FISH REPORT

FRESHWATER

Los Angeles County

LAKE CASTAIC--The trout bite has been good on small lures, and striped bass can be found near the trout or chasing shad. Trout-like plugs and live shad, naturally, are the top striper catchers. Largemouth bass are chasing shad too.

PYRAMID LAKE--Trout limits are fairly common and lures and bait are working equally well. Smallmouth bass fishing has improved for those casting crankbaits, and largemouth and striped bass are biting only sporadically.

Ventura County

LAKE CASITAS--Top bass was a 14-12 by Gary Laird, Santa Paula, on a swimbait. Next biggest was a nine-pounder, also on a swimbait. Trout action has been very good at the Santa Ana ramp, with fish averaging one pound and biting mostly on Power Bait and night crawlers. Catfish action is fair to good on mackerel. Donna Huddleston, Casitas Springs, 14- and 7 1/2-pound catfish. Nick Tharp, Moorpark, 19-pound catfish.

Santa Barbara County

LAKE CACHUMA--Trout action is best at the east end, with trollers using Needlefish and Rapalas doing very well, and bait fishermen using rainbow Power Bait doing almost as well. Bass are being plucked sporadically from about 35 feet by those using crawdads and night crawlers.

Orange County

IRVINE LAKE--Big trout remain active, and a 19-12 caught on a night crawler-Power Bait combination tops the list. In about a week, 298 fish weighed in at eight pounds or more. Lures and bait are equally productive.

LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--Trout fishing has been very good and the action shows no signs of slowing. The bite is daylong, though mornings are best. Top catch is a nine-pounder caught on Power Bait at the ramp. Several weighed in at five pounds or more.

SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--A potential state-record rainbow trout weighing 23.76 pounds provided plenty of excitement. It was caught on a Power Worm-Power Bait combo. Both lakes are producing big trout.

San Bernardino County

JESS RANCH LAKES--Trout were planted late this week, so fishing should be good through the weekend.

Riverside County

CORONA LAKE--A 17-5 trout caught on green Power Bait tops the list. Those fishing the center of the lake are doing well, while those along the shore are doing fair, using lures and bait.

LAKE PERRIS--Bass fishing is slow, but those casting crankbaits and plastic worms are getting some. Trout were planted Tuesday at Lot 7 and the bite has been fair on processed bait and night crawlers.

LAKE SKINNER--Striped bass are the main attraction, averaging about five pounds and biting on swimbaits and frozen shad. Largemouth bass, crappie and trout are in the mix too.

San Diego County

LAKE CUYAMACA--The lake ranger advises arriving at 10 a.m., as the trout don’t get active until then. Average time for a five-fish limit is six hours. Best bait: inflated night crawlers and Power Bait. Best lures: Trout Teasers and brightly colored spinners.

DIXON LAKE--The lake is receiving water and looking better and fishing better, with trout the primary quarry and cooperating nicely, striking Power Bait and small spinners. Other species are sluggish.

SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--Top trout at Lake Wholford was a 12-pounder by Chance Cassell, Escondido, on chartreuse Power Bait. Water level is low and fishing is slow to fair overall.

Eastern Sierra

Low flows on the Lower Owens and unseasonably warm temperatures are producing good conditions. In the wild-trout section, fly fishermen are doing well nymphing with caddis larvae flies size 18-20. Brown trout are striking midge emergers. The unrestricted section is very productive for mostly fly fishermen with the means to drift, but also to conventional anglers who don’t mind maneuvering through brush to find decent shore access. The Owens Gorge is flowing at a very low 65 cfs, and the small browns aren’t picky about the flies landing their way. Pleasant Valley Reservoir is fishing very well at the inlet, for fly fishermen as well as bait and lure casters using standard presentations.

SALTWATER

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

MORRO BAY (Virg’s Landing)--48 anglers (1 boat): 150 rockfish.

AVILA BEACH (Patriot Sportfishing)--36 anglers (2 boats): 124 rockcod, 157 red rockcod, 3 bolina, 38 red snapper.

