FISH REPORT

FRESHWATER

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

CASTAIC LAKE--Brian Hill, Castaic, caught a 20-pound striped bass on a swim-bait. Most of the effort is for largemouth bass, though, and fishing is good in both lakes for fish averaging three pounds. Crawdads are a good choice.

PYRAMID LAKE--Largemouth and smallmouth are very active and catfish are beginning to stir. A few trout are still being caught too.

ORANGE COUNTY

LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--Trout are scattered and no longer being stocked, so the bite’s only fair. Bass fishermen using plastics are having a blast catching mostly two-pounders. Some catfish.

IRVINE LAKE--More water is welcome news for trout (more room to roam) and fishermen tired of the eye-sore the lake had become before the water purchase. Debbie Page, Westminster, caught bookend 14-pounders on Rapalas.

SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--A 19 1/2-pound trout was caught by Al Rotta, Lomita. They’re stocking some even bigger trout next Tuesday and Wednesday and the lake will be closed both days.

VENTURA COUNTY

LAKE PIRU--Bass fishing is fair for fish averaging two pounds, though an 8-2 was caught on a plastic worm and a 7-pounder on a white tube jig. Trout fishing is fair too.

LAKE CASITAS--Top bass, 11-5 by Rick Miller, Ventura, on a plastic worm. He also caught an 8-5. The bite is pretty good for mostly smaller fish. Crappie are biting sporadically. Catfish action is picking up on mackerel at 20 feet. Trollers are catching some trout.

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY

LAKE CACHUMA--Bass action is fair on crankbaits and plastic worms. Trout are scattered but should be gathering at the east end. Red-ear perch are very active, biting on night crawlers and mealworms.

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY

JESS RANCH LAKES--Trout are biting well on worms and Power Bait and catfish are starting to bite. A beautification project is underway on the grounds.

RIVERSIDE COUNTY

CORONA LAKE--The lake will be closed Tuesday and Wednesday for trout planting, but there is some decent fishing on tap for this weekend. An 18-5 trout caught on rainbow Power Bait tops the list.

LAKE SKINNER--An 18-pound striped bass was caught on a Pencil Popper, but most are fishing for largemouth bass--and doing well with night crawlers, crawdads and plastic worms. The catfish bite’s good too.

LAKE PERRIS--Bass action is good on plastics at the east end. Catfish are getting active at the dam area and bluegill are biting well on crickets off the docks.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY

SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--The bass lakes are all producing on the standard stuff, with the top catch an 11-3 on a night crawler at Lower Otay, where the bluegill bite is just starting. Trout action is fair at Murray.

LAKE POWAY--Bass and trout remain fairly active. A 6-pound trout was caught on Power Bait.

LAKE WOHLFORD--A 14-pound bass was caught on a Fat Rap and the bite for smaller fish is good. Crawdads are working best.

LAKE CUYAMACA--Night crawlers are the bait of choice for trout fishermen, but fishing is fair. More bluegill, crappie and catfish are showing on the hooks.

EASTERN SIERRA

This is the quiet time before the April 29 opener. The Lower Owens is running too fast to be great but it’s still producing a few quality trout, mostly rainbows. Try live crickets. The Gorge and Pleasant Valley Reservoir are great places for fly-fishermen to warm up for opening day.

SALTWATER

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

SAN SIMEON (Virg’s Landing)--44 anglers (1 boat): 80 red rock cod, 228 rockfish.

AVILA (Patriot Sportfishing)--25 anglers (2 boats): 56 rock cod, 83 rockfish, 99 red rock cod, 2 goldeneye.

SANTA BARBARA (Sea Landing)--11 anglers (1 boat): 57 calico bass, 5 sand bass, 4 barracuda, 10 rockfish.

OXNARD (Cisco’s)--131 anglers (6 boats): 3 yellowtail, 46 barracuda, 36 calico bass, 4 halibut, 2 ling cod, 115 red snapper, 198 rockfish, 9 sculpin, 5 sheephead, 110 white fish, 10 sand dabs, 15 blue perch. (Captain Hook’s/Gold Coast)--11 anglers (1 boat): 70 rockfish, 6 sculpin, 1 sheephead, 40 red snapper, 27 sole.

