FISH REPORT
FRESHWATER
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
CASTAIC: There was a pretty good flurry on stripers last week after a plant Thursday. Bernie and Bill Siemantel, both Sylmar, caught four stripers totaling 70 pounds on Castaic Soft Bait trout.
PYRAMID: Continued fair to good trout action with the best bite on Power Bait and red worms. Most of the fish are averaging about a pound or a little better. The bass action is good on nightcrawlers and plastics on the points and in the coves.
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
PRADO: Good trout action, and there were some good catches on catfish too. Top trout was a 5-4 caught by Raul Esparza, Chino, on Power Bait just east of the snack bar. Phil Wilson, Mira Loma, caught a 13-4 catfish fishing mackerel in Basin One.
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
PERRIS: The bass bite is fair on plastics and live bait for smaller fish, and the larger swim baits and trout-like cranks for the bigger bass. CORONA LAKE: The rainbow trout bite has continued very good with at least a dozen trout topping the 10-pound mark. The best was a 14-pound bruiser that won $50 for angler Kaio Leipau, Murrieta, as the big fish of the day in the ongoing big fish derby which concludes Sunday. Corona is being stocked twice a week with trout (Monday and Friday), and catfish are stocked once a week on Fridays.
SKINNER: The largemouth bass bite is the best bet this week with a pretty good bite, especially on live shad, nightcrawlers, and small plastics. The fish are showing on the points and off the tule beds. The crappie bite has improved and a few real quality fish have been caught. John Larson, Murrieta, caught a 2-8 crappie on live shad at the marina point.
ORANGE COUNTY
SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES: The Santa Ana River Lakes Easy Money 2000 big fish event is starting to frustrate some anglers. Why? Because in the past week, there was only one day when the daily $50 winner caught a trout that weighed less than 12 pounds. To place in the top three for daily prizes, it took at least a 10.5-pound rainbow. A 15.5-pound rainbow caught by Nancy O’Sullivan, Long Beach, was the biggest trout of the past week. The best bite has been early in the morning and late in the afternoon, with La Palma Point and Chris’ Pond the hotspots. While the various colors of Power Bait or inflated nightcrawlers have been the best bets, quite a few fish are showing for trollers working Roostertails and Kastmasters.
LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE: Good to excellent trout action after a 5,000-pound plant last week, including 2,000 pounds of four- to eight-pound fish. The rainbows are showing all over the lake. Mid-lake anglers and those fishing the flats next to the concession building have really been hammering the fish.
OSO RESERVOIR: Continued fair to good action on largemouth bass in deeper water with a lot of 2-0 to 4-0 class fish and some bigger each week.
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
CACHUMA: Good to excellent trout action in spite of the weather. There was a double plant, DFG and Mt. Lassen fish, last week and a similar double plant three weeks ago. The east end, Cachuma Bay, and behind the island are the hot spots with the best bite on Power Bait. Shore anglers also getting fish in Harvey’s Cove.
VENTURA COUNTY
CASITAS: The trout bite has continued fair to good after a double plant last week by DFG and Mt. Lassen. There was also a double plant three weeks ago. Top trout was a 5-8 caught by Ryan Scocia, Santa Paula, on a Kastmaster from shore.
PIRU: The trout bite remains very good from shore for anglers fishing yellow Power Bait in the snack bar and marina area. Kastmaster also a good bet.
SAN DIEGO COUNTY
LOWER OTAY: The lake opened Wednesday this week with a good bass bite. Lots of fish already moving shallow and showing on plastics. Top fish weighed in was a 9-0 caught by Dwayne Oswalt, Spring Valley, on a plastic. UPPER OTAY: The lake opened Wednesday this week with a pretty good bite on the trout and a few bass were reported.
SAN VICENTE: Good bass fishing, fair trout action and a poor catfish bite.
SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES: Good trout fishing but just fair bass and catfish action at Murray. Fair bass and trout action this week at Miramar.
EASTERN SIERRA
Pleasant Valley Reservoir is fair to good at the upper end where the river enters the lake, but this part of the lake is sometimes pretty crowded. Slow trout action in the Owens below Tinnemaha. Diaz Lake slow. Haiwee Reservoir slow.
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)--41 anglers (2 boats): 4 halibut, 1 sole, 1 sand dabs.
MARINA DEL REY--36 anglers (4 boats): 9 halibut, 140 sculpin, 5 sole, 7 sand bass.
REDONDO BEACH--9 anglers (2 boats): 32 sculpin, 25 whitefish, 1 halibut.
SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--18 anglers (1 boat): 3 halibut, 3 sculpin, 5 sand bass, 1 black seabass (released). (22nd St. Landing)--11 anglers (1 boat): 873 sand dabs, 1 sculpin, 5 sole.
LONG BEACH (Sportfishing/Berth 55)--11 anglers (1 boat): 1 calico bass, 3 sand bass, 46 sheephead, 10 sculpin, 28 whitefish. (Pierpoint Landing)--17 anglers (1 boat): 62 sheephead, 23 whitefish, 14 sculpin, 7 perch.
SEAL BEACH (Big Fish)--8 anglers (1 boat): 18 sand bass, 5 sculpin, 7 halibut, 6 halibut (released).
NEWPORT BEACH (Davey’s Locker)--23 anglers (1 boat): 5 sand bass, 20 sculpin, 3 sheephead.
DANA WHARF--53 anglers (2 boats): 11 sand bass, 14 halibut.
OCEANSIDE (Helgren’s)--43 anglers (3 boats): 9 halibut, 43 sand bass, 49 sculpin.
SAN DIEGO (H&M; Landing, Fisherman’s, Point Loma)--29 anglers (2 boats): 37 yellowtail, 25 rockfish, 23 sculpin, 22 sand bass, 1 bonito. (Seaforth)--41 anglers (2 boats): 4 sand bass, 37 whitefish, 55 sculpin. (Islandia)--11 anglers (1 boat): 28 whitefish, 1 sand bass, 2 sheephead, 7 sculpin.
TROUT PLANTS
LOS ANGELES: Alondra Lake, Belvedere Lake, Cerritos Lake, Crystal Lake, Downey Wilderness Park Lake, Echo Park Lake, El Dorado Park Lake, Hollenbeck Lake, La Mirada Lake, Legg Lake, Lincoln Park Lake, Magic Johnson Park Lake, Peck Road Park Lake, Puddingstone Lake, San Gabriel River (East, West and North forks), Santa Fe Reservoir.
SAN BERNARDINO: Mojave Narrows Park Lake.
Compiled by Jim Matthews, Outdoor News Service.
