FISH REPORT
Updated through Sunday
Freshwater
Largemouth bass: Bass continue to key in on shad at Lake Perris and Castaic Lake, and anglers fishing live shad have had wide-open fishing. Anglers fishing artificial lures have had good action on topwater plugs, jerkbaits or crankbaits worked through the boils. Bass fishing has been good at Lake Silverwood, but the weekend rain slowed this bite, and anglers fear heavy rain could again clog the lake with runoff from the burned mountains.
Trout: Excellent action at Santa Ana River Lakes, with many rainbows over 10-0 landed. Best areas are the nets at Chris’ Pond, Levitz Corner, the Bubble Hole, the Pumphouse and Sandy Beach. Top trout this week was an 18.75-pounder landed by Herman Kottke, Santa Ana. At Corona Lake, the trout action remains very good, and the top rainbow was a 17 1/4 -pounder caught by Manuel Castaneda, Riverside, fishing Nitro Dough at the dam. The bite is very good at Irvine Lake for shore anglers on the west shore or for boat anglers on the flats. Some big brown and rainbows topped action this week. Steve Brown, Placentia, landed an 11-8 rainbow trout on a nightcrawler at Trout Island. Hesperia Lake has been very good with many limits reported. Blain Frost, Riverside, landed a 13-2 on Power Bait.
Striped bass: Lake Silverwood continues to kick out big stripers and smaller fish from 1-0 to 2-8. Big fish are showing on swimbaits, and smaller fish on cut anchovies, nightcrawlers or trolled Kastmasters. Striper action at Lake Castaic is excellent for anglers who are able to net live shad. For anglers who can’t net live shad, fishing has been fair on cut anchovies or trolled Kastmasters behind 10 colors of leadcore line. Bigger fish from 10-0 to 20-0 have been showing on swimbaits.
Panfish: A few good catches of redear continue to be made on nightcrawlers at Puddingstone Lake. Lots of quality fish from 1-0 to 2-0 have been landed from Sailboat Cove and off the east shore fishing dock. A couple of good catches of crappie were reported at Lake Isabella, but few anglers are targeting them. Best action has been for anglers fishing over flooded trees in 30 feet of water.
Catfish: Big catfish continue to trickle out of Lake Hesperia despite cold weather. Action has been spotty but weekly stockings of catfish to 30-0 have kept fishing fair. Top baits continue to be mackerel or shrimp. Jamie Cope, Santa Clarita, landed a 15-8 catfish. San Vicente Lake in San Diego continues to be the best bet for a shot at a huge blue catfish. Big chunks of mackerel or bonito fished on 30- or 40-pound fishing line has been the top method. No fish over 20-0 were reported last week, but this fishery is known to kick out big blues to 100-0 late in the winter and early spring months. Catfish to 25-0 are starting to be landed in fair numbers at Lake Isabella. Frozen shad fished in submerged trees or in deep water near the dam have been best.
Saltwater
Yellowfin tuna: Big yellowfin tuna continue to be landed by anglers fishing 10-day trips. There are two zones of fish, one smaller zone off of Cabo San Lucas and a bigger zone of fish on the Hurricane Bank. Many in the 200-0 to 300-0 class have been landed.
Yellowtail: There is scattered action for private boaters fishing 75 to 110 miles southwest of San Diego. Fish averaging from 8-0 to 22-0 are holding to kelp patties.
Rock cod: Fishing continues to be excellent with limits common at most landings. Sculpin have also been on the bite with excellent numbers being landed all along the coast. The Pacific Voyager, Seaforth Sportfishing, took 24 anglers on an overnight trip that fished Saturday. The anglers landed 120 rock cod and 120 whitefish.
Bass: Calico and sand bass action has been slow to fair along the coast on surface iron, plastics, sardines and mackerel. Fish have been weighing from 2-0 to 3-0. Forty-six anglers on the New Del Mar, Marina Del Rey Sportfishing, who caught 24 sand bass, 110 rockfish, and 140 sculpin on Saturday.
Trout plants
Locations: To be stocked this week, weather permitting: Alondra Park Lake, Belvedere Park Lake, Cerritos Lake, Echo Park Lake, El Dorado Park Lakes, Hollenbeck Park Lake, Legg Lakes, Lincoln Park Lake, San Gabriel River (East and West forks), Santa Fe Reservoir (all in Los Angeles County); Centennial Lake, Mile Square Park Lake, Tri-City Lake (Orange County); Seccombe Park Lake, Silverwood Lake (San Bernardino County); Lake Ming, Lake Woollomes, Truxton Lake (Kern County).
*
An extensive and updated fish report is available Thursday at latimes.com/fish.
