FRESHWATER

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

CASTAIC LAKE--Largemouth bite is very good on jerk baits, cranks, live shad, spinnerbaits or plastic worms. There were several nice largemouths over five pounds with the top one a 12-0 caught by Duane Crenshaw on a soft jerk bait. Striped bass are fair to good with the best action coming on sardines and anchovies. Many striper in the 10-0 to 20-0 range with most being caught by trollers in 40 to 50 feet of water. Trout and catfish action is slow. Some bluegill also are being caught on meal worms and red worms.

ORANGE COUNTY

ANAHEIM LAKE--The catfish bite has remained very good, with most anglers getting limits of channels averaging from 1-8 to 2-8 all around the lake, and there is an exceptional bite from boats. The biggest fish this past week was a 9.4-pounder caught by Nguyen Cao, Stanton, while fishing with shrimp at the Bubble Hole. Nice limits reported at the store included Joe Kottke, Santa Ana, who fished on a 24-hour pass last weekend and landed 15 catfish that weighed in at 26.6 pounds fishing mackerel off the west bank.

IRVINE LAKE--The catfish bite continues to be good with generally good action along the west shore, on the flats, and off Trout Island. The dam area also has been good. Cut baits and the marshmallow-and-meal worm combination have all been good. Most of the cats are from 1-0 to 2-0; the top cat this week weighed 5.75 pounds and was caught by Jack Ellis, Huntington Beach, on mackerel. The trout bite has slowed but some are still being caught in the deeper water. The largemouth bass bite is good on plastics and cranks, with a good topwater bait early and late in the day. Some crappie are showing on small jigs and spinners.

LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--Excellent catfish bite for shore and boat anglers. Afternoon and evening fishing has produced the most fish. Mackerel, shrimp and marshmallow-meal worm are best. Gordon Williamson, Long Beach, caught the top cat at 21.04 pounds. He was fishing with fresh barracuda at the dam. Lots of limits on cats with most in the 2-0 to 3-0 range, and several topping the 10-0 mark. Bass are fair with the best bite on nightcrawlers in the sunken trees or Buzz Baits at dusk. The topwater action is good for bass in the morning.

OSO RESERVOIR--The strong bass bite continues with many anglers scoring excellent catches of largemouth bass. The bulk of the catch are school-size bass weighing in the 2-0 to 3-0 range. The largest bass of the season weighed 12-8 and was landed by Jason Gruner, Newport Beach, to top a catch of 80 bass. The big fish was taken on a 12-inch Berkley Power worm off a south shore line point. Fly fisherman George Patterson, North Hollywood, caught 35 bass to 3-0 float tubing and fishing surface poppers and leech patterns. Catfish are active along the face of the dam in the middle of the aeration system with fish to 10-0 reported on Berkley Power Chow in the evening.

RIVERSIDE COUNTY

LAKE PERRIS--The bass bite has continued well, but there are many small fish showing. The bite is best on live bait, but anglers are getting fish on a wide variety of artificials. John Hose, Corona, caught bass at 6-2 and 6-6 on waterdogs off Bernasconi. Trout to 3-0 have been reported for trollers working off Sail Cove and along the face of the dam with Needlefish, or similar shad-like lures, fished behind six to 12 colors of leadcore line.

LAKE ELSINORE--Good to excellent action on catfish, crappie and carp. The bluegill bite also is pretty good, but most of the fish are small. Only a few bass showing. Some of the catches reported this week: Mike and Joe Jones, both El Segundo, caught 20 crappie with a total weight of 40 pounds. Jack Barr, Downey, landed seven catfish that weighed 22 pounds total.

CORONA LAKE--The excellent catfish action continues with many limits of 1-0 to 3-0 class fish showing on cut baits in the flooded trees. There also has been some decent action on the newly released tilapia. Crappie also are still showing in a pretty fair bite in the shallow trees. Top catfish limit this week was a five-fish stringer that weighed in at 21.3 pounds caught by Travis Foster, Rancho Dominguez.

LAKE SKINNER--The largemouth and catfish bites are both good and the striper action is just a notch behind with fair action. The bass bite is best on plastics and nightcrawlers off the points, especially along the south shore. Alex Osuna, Temecula, landed a 9-8 bass on a purple plastic and released the fish. Test Mathieson, Temecula, caught and released an 8-12 largemouth on a nightcrawler. The catfish are biting chicken liver or nightcrawlers at the dam and inlet or deep drop-offs along the south shore.

SALTON SEA--The corvina bite remains good to excellent and it hasn’t been too hot this week. The corvina are showing all over the sea for boat anglers, but shore fishing is best on the west side from the Avenues down to Salton City and on the east side from the state park North Shore jetty south to Bombay Beach. Mudsuckers, Krocodiles, and Hopkins spoons have been the best bets, but plastic swim baits also are still good.

SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY

SILVERWOOD LAKE--Some decent bass action on fish to 5-0. Nightcrawlers, plastics and jigs have been the best bet, with most of the fish on the points in deeper water. A few smaller crappie are showing on small jigs around the docks being constructed and around other structure in the lake. Catfish are fair at the dam and coves adjacent to the dam for anglers fishing in the evening and after dark.

