FRESHWATER

CASTAIC LAKE--Andy Dekker and K.C. Caracci, Arcadia, 18 largemouth bass to two pounds, on plastic worms. This says it all. The fish aren’t big but you can have fun practicing. Drifted mealworms are producing some bluegills.

LAKE PIRU--Trout are slowly moving up in the water column, and the usual methods are productive, topped by trolling with rainbow- or shad-pattern Needlefish. Bass fishing is good one day, poor the next. Rat-l-Traps and buzz-baits have been best.

LAKE CASITAS--Bass are still taking a back seat to trout, which are biting at the dam at 30-40 feet on night crawlers, Needlefish and Power Bait. Catfish are biting both shallow and deep. Frank Morrison, Ojai, 18 1/2, 14- and 12 1/2-pound catfish, on mackerel at 15 feet. A 17-pounder was caught at 90 feet.

LAKE CACHUMA--Trout are biting sporadically at best as they remain deep and sluggish, holding off the dam. Trolled Needlefish is the best bet. Some red-ear perch (mealworms) and largemouth bass (dark plastics) are being caught.

JESS RANCH LAKES--Trout are very active and fish to five pounds have come out of Lake 3. Yellow and rainbow Power Bait have been the top catchers. Some catfish.

IRVINE LAKE--If you’re catfished out, take heart. The trout opener is slated for Oct. 28 and more than 150,000 pounds will be stocked through the seven-month season. Meanwhile, there’s plenty of catfish and even some bass and crappies.

ANAHEIM/CORONA LAKES--Catfish remain the main attraction and fishing is good, but crappies are providing at least some variety at Corona.

GREEN VALLEY LAKE--A 7-pound 4-ounce trout was caught on lemon-twist Power Bait and a four-pounder struck a Rapala, but action has slowed and few limits are being recorded.

OSO RESERVOIR--Bass action has subsided, but those on the water at dawn are doing well with top-water lures. Catfish are also feeding and an 11-pounder was caught by a bass fishermen using a spinnerbait.

LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--Catfish after dark is the story here, as you won’t get much action during the day. The bass bite is fair one day, slow the next. Night crawlers and plastic worms are getting most.

LAKE PERRIS--A 10-pound bass was caught by Steve Steffensen, Riverside, on a Shad-Rap, but that was an anomaly as very small bass are the ones being fooled these days. Bluegills are biting on crickets and wax worms.

SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--Bass bites are on at Sutherland, Hodges and San Vicente, but no fish topped 10 pounds. Other species are slow, although big blue catfish are making a splash at Sutherland. The biggest of the week, 28 pounds by Eric Janssen, Poway, on mackerel. Unfortunately, the lake closes Sunday.

LAKE CUYAMACA--Try night crawlers or Power Bait for trout, but don’t be surprised if there are no takers. The bite has been off.

EASTERN SIERRA--Best bet for big fish: Convict Lake, where a 5-4 fish caught on a night crawler tops the list. Best bet for action: Crowley Lake, where the fish are at the surface and are taking red and gold Thomas Buoyants and the like. Anglers can catch and release up to 40 a day. Best place to fly-fish: Bridgeport’s East Walker River, where flows remain ideal and rainbows and browns are jumping on nymphs and hare’s ears.

SALTWATER

MORRO BAY (Virg’s Landing)--41 anglers (2 boats): 50 albacore, 2 ling cod, 20 red rockcod, 30 rockcod, 70 rockfish.

PORT SAN LUIS (Patriot Sportfishing)--46 anglers (2 boats): 36 rockcod, 69 rockfish, 33 red rockcod, 10 ling cod, 15 albacore, 16 red snapper.

OXNARD (Gold Coast)--53 anglers (4 boats): 24 yellowtail, 5 black sea bass (released), 23 whitefish, 5 sheephead, 3 sculpin, 74 rockfish, 24 red snapper, 11 ling cod, 2 halibut, 10 calico bass.

PORT HUENEME--43 anglers (3 boats): 9 white sea bass, 24 yellowtail, 4 calico bass, 2 barracuda, 2 halibut, 23 rockfish, 1 sculpin, 42 whitefish, 10 ling cod, 1 sole, 12 red snapper.

MARINA DEL REY--39 anglers (3 boats): 2 yellowtail, 30 sand bass, 111 sculpin, 1 halibut, 2 calico bass, 1 sheephead.

REDONDO--48 anglers (3 boats): 1 black sea bass (released), 118 calico bass, 7 sand bass, 10 barracuda, 113 sculpin, 26 whitefish, 14 sheephead, 40 blue perch, 7 red snapper, 46 rockfish.

SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--43 anglers (2 boats): 3 yellowtail, 9 barracuda, 14 sculpin, 25 sheephead, 145 whitefish, 12 blue perch, 58 calico bass, 16 sand bass. (22nd St. Landing)--51 anglers (2 boats): 1 sand bass, 18 sculpin, 175 rockfish, 950 sand dab, 24 red snapper, 8 salmon grouper.

LONG BEACH--38 anglers (1 boat): 1 barracuda, 15 calico bass, 25 rockfish, 33 sheephead, 73 whitefish, 2 blue perch, 15 sole, 50 jack mackerel. (Belmont Pier)--16 anglers (1 boat): 1 cow cod, 160 rockcod, 48 salmon grouper. (Los Alamitos Bay, Marina Sportfishing)--46 anglers (3 boats): 1 calico bass, 490 rockfish, 79 whitefish, 95 sculpin, 27 sheephead, 1 ling cod, 19 red snapper, 16 salmon grouper, 10 bonito, 240 sand dabs. (Pierpoint Landing)--29 anglers (2 boats): 33 yellowtail, 21 calico bass, 2 sand bass, 49 whitefish, 9 sheephead, 4 sculpin.

NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--15 anglers (1 boat): 16 rockfish, 142 sculpin, 1 whitefish. (Davey’s Locker)--48 anglers (4 boats): 1 yellowtail, 2 bonito, 124 sculpin, 9 barracuda, 37 calico bass, 1 sand bass, 11 rockfish, 23 mackerel, 1 whitefish, 1 sole.

DANA WHARF--59 anglers (3 boats): 2 barracuda, 15 blue perch, 100 calico bass, 5 sand bass, 3 mackerel, 5 yellowtail, 64 rockfish, 5 sculpin, 8 sheephead, 5 whitefish.

OCEANSIDE (Helgren’s)--21 anglers (2 boats): 22 calico bass, 16 sculpin, 1 whitefish, 39 rockfish, 13 red snapper.

TROUT PLANTS

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY--Lake Gregory, Silverwood Lake. SAN DIEGO--Doane Pond. MONO--Bridgeport Reservoir, Convict Creek, Ellery Lake, Lee Vining Creek, Little Walker River, Lundy Lake, Mammoth Creek, McGee Creek, Rush Creek, Saddlebag Lake, Tioga Lake, Trumble Lake, Virginia Creek, Virginia Lakes, Walker River (Chris Flat Campground to town of Walker and Leavitt Meadows Campground to Sonora Bridge).

CATFISH PLANTS

ORANGE COUNTY--Carr Park Lake, Centennial Park Lake, Clark Park Lake, Greer Park Lake, Huntington Central Park Lake, Irvine Regional Park Lake, Mile Square Park Lake, Tri-City Park Lake, Westhaven Park Lake.

--Compiled by Pete Thomas