FRESHWATERLos Angeles CountyCASTAIC LAKE--Largemouth bass are setting...
FRESHWATER
Los Angeles County
CASTAIC LAKE--Largemouth bass are setting the pace, biting on crawdads, crankbaits and plastic worms and running 2-6 pounds. Striped bass action is picking up. Shane Morgan, Palmdale, and Robert Flaata, Lancaster, caught five big ones, topped by a 20-pounder, using swimbaits. Some catfish and trout.
PYRAMID LAKE--Catfish are biting in the channel, biting on anchovies and mackerel. Largemouth bass fishing is better, with crankbaits and plastic worms producing fish from 2-6 pounds.
Ventura County
LAKE CASITAS--Bass action is fair to good on plastic worms and night crawlers. The bigger fish are biting on shad, swimbaits and crawdads. Top bass was an 11-pounder by Rod Thigpin, Santa Paula, on a swimbait. Live shad also is getting catfish and trout. Trout limits are being scored by those using Needlefish. Some red-ear perch.
LAKE PIRU--A 9-pound bass caught on a night crawler tops a long list of quality catches. Trout are biting for mostly trollers using Rapalas and Needlefish. A family derby is on tap Saturday. Details: (805) 524-0980.
Santa Barbara County
LAKE CACHUMA--Bass action is fair to good at the flats, biting mainly on crankbaits and plastic worms, and running 2-3 pounds. Trout are moving deeper, but still cooperating for those using lead-core line at 5-6 colors and Needlefish. Red-ear perch are active at the east end and in Cachuma Bay, biting on night crawlers.
Orange County
IRVINE LAKE--Top trout was a 13-8 caught on a Rapala. Trout fishing is fair early and slow during the day. Bass, catfish and crappie are fairly active. The new lagoon is producing limits of mostly small rainbows.
LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--Catfish action is best, although morning anglers are still catching trout in the deeper areas on standard baits and lures. Catfish are biting mostly on mackerel.
SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--Trout and catfish are in the mix, with catfish slowly becoming the predominant catch. Trout will be planted through May, barring a heat wave that will effectively put an end to the season.
Riverside County
CORONA LAKE--Trout and catfish are becoming active at about sunset. Top trout was a 16-3 caught by a catfish angler using Power Chow. Catfish are biting best on mackerel and running 2-4 pounds.
LAKE PERRIS--Largemouth bass are biting at about 15 feet. Green and purple plastic worms, and night crawlers are working best. Bluegill are biting at the east end and in the marina marina on crickets and mealworms. Catfish action is improving at the east end, with mackerel and night crawlers working. Trout are holding at the dam and biting sporadically.
LAKE SKINNER--No report.
San Diego County
LAKE CUYAMACA--The bass bite has vastly improved, with a 13-pounder caught on a night crawler topping the list. Trout are biting sporadically for those using bait. Lure fishing is slow. Catfish are biting at the south end.
LAKE POWAY--A 9 1/2-pound bass was caught on a white jig at Hidden Bay. Reports are few, which indicates a slow bite. Trout season is over.
SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--Bass weighing 10-plus pounds were caught at Lower Otay, El Capitan and Sutherland on crawdads and night crawlers. The best bites are at Barrett and San Vicente. A 30-pound catfish was caught on a crawdad at San Vicente, where bluegill action is cranking up.
LAKE WOHLFORD--Trout action is fair early and late on Power Bait and night crawlers. Largemouth bass action is slightly better on crawdads, shiners and plastics. Lots of crappie too.
Eastern Sierra
BISHOP AREA--A 5-12 rainbow trout was caught on Power Bait and salmon eggs in Bishop Creek. The creek and Lake Sabrina, which is free of ice, are the best bets. South Lake is covered with rotten ice and shore anglers are doing well where they can find open water. The Lower Owens River is good early for mostly drift fishermen using nymphs. Pleasant Valley Reservoir is slow to fair.
MAMMOTH LAKES AREA--Crowley Lake fly fishermen should note that the first major chironomid hatch of the season is underway and the fish have responded accordingly, feeding heartily at 6-10 feet. The morning bite is best. Bait and lure fishermen are doing only fair. The perch bite is on at Sandy Point. Good bets: Upper Twin (woolly buggers and Kastmasters), Rock Creek (salmon eggs, worms), Convict Creek (salmon eggs, Power Bait and Convict Lake (lures).
JUNE LAKE LOOP--June Lake is producing many limits for trollers (silver Needlefish) and fly anglers (olive matukas). Gull Lake is just as good and Silver and Grant are not far behind in terms of action. Rush Creek is slow.
BRIDGEPORT--Brown trout are striking Rapalas being trolled along the shoreline of Bridgeport Reservoir. A 4 1/2-pound rainbow was caught on a night crawler by local guide Frank Killen. Twin Lakes are both producing on lures, bait and olive matuka and woolly bugger flies. The big browns have gone deep. The East Walker River is fair at best, largely because of changing flows, which were at 215 cfs most of the week.