BIG BEAR LAKE--The trout action was mostly slow to fair this week. A few fish are showing off Gray’s Dock and the Rock Wall for shoreline anglers. Trollers are seeing fish over much of the lake, from the Observatory to the dam. Top trout was a 7-8 caught by Angel Gonzales, Colton, on a nightcrawler from shore. The bass bite has continued to be fair.

LAKE GREGORY--Still fair trout action after a DFG plant two weeks ago, but bite is off from a couple weeks ago. The best action has been on trolled Needlefish, Power Bait, Trout Teaser jigs or other small spinners and spoons. There also is a decent bite on small crappie, and a few catfish, redear sunfish and bullheads are showing.

GREEN VALLEY LAKE--Continued good trout action with many limits being reported.

HESPERIA LAKE--Good catfish action with limits common. The most effective bait has been mackerel. The most productive spot is the north shore.

JESS RANCH LAKES--Good catfish bite this week with fish to 6-0. Bluegill bite is slow. Trout bite is fair, with rainbow Power Bait being most productive for trout.

CUCAMONGA-GUASTI--Good catfish action this week with the best action in the large lake.

GREEN MOUNTAIN RANCH--Excellent trout action. Joe Cole, Lytle Creek, caught seven trout that weighed 12-0 total.

SAN DIEGO COUNTY

SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--Fair fishing at Hodges for bass and crappie with a good catfish bite. Fair bass action at El Capitan with good fishing for bluegill, crappie and catfish. At San Vicente, excellent fishing for bass and bluegill.

LAKE CUYAMACA--Excellent fishing this week with bass, trout, crappie and catfish all being caught in numbers. There were many limits of small trout and crappie. The top trout was a 5-7 rainbow caught by Nicholas Benedict, Chula Vista, on a Roostertail at the buoy line.

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY

LAKE CACHUMA--The trout bite remains fair to good, especially for trollers fishing the dam area and the deeper water of Cachuma Bay. Most trollers are working four to six colors of leadcore with Needlefish or flashers and a nightcrawler. Some bait fish for still fishermen drifting baits in deep water. Most are pan-sized, but some to 3-0. Bass still in a good bite early in the morning on topwater, plastics, crawdads and nightcrawlers on 2-0 to 3-0.

VENTURA COUNTY

LAKE PIRU--Trout fishing is good, with trolling being most effective in the deeper water with bikini Needlefish or Rapalas. Santa Felicia Cove has been a hot spot for trout in the morning and evenings. Bass action is fair with nightcrawlers and plastic worms most productive. The crappie and redear can be caught using redworms or mealworms.

LAKE CASITAS--The bass action has remained good, with many small fish being caught, although there was a 14-2 caught recently by Mike Hollebrands, Oakview, on a 12-inch plastic. The best bite has been on drop-shotted plastics, crawdads, crawlers with some surface fish. Catfish have been off and on good, and all of the fish seem to be hovering around the 10-8 to 11-8 range showing off the Coyote Creek and Deep Cat area on live crawdads. The trout action has been good for deep trollers fishing the Wadleigh, east shoreline, and now the dam with six to seven colors of leadcore and Needlefish. Tom Stallings, Ojai, caught a limit of trout with a 3-12 top fish.

EASTERN SIERRA

BRIDGEPORT AREA--Bridgeport Reservoir is good in spite of heavy weed growth. The fish are showing at Sandy Point, Rainbow Point and in the Buckeye Channel in a bait-only bite. The average fish is about 2-0, with an occasional bigger fish. East Walker River still hot. The water is off-color, but it has not hurt the nymphing, and there has been some dry fly action. The West Walker is now good and flows are very fishable. Virginia Lakes all good with some Alpers’ rainbows, especially for the float tubers fishing streamers.

JUNE LAKE LOOP--Good action throughout on mostly small fish, but a few Alpers’ fish to 6-0. Silver Lake has been hot for fly anglers fishing from tubes. June and Gull are both good for trollers or anglers still fishing with Power Bait. Grant Lake is a sleeper with a good evening bite on dry flies fished behind a float. Parker and Walker lakes are providing good action for anglers who walk in.

MAMMOTH AREA--Crowley Lake has been outstanding for fly anglers and fair for the trollers and bait fishermen. A good midge hatch starts about 9 a.m. and provides action until the wind picks up. Quite a few fish also showing on streamer patterns. Top spots have been McGee Bay and Alligator Point, but fish are showing in most protected areas. The key has been finding a spot not choked by the algae bloom. Perch action is spotty. Convict Lake is good to excellent with many nice rainbows. Top fish this week was a 6.07-pounder caught by Kathy Call, Los Angeles, on a nightcrawler.

