4 bonito.
MARINA DEL REY--44 anglers (2 boats): 1 halibut, 45 sculpin, 58 sand bass.
REDONDO--36 anglers (3 boats): 2 yellowtail, 10 calico bass, 16 sand bass, 1 halibut, 15 sculpin, 27 salmon grouper, 3 whitefish, 87 rockfish.
SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--36 anglers (2 boats): 61 yellowfin tuna, 13 skipjack, 3 yellowtail, 43 barracuda, 21 calico bass, 8 sand bass. (22nd St. Landing)--57 anglers (3 boats): 24 yellowfin tuna, 38 skipjack, 1 yellowtail, 6 calico bass, 17 barracuda, 3 sand bass, 5 sculpin, 9 whitefish, 3 sheephead, 75 rockfish, 9 red snapper, 13 salmon grouper.
LONG BEACH (Berth 55)--26 anglers (2 boats): 10 yellowfin tuna, 4 yellowtail, 48 barracuda, 31 calico bass, 8 sand bass. (Pierpoint Landing)--15 anglers (2 boats): 62 barracuda, 49 calico bass, 1 sand bass, 1 sheephead, 3 sculpin. (Belmont Pier)--6 anglers (1 boat): 15 barracuda, 4 lingcod, 43 rockfish, 3 whitefish. (Los Alamitos Bay, Marina Sportfishing)--26 anglers (2 boats): 3 yellowtail, 66 barracuda, 17 calico bass, 4 sand bass, 1 whitefish, 8 sheephead, 5 sculpin, 25 rockfish, 20 red sapper, 10 salmon grouper.
SEAL BEACH (Big Fish Sportfishing)--3 anglers (1 boat): 3 yellowtail, 7 sand bass.
NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--19 anglers (3 boats): 1 yellowtail, 63 calico bass, 17 sand bass, 5 bonito, 37 sculpin. (Davey’s Locker)--59 anglers (6 boats): 1 yellowfin tuna, 82 yellowtail, 9 bonito, 67 barracuda, 60 calico bass, 40 sand bass, 2 sculpin, 105 mackerel.
DANA WHARF--59 anglers (3 boats): 65 calico bass, 62 sand bass, 10 sculpin, 5 yellowtail, 5 sheephead, 2 halibut, 298 mackerel.
OCEANSIDE--29 anglers (2 boats): 7 yellowtail, 44 calico bass, 43 sand bass, 3 halibut, 6 sculpin, 3 sheephead, 48 mackerel.
SAN DIEGO (H&M; Landing, Fisherman’s, Point Loma)--15 anglers (1 boat): 15 yellowtail. (Seaforth)--85 anglers (5 boats): 6 yellowtail, 10 bonito, 22 barracuda, 8 sand bass, 57 rockfish, 1 mackerel, 3 sheephead, 10 sculpin, 16 whitefish. (Islandia)--40 anglers (3 boats): 14 barracuda, 10 bonito, 22 yellowtail, 6 sand bass, 50 calico bass, 12 sculpin, 12 mackerel.
TROUT PLANTS
LOS ANGELES COUNTY--Castaic Lagoon. RIVERSIDE--Lake Perris. SAN BERNARDINO--Big Bear Lake, Santa Ana River. VENTURA--Casitas Lake, Lake Piru. SAN LUIS OBISPO--Lopez Lake, Santa Margarita Lake. INYO--Owens River (below Tinnemaha), Pine Creek, Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Rock Creek (Rock Creek Lake to the end of the road), MONO--Convict Creek, Convict Lake, George Lake, Glass Creek, Grant Lake, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lake Mary, Lee Vining Creek, Mamie Lake, Mammoth Creek, McGee Creek, Owens River (Benton Crossing), Robinson Creek, Rock Creek (Paradise Camp to Toms Place, Toms Place upstream to Rock Creek Lake), Rush Creek, Silver Lake, Twin Lakes Bridgeport, Twin Lakes Mammoth.
