FRESHWATER
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
CASTAIC LAKE--Trout fishing remains fair, but most are fishing for largemouth and striped bass. Neil Brown, Pasadena, 8-pound, 4-ounce largemouth on a spinnerbait. Steve Glogow, Valencia, with guide Pat Buckley, 8-pound bass on crawdad. Vito Rubino, Los Angeles, 17-pound striped bass on a Hopkins spoon.
PYRAMID LAKE--Most species are somewhat active. Trout are biting on red worms and Power Bait; smallmouth and largemouth bass on night crawlers and plastic worms, and striped bass on anchovies and swim-baits. An 18-pound striper tops the list.
VENTURA COUNTY
LAKE PIRU--Trout fishermen are doing OK trolling Needlefish and Rapalas, or soaking chartreuse Power Bait and inflated night crawlers. Top bass was a 6 1/2-pounder on a crawdad-pattern crankbait.
LAKE CASITAS--Trout remain very active and limits are not hard to come by. Ryan Scocia, Santa Paula, 5 1/2-pound trout on a Kastmaster. Top bass, a 12-8 by Duane Stiles, Oxnard, on a swim-bait. Top catfish, a 17-8 by Felix Arellano, Santa Paula, on mackerel at Wadleigh Arm.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
LAKE CACHUMA--Trout best bet and Power Bait fished at 20 feet is the best method. Several limits. Bass are sluggish, but a few are being caught on spinnerbaits. Some red-ear perch.
ORANGE COUNTY
LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--The trout have spread out some, but most limits are still coming from the middle of the lake. The midweek mini heat wave slowed things, but not much. Top bait: salmon roe. Top trout, a 10-pounder on an inflated night crawler.
IRVINE LAKE--Trout fishing is fair to good, with the West Shore producing most catches. Several limits and lots of fish weighed in at five pounds or more. The lake remains low and unsightly, but that will change next month with the delivery of 2 billion gallons in March.
SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--Top trout, a 14-7 by Jay Lamori, West Covina. Power Bait and light line have been the most productive method. Fishing is fair.
CORONA LAKE--The midweek heat wave shut down the trout bite for a couple of days, but fishing improved slightly Thursday. It’s now fair and at least one whopper is coming out daily.
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
LAKE SKINNER--No report.
LAKE PERRIS--Largemouth bass averaging three to four pounds are biting mostly on crawdads and waterdogs, but the bigger bass have gone on a fast. Crappie and bluegill action is slowly picking up and a few trout are being hooked.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY
SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--Bass action picked up dramatically at Lower Otay, where a 10-pounder took a plastic worm. Murray and Miramar are fair for trout. San Vicente is fair for mostly small bass.
LAKE POWAY--The lake is offering free classes on Saturdays at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., but you might do OK on your own as trout fishing is pretty good for fish to about four pounds. A youth derby is scheduled for Saturday. Details: (858) 679-5465.
LAKE CUYAMACA--Trout action is good and most baits and lures are working. Nothing big, but lots of limits. Fly-fishermen are getting theirs by using small black matukas.
SALTWATER
The Times accepts and publishes the catch count as a public service. Any responsibility for accuracy is that of the landing operator.
OXNARD (Cisco’s)--11 anglers (1 boat): 2 halibut, 7 sand dabs.
MARINA DEL REY--42 anglers (4 boats): 3 halibut, 250 sculpin, 2 sand bass, 1 sole.
REDONDO BEACH--29 anglers (3 boats): 46 sand bass, 87 sculpin, 2 halibut, 18 calico bass, 28 whitefish, 1 sheephead, 19 perch, 2 cabezon.
SAN PEDRO (22nd St. Landing)--12 anglers (1 boat): 860 sand dabs.
LONG BEACH (Sportfishing/Berth 55)--16 anglers (1 boat): 3 calico bass, 13 sand bass, 5 sheephead, 6 sculpin, 41 whitefish, 3 sole. (Marina Sportfishing)--8 anglers (1 boat): 3 sand bass, 37 whitefish, 2 sculpin, 1 sheephead, 4 perch, 10 sole. (Pierpoint Landing)--18 anglers (1 boat): 9 sand bass, 79 whitefish, 2 sculpin, 7 sheephead.
SEAL BEACH (Big Fish)--19 anglers (1 boat): 12 sand bass, 3 sculpin, 15 halibut (13 released).
NEWPORT BEACH (Davey’s Locker)--12 anglers (1 boat): 1 calico bass, 10 sand bass, 13 sculpin, 5 sheephead, 5 whitefish.
DANA WHARF--24 anglers (2 boats): 17 calico bass, 36 sand bass, 4 sheephead, 57 mackerel.
OCEANSIDE--31 anglers (3 boats): 6 calico bass, 38 sand bass, 10 halibut, 13 sculpin, 7 sheephead, 3 shovel-nosed sharks.
SAN DIEGO (H&M; Landing, Fisherman’s, Point Loma)--51 anglers (2 boats): 122 yellowtail, 4 rockfish, 2 whitefish, 40 sand bass, 36 sculpin, 3 calico bass. (Seaforth)--27 anglers (3 boats): 41 yellowtail, 1 calico bass, 15 sand bass, 4 sculpin, 1 halibut. (Islandia)--12 anglers (1 boat): 21 sculpin.
TROUT PLANTS
LOS ANGELES COUNTY--Big Rock Creek, Castaic Lake, Castaic Lagoon, Crystal Lake, Cuddy Creek Pond, Elizabeth Lake, Hansen Lake, Little Rock Reservoir, Piru Creek (Frenchman’s Flat), Pyramid Lake.
ORANGE--Carr Park Lake, Centennial Park Lake, Greer Park Lake, Huntington Park Lake, Mile Square Park Lake, Ralph Clark Park Lake, Tri-City Park Lake.
RIVERSIDE--Cahuilla Park Lake, Evans Lake, Rancho Jurupa Park Lake.
SAN BERNARDINO--Seccombe Park Lake, Yucaipa Park Lake.
VENTURA--Lake Casitas, Lake Piru, Reyes Creek, Rose Valley Lake.
SAN LUIS OBISPO--Atascadero Lake, Lopez Lake, Santa Margarita Lake.
SANTA BARBARA--Santa Ynez River.
--Compiled by Pete Thomas
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