SANTA BARBARA (Sea Landing)--45 anglers (2 boats): 1 calico bass, 22 whitefish, 90 red snapper, 69 rockfish, 9 sculpin, 5 sheephead, 12 sole. (Hornet’s Landing)--14 anglers (1 boat): 37 red snapper, 59 rockfish, 1 shark.

OXNARD (Cisco’s)--159 anglers (4 boats): 168 whitefish, 4 sheephead, 4 sculpin, 901 rockfish, 67 red snapper. (Captain Hook’s)--37 anglers (3 boats): 18 calico bass, 27 sand bass, 111 rockfish, 87 red snapper, 3 cabezon, 15 sand dabs.

PORT HUENEME--56 anglers (2 boats): 1 yellowtail, 1 halibut, 390 shallow water rockfish, 5 sculpin, 1 whitefish.

MARINA DEL REY--148 anglers (4 boats): 1 halibut, 18 sand bass, 2 calico bass, 184 sculpin, 3 cabezon, 327 rockfish, 11 red snapper, 82 whitefish, 1 lingcod (released).

REDONDO BEACH--70 anglers (3 boats): 182 whitefish, 178 rockfish, 40 sculpin, 3 red snapper.

SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--47 anglers (2 boats): 108 sculpin, 72 red rockcod, 48 calico bass, 40 rockfish, 20 sand bass, 11 barracuda, 8 whitefish, 7 bonito, 6 sheephead. (22nd St. Landing)--69 anglers (4 boats): 3 white seabass, 27 calico bass, 58 sand bass, 4 halibut, 31 halibut (released), 7 sculpin, 37 sheephead, 147 whitefish, 155 blue perch, 157 rockfish, 2 sole, 2 cabezon, 1 black seabass (released), 900 sand dabs.

LONG BEACH (Sportfishing/Berth 55)--82 anglers (3 boats): 100 mackerel, 100 calico bass, 16 sand bass, 608 rockfish, 114 sand dabs, 11 whitefish, 5 sheephead, 6 sculpin, 35 lingcod (released), 10 white croaker, 10 perch. (Marina Sportfishing)--59 anglers (2 boats): 215 rockfish, 23 sculpin, 157 rockcod, 1 cowcod, 12 red rockcod, 30 chili pepper, 5 red snapper. (Pierpoint Landing)--46 anglers (2 boats): 13 barracuda, 13 calico bass, 33 sand bass, 229 rockfish, 37 whitefish, 12 sculpin, 13 sheephead, 4 perch.

NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--32 anglers (1 boat): 2 calico bass, 118 sand bass, 19 sculpin, 1 whitefish. (Davey’s Locker)--68 anglers (3 boats): 128 sand bass, 8 white seabass, 9 calico bass, 31 sculpin, 1 rockfish.

DANA WHARF--76 anglers (2 boats): 12 calico bass, 26 sand bass, 39 mackerel, 4 sculpin, 7 sheephead.

OCEANSIDE (Helgren’s)--92 anglers (3 boats): 1 calico bass, 11 sand bass, 95 sculpin, 37 whitefish, 102 rockfish, 100 mackerel, 3 smooth-nose shark, 1 black seabass (released), 1 leopard shark (released).

SAN DIEGO (Seaforth)--97 anglers (4 boats): 31 bonito, 1 barracuda, 7 calico bass, 30 sand bass, 20 rockfish, 28 ocean whitefish, 6 sheephead, 49 sculpin, 2 halibut, 161 mackerel. (Islandia)--79 anglers (3 boats): 6 sand bass, 17 calico bass, 2 sheephead, 33 sculpin, 70 rockfish, 14 whitefish, 46 mackerel, 69 rockcod.

TROUT PLANTS

LOS ANGELES--Castaic Lagoon, El Dorado Park Lake, Elizabeth Lake, Legg Lake, Peck Lake, Puddingstone Lake, Pyramid Lake, Santa Fe Reservoir. RIVERSIDE--Diamond Valley Lake, Lake Perris. SANTA BARBARA--Lake Cachuma.

--Compiled by PETE THOMAS