[ Compiled By Cyndi Gollaz and Jim Matthews ... ]
Compiled by Cyndi Gollaz and Jim Matthews
Outdoor News Service
The fish report is weekly. Its accuracy depends on marina operators, tackle shops and local fishermen we contact. Anglers catching large fish should send the information to Outdoor News Service, P.O. Box 9007, San Bernardino, CA 92427, or telephone 909- 887-3444, so it can be included n this report. Faxes can be sent to 909-887-8180. E-Mail messages or fishing reports can also be posted to Jim Matthews at odwriter@earthlink.net and/or Cyndi Gollaz at cagurrola@charter.net.
FRESHWATER HOT SPOTS
TROUT: Lots of planted trout action right now. For big trout and big numbers of fish, the top bets continue to be Santa Ana River Lakes, which produced at 25-4 this week, and Corona Lake, Irvine Lake, Laguna Niguel Park Lake, along with Hesperia Lake and Jess Ranch Lakes in the High Desert.
LARGEMOUTH BASS: Bass action is slow with only a few fair flurries. Trout plants are still bringing a few big fish up to eat the rainbows, but most of the action right now is in deep water on jigs, ice jigs, plastics, and crawdads in the bigger reservoirs. Top picks include Casitas, Diamond Valley and Piru.
STRIPED BASS: For Southern California waters, Skinner is the top pick with a number of five-pound class fish this week on swimbaits and shad, but Pyramid, Silverwood and Castaic have had decent bites, also on smaller fish, mostly on cut baits.
PANFISH: Most of the panfish bites are slow, with almost nothing reported in the past week. Some redear are showing at Casitas. There are also spotty crappie bites at El Capitan and the Buena Vista Lakes.
CATFISH: Almost no catfish reports of note over the past week. Spots to watch and check include Buena Vista Lakes near Taft, Casitas Lake, especially after a rain, and the Colorado River.
SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAIN WATERS
SILVERWOOD: Trout bite fair to good at the launch ramp and off the marina docks on Power Bait or nightcrawlers. 760-389-2299 and 760-389-2281.
BIG BEAR LAKE: Cold with slow trout action over most of the lake. A few fish are showing at the dam and in the Stanfield area on Power Bait or inflated nightcrawlers doused with scent. 909-866-3218.
GREGORY LAKE: Slow fishing with few reports. The boat house is now closed for the season. 909-338-2233.
HIGH DESERT LAKES
HESPERIA LAKE: Very good trout action with 4,000 pounds planted each week. 800-521-6332.
JESS RANCH: Good to excellent trout action on trout averaging two pounds, with a lot of bigger fish mixed in. 760-240-1107.
MOJAVE NARROWS: The trout bite is excellent on Power Bait or nightcrawlers or the pair used together. 760-245-2226.
INLAND VALLEY LAKES
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
CUCAMONGA-GUASTI: Fair to good trout action with some fish to two pounds reported. The lake is stocked every Thursday through April 19 by the county. 909-481-4205.
PRADO: The lake will be stocked with trout every Thursday through April 19 by the county. 909-597-4260.
YUCAIPA: High winds put a damper on the fishing this past week, but there is still fair trout action thanks to two plants last week. 909-790-3127.
GLEN HELEN: Trout bite is excellent after a 2,000-pound country trout plant last week and DFG fish were also added. 909-887-7540.
MOUNT BALDY TROUT POOLS: The heavily stocked pools are open every Saturday and Sunday. No fishing license is needed. 909-982-4246.
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
DIAMOND VALLEY: Still good trout action despite a full moon last week and high winds. 951-926-7201.
PERRIS: Near constant high winds put a damper on fishing this past week, but there continues to be a fair bite on rainbow trout. 951-657-2179.
SKINNER: Mixed reports on trout fishing last week. Some reporting good action, while others were skunked. 951-926-1505.
CORONA LAKE: Two 19-pound class rainbows were part of the 10 trout over the 10-pound mark reported this past week. 951-277-4489.
RANCHO JURUPA: Fair trout action. DFG trout plant last week. 951- 684-7032.
FISHERMAN’S RETREAT: Good trout bite from all three lakes. 909- 795-2411.
ANGLER’S LAKE: Trout bite fair to good with most fish to three pounds. Catfish action slowed, but a few fish are still showing. 951- 927-2614.
REFLECTION LAKE: Good trout action on rainbows to five pounds with plants of 1,000 pounds alternating weeks. 951-654-7906.
JEAN’S CHANNEL CATS: Good rainbow trout bite all over and quite a few fish to two pounds have been landed. 951-679-6562.
SAN JACINTO MOUNTAIN WATERS
LAKE HEMET: Trout action has been fair with the best bite on Power Bait or small jigs. Bass and catfish are slow. 951-659-2350.
