FISH REPORT
FRESHWATER
Los Angeles County
CASTAIC LAKE--Bass are preferring live baits, but a 10-pound 1-ounce largemouth was caught on a plastic worm. The bite is fair to good. An 18-5 striped bass was caught on a swimbait. Stripers and trout are biting sporadically.
PYRAMID LAKE--Largemouth bass up to four pounds are active, striking top-water lures early and late. Catfish are biting in the marina and bluegills are taking mealworms and red worms in the shallows.
Ventura County
LAKE CASITAS--Top bass was a 13 1/2 pounder caught on a buzz bait. Bass fishing is slow to fair, plastic worms getting most. Trout fishing is good for trollers fishing 25-30 feet. Trolling Needlefish and drifting with night crawlers are good methods. Top catfish was a 19-pounder caught on a night crawler. Red-ear perch are biting on night crawler pieces north of the big island off points.
LAKE PIRU--Largemouth bass are being caught on crankbaits, spinnerbaits, night crawlers and plastic worms. The bite is fair. Trout are holding at about 25 feet and biting mainly at the dam and east end.
Santa Barbara County
LAKE CACHUMA--Trout are the most active, biting near the surface early and moving deeper during the day. Needlefish lures are best. Bass action is fair at the drop-offs, with dark-colored plastic worms and crawdad-pattern crankbaits.
Orange County
IRVINE LAKE--Catfish averaging two-five pounds are providing the most action. The bite is good. Trout are still being caught along the red clay cliffs and largemouth bass are striking drop-shotted plastic worms fished near structure.
LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--Catfish and largemouth bass are active, the bass early on crankbaits, plastic worms and even spinnerbaits, and the catfish on mackerel.
SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--Catfish action is good for fish averaging two-six pounds, with a few topping 10. Mackerel and night crawler-marshmallow combos are best. Some trout.
San Bernardino County
BIG BEAR LAKE--An 8-pound 12-ounce trout caught on a Rapala tops the list. Trout action is fair to good, but catfish, smallmouth and largemouth bass are showing on the hooks as well. A 7-8 largemouth was caught on an unspecified lure.
GREEN VALLEY LAKE--Trout are cooperating for most and especially for those using chartreuse-glitter Power Bait. The early bite is best.
Riverside County
CORONA LAKE--A 22-pound catfish tops the list. Mackerel fished in the trees at night working best.
LAKE PERRIS--Bass and bluegills are fairly active. A 9-4 bass, caught on an oxblood plastic worm by Danie MacDonald, La Verne, tops the list. Trout are being caught sporadically by trollers fishing 20 feet or deeper at the dam.
LAKE SKINNER--Striped bass have become active at the inlet and dam, and anglers have been catching them on swimbaits, plugs and chicken livers. Several were weighed at about 10 pounds. Largemouth bass action is fair to good on lures and bait. Catfish and bluegills are in the mix too.
San Diego County
LAKE CUYAMACA--Trout action is slow to fair early, dead during the day. An 8-8 bass was caught on Pop-R lure at MacGregor Cove. The bass are moving deeper and catfish can be found on the bottom. Crappie action is fair at times.
DIXON LAKE--Trout fishing is fair in deep water for those using night crawlers and Power Bait. Catfish action is slightly better and the first big plant of the season is Wednesday, when night fishing begins.
LAKE POWAY--Bass to about seven pounds are biting, mainly on plastic worms. The bite is fair at best. Night fishing for catfish begins today and the lake’s night hours, on Fridays and Saturdays only, will be 4-11:30 p.m.
SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--The bluegill bite at Lower Otay is in full swing. The reservoir will be closed to boaters on Saturday and Sunday, however, because of U.S. national rowing team trials. Bass and bluegills are biting at San Vicente.
Eastern Sierra
BISHOP AREA--A 6-11 rainbow caught on a Trout Trap at South Lake tops the list. Fishing is fair to good throughout Bishop Creek Canyon. The Owens River is rated fair when the winds aren’t blowing. They’ve been blowing hard for much of the week. High flows have not helped.
MAMMOTH LAKES AREA--Crowley Lake anglers have had to deal with high winds, which have further scattered the trout. Chironomid flies are getting some, as are trolled Needlefish lures. Fishing is fair at best. The basin lakes are ice free and fairly productive. Lake Mary has yielded lots of big Alpers rainbows. The road to San Joaquin River has finally opened.
JUNE LAKE LOOP--Fishing has slowed some at the Loop lakes, but it’s still fair to good early on standard baits and lures. June Lake is reporting steady limits for those fishing the reeds. Rush Creek is fair for fly fishermen using parachute Adams flies, which are fooling small wild browns.
BRIDGEPORT AREA--Fishing at Bridgeport Reservoir has improved and fish to about five pounds are biting best on inflated night crawlers and Power Bait. Twin Lakes are yielding mostly pan-size rainbow trout and standard baits and lures are all working. A 4-9 rainbow was caught on Power Bait at Lower Twin. Robinson Creek is a fair producer for lures and bait. The East Walker River is very productive for fly fishermen using San Juan Worms and midges. More caddis activity has helped too. The shores have been crowded though, so timing is key. The West Walker River is running high, making wading tough. Fishing is fair to good, though.
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)--5 anglers (1 boat): 40 rockcod, 10 rockfish, 1 rock sole.
SANTA BARBARA (Sea Landing)--14 anglers (1 boat): 2 barracuda, 35 calico bass, 22 mackerel, 29 rockfish, 1 sand bass.