SALTWATER
MORRO BAY (Virg’s Landing)--30 anglers (2 boats): 144 rockfish, 2 salmon.
SANTA BARBARA (Hornet’s Landing)--15 anglers (1 boat): 1 calico bass, 2 sculpin, 4 ocean whitefish, 34 red snapper, 27 rockfish, 1 sheephead, 1 leopard shark.
OXNARD (Cisco’s)--76 anglers (5 boats): 36 white seabass, 33 whitefish, 6 sheephead, 4 sculpin, 118 rockfish, 6 red snapper, 1 lingcod, 9 halibut, 141 calico bass, 21 barracuda.
PORT HUENEME--33 anglers (2 boats): 19 white seabass, 1 halibut, 51 calico bass, 1 barracuda, 25 rockfish, 5 sculpin.
MARINA DEL REY--78 anglers (6 boats): 7 yellowtail, 293 barracuda, 10 halibut, 148 calico bass, 33 sand bass, 5 bonito, 1 sole.
REDONDO BEACH--43 anglers (3 boats): 5 yellowtail, 303 barracuda, 1 halibut, 61 calico bass, 1 bonito, 1 whitefish, 20 blue perch, 1 sheephead, 7 rockfish.
SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--91 anglers (5 boats): 39 white seabass, 6 yellowtail, 215 calico bass, 312 barracuda, 56 whitefish, 22 sheephead, 15 sculpin, 10 rockfish, 5 sargo, 3 sand bass, 1 halibut, 12 bonito. (22nd St. Landing)--164 anglers (7 boats): 41 white seabass, 33 yellowtail, 273 barracuda, 7 halibut, 290 calico bass, 123 sand bass, 17 sheephead, 4 bonito, 37 whitefish.
LONG BEACH (Sportfishing/Berth 55)--98 anglers (4 boats): 3 yellowtail, 109 barracuda, 14 white seabass, 121 calico bass, 30 sand bass, 36 rockfish, 3 halibut, 13 sheephead, 4 sargo, 2 perch. (Marina Sportfishing)--64 anglers (3 boats): 46 calico bass, 106 sand bass, 220 rockfish, 5 sculpin, 1 sheephead, 1 halibut, 10 red snapper. (Pierpoint Landing)--126 anglers (8 boats): 10 yellowtail, 54 white seabass, 179 barracuda, 354 calico bass, 27 sand bass, 41 whitefish, 23 sculpin, 24 sheephead, 52 perch, 8 halibut, 8 bonito.
NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--74 anglers (4 boats): 1 yellowtail, 31 barracuda, 10 bonito, 231 calico bass, 24 sand bass, 10 rockfish, 3 sheephead, 3 sargo. (Davey’s Locker)--149 anglers (6 boats): 5 white seabass, 6 yellowtail, 69 barracuda, 134 calico bass, 60 sand bass, 6 bonito, 1 halibut, 7 rockfish, 3 sculpin, 2 sheephead, 2 sargo, 2 blue perch, 18 mackerel.
DANA WHARF--89 anglers (3 boats): 7 barracuda, 50 calico bass, 188 sand bass, 31 mackerel, 2 halibut, 14 rockfish, 4 sculpin, 2 sheephead.
OCEANSIDE--(Helgren’s)--15 anglers (2 boats): 4 barracuda, 48 calico bass, 1 sand bass, 2 whitefish.
SAN DIEGO (H&M; Landing, Fisherman’s, Point Loma)--7 anglers (1 boat): 35 yellowtail. (Seaforth)--131 anglers (9 boats): 51 yellowtail, 10 bonito, 115 barracuda, 108 calico bass, 19 sand bass, 27 rockfish, 10 sculpin.
TROUT PLANTS
LOS ANGELES--Big Rock Creek, Big Tujunga Creek (Lower), Castaic Lake, Crystal Lake, Downey Wilderness Park Lake, El Dorado Park Lake, Jackson Lake, Legg Lake, Peck Road Park Lake, Piru Creek (Frenchman’s Flat), Puddingstone Lake, San Dimas Reservoir, San Gabriel River (East and West Forks), Santa Anita Creek, Santa Fe Reservoir. RIVERSIDE--Hemet Lake. SAN BERNARDINO--Arrowbear Lake, Cucamonga Creek, Gregory Lake, Lytle Creek (Middle Fork). SAN LUIS OBISPO--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, Lone Pine Creek, Owens River (Laws Bridge downstream to Steward Lane and below Tinnemaha), Pine Creek, Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Rock Creek Lake, Shepards Creek, Taboose Creek, Tinnemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek. MONO--Convict Lake, Deadman Creek, Glass Creek, Grant Lake, Gull Lake, June Lake,, Robinson Creek, Rock Creek (Paradise Camp to Tom’s Place and Tom’s Place upstream to Rock Creek Lake), Silver Lake, Twin Lakes Bridgeport.
--Compiled by Pete Thomas