ORANGE COUNTY
SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES: There have been 44 rainbow trout over the 10-pound mark reported here, with 19 topping 17 pounds. 714-632- 7830.
IRVINE LAKE: Strong winds have made fishing tough off and on. 714- 649-9111.
LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE: Good trout action with a late morning and afternoon bite with limits common for trout. 949-362-3885.
LOS ANGELES AREA LAKES
CACHUMA: The trout action continues fair with trollers and still fishermen working the east end of the lake. 805-688-4040.
CASITAS: The largemouth bass bite continues to be good between wind storms. The odd crappie is showing up here and there. 805-649- 2043.
CASTAIC: The stripers are still fair. Largemouth bass are spotty. 661-775-6232.
PIRU: The bass bite continues to be fair good on jigs, plastic worms or drop shot rigs in 20 to 30 feet of water. 661-296-9710 and 661-257-2790.
PYRAMID: Overall slow fishing with the water level down for maintenance. Trout have been the best bet. Stripers are still fair. 661-296-9710.
PUDDINGSTONE: A fair bite for trout, bass, crappie, bluegill and catfish. 909-599-8411, Ext. 4.
SANTA FE DAM: Fair trout action with the best bite the three or four days after a trout plant. Also a few cats showing. 626-334- 1065.
ALONDRA PARK LAKE: DFG trout plant two weeks ago.
SAN DIEGO AREA LAKES
EL CAPITAN: Fair bass action and a spotty but decent crappie bite. 619-465-3474.
SAN VICENTE: Fair bite action, but littl else happening. In all, there were 92 anglers reporting 175 bass to 4-15, three crappie, three channel cats, two bluegill, and two rainbow trout. 619-465- 3474.
MIRAMAR: Very slow fishing. This past week, 50 anglers reported catching just 11 channel catfish and seven bass. 619-465-3474.
WOHLFORD: Good trout action and another plant went in Wednesday. A number of quality rainbows were reported this past week. 760-839- 4346.
DIXON: Trout action has been good on rainbows to five pounds with the best action off Jack Creek Pier. The bass and catfish bites are both off. 760-839-4345.
POWAY: High winds played havoc with the fishing here this past week, but some quality trout continue to be caught. Catfish are spotty, with most action along the log boom. 858-679-5465.
JENNINGS: Wind has kept most anglers away, and the trout are getting stockpiled. Bass and catfish have been slow. 619-390-1300.
MORENA: Trout bite fair on inflated nightcrawlers. Most fish from one to two pounds. A few fish in the three-pound range were landed. 619-478-5473.
CUYAMACA: Fishing remains decent. Three tagged Alpers trout remain in the lake and each angler to catch one will receive a free night’s stay in the Cuyamaca Condos. 760-765-0515.
HENSHAW: Catfish fair to good with the best bite on shrimp for boat anglers. Carp and crappie are both very spotty. 760-782-3501.
COLORADO RIVER
LAKE MEAD: The striper action is still good on trout-like lures for the bigger stripers and on cut anchovies for the 1-8 to three- pound class fish which make up the vast majority of the catch. The rainbow bite is also pretty good. 702-564-3058.
WILLOW BEACH: Weekly trout plants each Friday have made for good rainbow trout action on fish from 12 inches to five pounds. The rainbows are still drawing in a few bigger stringers. 928-767-4747.
LAKE MOHAVE: Some fair striper action on A.C. Plugs and other trout swimbaits. Most of the fish are from five to 10-pounds. 702- 297-1464.
BELOW DAVIS DAM: A fair trout bite near Davis Camp and Riverside Resort. Good striper bite along the river near Bullhead.
NEEDLES: Topock area remains the best spot for stripers, with a decent bite. 760-326-2727.
TOPOCK MARSH: Catfish and bass bites fair, mostly along the shorelines. Striper bite is decent. 928-768-2350.
HAVASU: Overall slowing in the action, but still a fair bite on stripers. A few catfish are being landed fishing on the bottom in most coves. 760-663-3811.
PARKER STRIP: Slow to fair action on smallmouth bass in the main river, but otherwise slow.
BLYTHE: Slow to fair action on flathead catfish. Large and smallmouth bass are fair on shiners in the river and local backwaters. 760-921-2248.
PALO VERDE: Fair smallmouth bass bite in the main river channel, and a fair largemouth bite in the backwaters. Channel and flathead catfish are slow.
PICACHO AREA: Very light fishing pressures, but overall fair fishing with a few flatheads, largemouth, bluegill, and stripers reported.
MARTINEZ LAKE AREA: Fair smallmouth and largemouth bite in the channel and in the backwaters. Channel and flathead catfish action decent. Striped bass are fair. 928-783-9589.
YUMA AREA: The Gila Main Canal in East Yuma is still fair for channel catfish and large redear and bluegill. The catfish bite has been fair.