OXNARD (Cisco’s)--111 anglers (6 boats): 53 barracuda, 85 blue perch, 331 calico bass, 3 halibut, 5 lingcod, 30 red snapper, 90 rockcod, 254 rockfish, 1 sculpin, 18 sheephead, 177 whitefish, 10 white seabass, 5 opaleye.
PORT HUENEME--41 anglers (3 boats): 137 calico bass, 3 sheephead, 3 barracuda, 117 rockfish, 66 sand bass, 21 whitefish, 2 lingcod, 1 silver salmon (released).
MARINA DEL REY--101 anglers (5 boats): 8 white seabass, 200 calico bass, 10 halibut, 52 sand bass, 60 rockfish, 3 sculpin.
SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--97 anglers (4 boats): 10 yellowtail, 2 white seabass, 296 calico bass, 248 barracuda, 32 bonito, 31 sargo, 21 rockfish, 3 sculpin, 2 sand bass. (22nd St. Landing)--91 anglers (6 boats): 14 yellowtail, 1 white seabass, 336 calico bass, 4 sand bass, 380 barracuda, 200 sculpin, 1 sheephead, 3 whitefish, 2 blue perch, 37 rockfish, 1 cabezon, 1 lingcod, 25 bonito.
LONG BEACH (Sportfishing/Berth 55)--57 anglers (2 boats): 4 yellowtail, 1 white seabass, 117 barracuda, 177 calico bass, 8 sand bass, 12 sheephead, 1 sculpin, 13 blue perch. (Marina Sportfishing)--57 anglers (3 boats): 167 barracuda, 312 calico bass, 105 sand bass, 3 rockfish, 7 sheephead. (Pierpoint Landing)--61 anglers (4 boats): 1 yellowtail, 11 white seabass, 115 barracuda, 274 calico bass, 87 sand bass, 3 rockfish.
SEAL BEACH (Big Fish)--27 anglers (2 boats): 16 barracuda, 156 calico bass, 43 sand bass, 2 halibut, 2 cabezon.
NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--81 anglers (5 boats): 1 yellowtail, 81 barracuda, 189 calico bass, 93 sand bass, 3 halibut, 5 rockfish, 21 sculpin, 4 sheephead, 2 black seabass (released). (Davey’s Locker)--113 anglers (6 boats): 12 yellowtail, 208 calico bass, 186 barracuda, 116 sand bass, 6 bonito, 28 rockfish, 10 sheephead, 1 sculpin.
DANA WHARF--109 anglers (5 boats): 1 albacore, 9 yellowtail, 129 barracuda, 185 calico bass, 77 sand bass, 56 mackerel, 5 halibut, 5 rockfish, 1 sculpin, 4 sheephead.
OCEANSIDE (Helgren’s)--77 anglers (5 boats): 18 albacore, 3 yellowtail, 2 white seabass, 432 barracuda, 5 sand bass.
SAN DIEGO (H&M; Landing, Fisherman’s, Point Loma)--81 anglers (5 boats): 164 albacore, 161 yellowtail, 48 bonito. (Seaforth)--173 anglers (7 boats): 59 albacore, 1 white seabass, 155 yellowtail, 82 barracuda, 455 kelp bass, 47 sand bass, 44 rockfish, 2 sheephead, 41 sculpin. (Islandia)--63 anglers (3 boats): 1 yellowtail, 75 barracuda, 169 calico bass, 24 sand bass, 8 whitefish, 8 sculpin, 1 sheephead, 9 rockfish.
TROUT PLANTS
LOS ANGELES COUNTY--Jackson Lake and San Gabriel River (East and West forks). ORANGE--Trabuco Creek. SAN BERNARDINO--Big Bear Lake, Cucamonga Creek, Jenks Lake, Lytle Creek (Middle Fork), Miller Canyon Creek, Mojave Narrows Park Lake, Santa Ana River, Santa Ana River (South Fork). SAN DIEGO--Cuyamaca Lake and San Luis Rey Creek. VENTURA--Lake Casitas, Lake Piru, Reyes Creek, Rose Valley Lake. SANTA BARBARA--Lake Cachuma and Santa Ynez River. SAN LUIS OBISPO--Lopez Lake and Santa Margarita Lake. INYO--Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek (Lower, Middle, North, South forks and Intake II), Cottonwood Creek, Georges Creek, Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lake Sabrina, Lone Pine Creek, North Lake, Owens River (Laws Bridge downstream to Steward Lane and below Tinnemaha), Pine Creek, Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Rock Creek (Rock Creek Lake to the end of the road), Rock Creek Lake, Shepards Creek, South Lake, Taboose Creek, Tinnemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek. MONO--Convict Creek, Convict Lake, Deadman Creek, George Lake, Glass Creek, Grant Lake, Green Creek, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lake Mary, Lee Vining Creek, Lee Vining Creek (South Fork), Little Walker Lake, Little Walker River, Mamie Lake, Mammoth Creek, McGee Creek, Owens River (Benton Crossing), Robinson Creek, Rock Creek (Paradise Camp to Toms Place and Toms Place upstream to Rock Creek Lake), Rush Creek, Sherwin Creek, Silver Lake, Tioga Lake, Trumble Lake, Twin Lakes Bridgeport, Twin Lakes Mammoth, Virginia Creek, Virginia Lakes, Walker River (Chris Flat campground to town of Walker and Leavitt Meadows campground to Sonora bridge).
CATFISH PLANTS
LOS ANGELES COUNTY--Belvedere Park Lake, Cerritos Lake, Downey Wilderness Park Lake, Echo Park Lake, El Dorado Park Lake, Legg Lake, Lincoln Park Lake, Santa Fe Dam, Spane Lake.
--Compiled by Pete Thomas