PORT HUENEME--9 anglers (1 boat): 1 halibut, 25 rockfish, 3 sculpin, 10 whitefish, 1 lingcod.

MARINA DEL REY--64 anglers (4 boats): 6 halibut, 291 sculpin, 16 sand bass, 34 sole.

REDONDO BEACH--46 anglers (3 boats): 15 red snapper, 2 sole, 4 halibut, 1 sheephead, 2 ling cod, 5 white fish, 12 salmon grouper, 3 sculpin, 203 rockfish.

SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--80 anglers (4 boats): 1 white sea bass, 60 calico bass, 111 blue perch, 81 white fish, 26 barracuda, 34 sheephead, 11 sargo, 2 halibut, 5 sand bass, 2 red snapper, 2 sculpin. (22nd St. Landing)--90 anglers (2 boats): 42 calico bass, 368 sculpin, 100 rockfish, 69 white fish, 58 sheephead, 57 blue perch, 1 ling cod.

LONG BEACH (Sportfishing/Berth 55)--34 anglers (1 boat): 23 sand bass, 149 rockfish, 23 sculpin, 2 whitefish, 102 salmon grouper, 19 sole. (Marina Sportfishing)--49 anglers (2 boats): 12 calico bass, 61 white fish, 32 sheephead, 9 perch, 12 sculpin, 85 rockfish, 21 salmon grouper, 6 red snapper, 3 sole. (Pierpoint Landing)--75 anglers (4 boats): 8 white sea bass, 18 barracuda, 112 calico bass, 9 sand bass, 85 rockfish, 1 white fish, 18 sculpin, 12 sheephead, 6 halibut.

SEAL BEACH--(Big Fish)--40 anglers (1 boat): 22 sand bass, 18 sculpin, 1 barracuda, 3 halibut, (21 halibut released).

NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--22 anglers (2 boats): 3 calico bass, 2 sand bass, 5 rockfish, 38 sculpin. (Davey’s Locker)--162 anglers ( 5 boats): 2 yellowtail, 2 white sea bass, 117 barracuda, 38 calico bass, 68 sculpin, 12 sand bass, 28 sheephead, 3 halibut, 21 rockfish, 12 blue perch, 1 cabezon.

DANA WHARF--92 anglers (6 boats): 86 calico bass, 17 sand bass, 3 mackerel, 1 halibut, 8 rockfish, 4 sculpin, 3 sheephead.

SAN DIEGO (H&M; Landing, Fisherman’s, Point Loma)--167 anglers (6 boats): 1 king salmon, 1 halibut, 34 yellowtail, 62 white fish, 48 sand bass, 1 calico bass, 239 rockfish, 122 sculpin, 2 sheephead. (Islandia)--58 anglers (3 boats): 40 calico bass, 2 sand bass, 9 white fish, 56 rock cod, 11 sculpin, 40 rockfish, 67 mackerel.

TROUT PLANTS

LOS ANGELES--Alondra Park Lake, Arroyo Seco Creek, Belvedere Park Lake, Big Tujunga Creek (Upper and Lower), Cerritos Lake, Echo Park Lake, El Dorado Park Lake, Crystal Lake, Jackson Lake, La Mirada Lake, Legg Lake, Lincoln Park Lake, Little Rock Reservoir, Magic Johnson Park Lake, Puddingstone Reservoir, Pyramid Lake, San Dimas Reservoir, San Gabriel River (East, West and North forks), Santa Fe Reservoir. RIVERSIDE--Strawberry Creek. SAN BERNARDINO--Big Bear Lake, Glen Helen Park Lake, Gregory Lake, Lytle Creek (Middle and North forks), Mill Creek, Miller Canyon Creek, Mojave Narrows Park Lake, Prado Park Lake, Seccombe Park Lake, Yucaipa Park Lake. SAN DIEGO--Lake Murray. INYO--Cottonwood Creek, Diaz Lake, Georges Creek, Independence Creek, Lone Pine Creek, Owens River (Laws Bridge downstream to Steward Lane), Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Shepards Creek, Symms Creek, Tuttle Creek.

--Compiled by PETE THOMAS