BISHOP AREA--Generally good to excellent action throughout the drainage with plants in most of the lakes and streams each week. Most lakes are now full and runoff is subsiding. Sabrina, Intake II and South Lake have been particularly good with many limits. Top trout from the creek was a 6-14 taken by Kaz Yamashita, Pacoima, on a Roostertail. Reese Sayler, 11, San Luis Obispo, caught a 6-2. Water level in the lower Owens is very high, making it tough to fish. The Owens River Gorge is good with many browns from eight to 16 inches on weighted nymphs, but the weather has been hot and the snakes are out.

SALT WATER

MORRO BAY (Virg’s Landing)--21 anglers (1 boat): 2 ling cod, 50 red rock cod, 50 rock cod, 110 rockfish, 2 goldeneye.

SANTA BARBARA (Sea Landing)--27 anglers (2 boats): 53 calico bass, 144 sand bass, 1 white sea bass, 1 sculpin, 60 mackeral, 13 barracuda.

OXNARD (Cisco’s)--168 anglers (8 boats): 317 barracuda, 2 white sea bass, 214 calico bass, 1 halibut, 181 rockfish, 80 sculpin, 3 sheephead , 40 white fish.

PORT HUENEME--54 anglers (4 boats): 13 white sea bass, 39 calico bass, 4 sheephead, 50 barracuda, 13 halibut, 30 rockfish, 33 sand bass, 115 whitefish, 7 cabezon, 6 sole.

MARINA DEL REY--204 anglers (7 boats): 1 white sea bass, 6 halibut, 526 barracuda, 690 sand bass, 101 calico bass.

REDONDO BEACH--89 anglers (5 boats): 70 calico bass, 695 sand bass, 462 barracuda, 1 halibut, 2 sheephead.

SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--132 anglers (4 boats): 1059 sand bass, 106 barracuda. (22nd St. Landing)--179 anglers (6 boats): 60 calico bass, 1329 sand bass, 119 baracuda, 5 halibut, 1 blue perch, 2 sole.

LONG BEACH (Sportfishing/Berth 55)--117 anglers (5 boats): 2 yellowtail, 160 calico bass, 920 sand bass, 123 baracuda, 8 sculpin, 40 blue perch. (Marina Sportfishing)--171 anglers (4 boats): 69 barracuda, 1451 sand bass, 7 sculpin, 1 halibut. (Belmont Pier)--14 anglers (1 boat): 12 barracuda, 140 sand bass. (Pierpoint Landing)--133 anglers (5 boats): 147 barracuda, 1037 sand bass.

SEAL BEACH (Big Fish)--31 anglers (2 boats): 1 white sea bass, 30 calico bass, 32 barracuda, 238 sand bass.

NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--106 anglers (4 boats): 59 barracuda, 595 sand bass, 3 sculpin. (Davey’s Locker)--237 anglers (6 boats): 1058 sand bass, 54 barracuda, 55 calico bass, 10 sculpin, 10 sole.

DANA WHARF--272 anglers (11 boats): 990 sand bass, 11 calico bass, 19 barracuda, 27 albacore, 1 yellowtail, 1 halibut, 5 whitefish, 13 sculpin, 3 sheephead, 47 mackeral.

OCEANSIDE (Helgren’s)--171 anglers (6 boats): 135 albacore, 18 yellowtail, 30 white sea bass, 107 barracuda, 14 calico bass, 369 sand bass, 9 halibut, 22 sculpin, 36 mackeral.

SAN DIEGO (H&M; Landing, Fisherman’s, Point Loma)--227 anglers (22 boats): 191 albacore, 23 bluefin tuna, 219 yellowtail, 1 durado. (Seaforth)--325 anglers (11 boats): 40 albacore, 83 yellowtail, 358 barracuda, 139 calico bass. (Islandia)--80 anglers (4 boats): 265 barracuda, 7 yellowtail, 109 kelp bass, 1 rockfish.

TROUT PLANTS

LOS ANGELES COUNTY--Jackson Lake. SAN BERNARDINO--Arrowbear Lake, Green Valley Lake, Jenks Lake, Santa Ana River, Santa Ana River (South Fork). SAN DIEGO--Doane Pond, San Luis Rey Creek. INYO--Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek (Lower, Middle, North, South forks and Intake II), Cottonwood Creek, Independence Creek, Georges Creek, Goodale Creek, Lake Sabrina, Lone Pine Creek, North Lake, Owens River (below Tinnemaha), hepards Creek, South Lake, Taboose Creek, Tinnemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek. MONO--Buckeye Creek, Convict Creek, Ellery Lake,, Green Creek, Lee Vining Creek, Lee Vining Creek (South Fork), Little Walker River, Lundy Lake, Mammoth Creek, McGee Creek, Mill Creek, Owens River (Benton Crossing), Rush Creek, Swauger Creek, Tioga Lake, Trumble Lake, Virginia Creek, Virginia Lakes, Walker River (Chris Flat campground to town of Walker and Leavitt Meadows Campground to Sonora bridge).

--Compiled by JIM MATTHEWS, Outdoor News Service

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* OUTDOORS WRITER PETE THOMAS IS TAKING THE WEEK OFF