FRESHWATER

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

CASTAIC LAKE--Striped bass are biting sporadically. Atop the list is a 20-pounder by Bill McGinley, Castaic, who used a swim bait. Greg Haigwood, Sunland, caught a 13-pound largemouth bass on a Stocker trout. Trout are biting in both lakes.

PYRAMID LAKE--A few large striped bass are being caught, but an actual bite is slow to get going. Trout are biting, though, and worms, small spinners and Power Bait are getting their attention. A 9-pound 7-ounce striper and a 10-12 catfish share big-fish honors.

VENTURA COUNTY

LAKE CASITAS--Trout to five pounds have been weighed in, and several limits of pan-sized fish have been logged, so fishing is pretty good on standard baits. Bass and catfish action remains slow.

LAKE PIRU--Trout limits were the rule earlier this week, but the bite has dropped off. Yellow Power Bait and Kastmasters were the ticket. Bass fishermen are catching an occasional small fish using night crawlers and plastic worms.

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY

LAKE CACHUMA--Trout action has improved and those trolling silver Thomas Buoyants or soaking night crawlers or Power Bait are getting limits or near-limits after a few hours of fishing. Other species are slow.

ORANGE COUNTY

LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--A lake-record 15-pound trout was caught by Tim Arnold, Norwalk, on Power Bait. The catch highlighted an excellent week of fishing, especially for those in boats in the middle of the lake. More than 60 trout in the four- to five-pound range were caught since last weekend.

IRVINE LAKE--Use light tackle (two- to four-pound test line) to increase your chances. A 17-4 fish tops the list, but many weighed in at 10 pounds or more during the week. Power Bait and Mepps spinners produced the best catches.

SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--A 15-8 trout by Moses Vasques, Corona, tops the list. He used green Power Bait. Most of the big fish were caught on Power Bait. Overall, fishing is OK for mostly smaller fish.

RIVERSIDE COUNTY

LAKE SKINNER--The striped bass bite has been up and down, but they are being caught daily on live shad. Largemouth bass are also after shad and averaging about three pounds. A Temecula angler took 20 bluegills on mealworms.

CORONA LAKE--Trout to 14-9 were caught this past week, but you have to be lucky to catch one close to this size. You also have to be pretty lucky to catch a limit, but some are doing so with night crawlers and Power Bait.

LAKE PERRIS--Tom Urmin, Murrieta, caught a 6 1/2-pound largemouth bass on a water dog. The average size, however, is one to three pounds. Crawdads are working best. Trout fishing was great Tuesday but has subsided. You can still catch a few on Power Bait.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY

SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--The trout bite at Murray is on again, with fish to four pounds biting on night crawlers and Power Bait. Miramar is not quite as good, but a few limits are being logged. A 10-5 bass was caught at San Vicente, but the bite is slow.

LAKE CUYAMACA--The best fishing is in the middle of the day. The trout become active about noon, but getting them to bite is not easy. Inflated night crawlers and brightly colored Rapalas are getting the most.

EASTERN SIERRA COUNTY

The Owens River is still producing for fly- and bait-fishermen using caddis patterns and crickets. The Lower Owens drift-boat anglers are still scoring double-digit catches. The gorge is good for those who can find the deeper pools, and Pleasant Valley Reservoir is good at the dam on standard baits and for fly fishermen using nymphs below the Power House.

SALTWATER

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

SANTA BARBARA (Hornet’s Landing)--4 anglers (1 boat): 1 calico bass, 3 sand bass, 2 sculpin, 5 ocean whitefish, 11 red snapper (released), 6 rockfish (released).

OXNARD (Cisco’s)--17 anglers (1 boat): 10 whitefish, 8 sheephead, 2 halibut, 1 calico bass.

MARINA DEL REY--41 anglers (4 boats): 13 halibut, 41 sand bass, 128 sculpin.

REDONDO BEACH--20 anglers (2 boats): 24 sand bass, 60 sculpin, 1 calico bass, 3 halibut, 2 whitefish.

SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--22 anglers (1 boat): 8 halibut, 13 sand bass, 6 sculpin. (22nd St. Landing)--7 anglers (1 boat): 75 white seabass (released), 8 calico bass, 1 halibut, 14 sand bass, 9 sculpin.

LONG BEACH (Sportfishing/Berth 55)--17 anglers (2 boats): 2 calico bass, 38 sand bass, 24 sheephead, 18 sculpin, 29 whitefish, 4 halibut. (Marina Sportfishing)--18 anglers (1 boat): 3 sand bass, 58 sculpin, 5 halibut, 48 halibut (released).

SEAL BEACH (Big Fish)--34 anglers (1 boat): 15 sculpin, 16 sand bass, 17 halibut, 68 halibut (released).

NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--9 anglers (1 boat): 4 sand bass, 2 sculpin, 6 sheephead, 28 whitefish, 5 blacksmith perch, 4 black croaker. (Davey’s Locker)--6 anglers (1 boat): 2 calico bass, 10 whitefish, 2 blue perch, 25 mackerel.

DANA WHARF--36 anglers (2 boats): 14 sand bass, 35 halibut, 1 sculpin.

OCEANSIDE (Helgren’s)--42 anglers (3 boats): 12 sand bass, 18 halibut, 38 halibut (released), 7 sculpin.

SAN DIEGO (Seaforth)--50 anglers (3 boats): 38 yellowtail, 11 barracuda, 3 sand bass, 5 sculpin, 1 halibut. (Islandia)-- 10 anglers (2 boats): 2 whitefish, 4 barracuda, 1 halibut, 5 sand bass, 11 sculpin.

TROUT PLANTS

LOS ANGELES COUNTY--Alondra Park Lake, Belvedere Park Lake, Cerritos Park Lake, Crystal Lake, Downey Wilderness Park Lake, Echo Park Lake, El Dorado Park Lake, Hollenbeck Park Lake, La Mirada Park Lake, Legg Lake, Lincoln Park Lake, Magic Johnson Park Lake, Peck Road Park Lake, Puddingstone Reservoir, Santa Fe Reservoir, San Gabriel Reservoir (East, North and West forks). RIVERSIDE--Lake Perris. SAN DIEGO--Chollas Lake, Doane Pond, Lindo Lake, Morena Lake, Lake Murray. IMPERIAL--Sunbeam Lake, Weist Lake.

--Compiled by PETE THOMAS