LOWER DESERT WATERS
SALTON SEA: Slow fishing. Nothing reported this week. 760-348- 2310.
ALAMO RIVER: Few reports. Channel catfish are fair on mackerel or anchovies.
COACHELLA, HIGHLINE CANALS: Slow but some channel cats and the odd bass were reported.
LAKE CAHUILLA: Good trout action with plants last week and again this week. Trout are running from two pounds to four pounds. 760- 564-4712.
WESTERN SIERRA
LAKE ISABELLA: Fair to good catfish bite on shad. Good trout action by the dam. 661-833-8657.
KERN RIVER: The upper Kern River has been very good this past week with some quality trout showing. 760-376-2424.
AQUEDUCT NEAR TAFT: Mostly very slow fishing with very little fishing pressure. 661-833-8657.
BUENA VISTA LAKES: Plenty of big trout have been landed. There is still a decent catfish bite and crappie are fair to good. 661-763- 1268.
KAWEAH LAKE: Trout bite fair and steady. A good late-morning bass bite. 559-597-2526.
CENTRAL COAST LAKES
SANTA MARGARITA: Crappie biting fair, and the bass bite is spotty. Trout bite fair. 805-438-1522.
LOPEZ: Trout bite good on nightcrawlers. Catfish have also been landed on mackerel. The bass and Crappie are fair. 805-489-1006.
TROUT PLANTS
Barring adverse weather, water, road conditions, and the availability of trucks and personnel, the following lakes and streams, listed by county, will be restocked this with catchable- size rainbow trout from the Department of Fish and Game hatcheries:
LOS ANGELES: Castaic Lagoon, Echo Park Lake, Elizabeth Lake, Pyramid Lake, San Gabriel River (East and West Forks). ORANGE: Carr Park Lake, Eisenhower Park Lake, Greer Park Lake, Huntington Park Lake. SAN DIEGO: Chollas Park Lake, Lindo Lake, Morena Lake, Murray Lake. VENTURA: Rancho Simi Park Lake. FRESNO: Avocado Lake, Kings River below Pine Flat Dam, San Joaquin River below Friant Dam. MARIPOSA: McClure Reservoir. MERCED: Los Banos Detention Reservoir, Merced River from McSwain Dam to Merced Falls. STANISLAUS: Modesto Reservoir, Turlock Reservoir, Woodward Reservoir. TUOLUMNE: Don Pedro Reservoir, Melones Reservoir, Tulloch Lake.
OCEAN FISHING REPORT
By Terrence Berg and Phil Friedman
CHANNEL ISLANDS: Weather has played a bigger role in the Channel Islands as it has been breezy lately. With rockfish season closed, boats have been looking for halibut and surface fish like bass. It’s been on the scratchy side with a catch here and there. There has been a sign of squid showing up at the islands but that also has lacked consistency.
LOS ANGELES: Catalina Island yellowtail continue to pop up every once in a while, especially if you can round up some precious live squid for bait. The 3/4-day Pursuit out of 22nd Street Landing had 50 yellowtail on a recent trip, all in the six to 15-pound class while fishing at Catalina Island. Wind has also plagued the whole coast this past week, but when the weather comes down, the yellowtail have been at Catalina. The Betty G out of Redondo Sportfishing has been finding some outstanding wintertime bass fishing. On a trip earlier this week, six anglers landed 60 sand — limits. Long Beach Sportfishing has started its Pot of Gold Halibut Derby, and boats from this landing have been catching a few flatfish to 30 pounds. Boats focusing on sand dabs are catching all you want.
ORANGE COUNTY: Dana Wharf boats continue to get the occasional good score on sand and calico bass, along with a few halibut. If you fish light line and choose a good hot bait, getting a limit of sand and/or calico bass is not out of the question. There has also been a sign of jumbo squid around. This bears watching as there are even more of the giant mollusks to the south.
SAN DIEGO: There is still a chance for yellowtail and bonito this winter thanks to a mild El Nio that is still perking along. Jumbo squid moved in to the Nine-Mile Bank this week, and anglers on Seaforth Sportfishing boats have been all over it. The Humboldts have been in the 10- to 30-pound class and besides being a gas to catch, they make for awesome fried calamari. * 22nd Street Landing, San Pedro: 310-832-8304
* L.A. Harbor Sportfishing, San Pedro: 310-547-9916
* Redondo Sportfishing: 310-372-2111
* Pierpoint Landing, Long Beach: 562-983-9300
* Marina del Rey Sportfishing: 310-822-3625
* Long Beach Sportfishing: 562-432-8993
* Marina Sportfishing, Long Beach: 562-598-6649
* Davey’s Locker, Newport Beach: 949-673-1434
* Newport Landing, Newport Beach: 949-675-0550
* Dana Wharf Sportfishing: 949-496-5794
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