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FISH REPORT -- ONS-matthews -- 23jun10
Compiled by Bo Matthews 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 in 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@verizon.net.
This report is published by 11 daily newspapers in Southern California each week. Frequently it is edited for space. A complete version is posted on the Outdoor News Service web site (Outdoor News Service). The updated report is usually posted by Thursday morning. The fish report is copyrighted and any use or reposting of the report, or portions of the report, is prohibited without written permission. Posting of links to the fish report on the Outdoor News Service web site is allowed.
The Outdoor News Service is also on Facebook with updated reports and photos posted throughout the week. The new Twitter account name is MatthewsOutdoor. For our latest fishing information, use these sites.
The Cal TIP number, the Department of Fish and Game poacher hotline, is 1-888-DFG-CALTIP. The DFG’s Internet web page is located at the following address: California Department of Fish and Game.
MATTHEWS’ PICKS OF THE WEEK
1. Three very different picks for you this week. The number one pick is the wonderful yellowtail action that has been going on for more than the past week at the Coronado Islands for the San Diego Sportfishing Fleet. This bite is what it used to be like here in the good-old-days, when you could jump on a 3/4-day boat and go out and catch three to five 20-pound yellowtail. It has been that good. Some days, every drop with a sardine has been a hook-up. Check with any of the San Diego Landings for an update on this bite or to book a trip.
2. Kirman Lake in the Eastern Sierra Nevada normally gets into our top picks late in the trout season when the huge brook trout in this little lake color up in their spawning colors. But this walk-in water has been spectacular since it first iced-out early in the season. This is where an 18-inch brook trout will be four to five pounds, and 24-inch cutthroats will weigh six pounds. Besides this spot, you’d have to travel thousands of miles to find brook trout this size. For an update on this bite, Ken’s Sporting Goods in Bridgeport is your source at 760-932-7707.
3. For two weeks now, Willow Beach has been producing some huge striped bass. Tops this past week was a 32-plus pounder. With only a handful of anglers fishing the big, trout-like swimbaits for these fish, it looks like this bite is really starting to break open. But it’s not getting the pressure it deserves. Mile Maker 52 1/2 has been one of the hot spots, but the big fish are showing throughout this stretch of river. If you have a hankering for big striper, call Willow Beach Resort at 928-767-4747 for an update. The full moon this weekend sure won’t hurt this bite.
FRESHWATER HOT SPOTS
TROUT: Top trout bets in Sierra continue to include Bridgeport Reservoir, Lake Crowley, Silver Lake, and most of the Bishop Creek and Rock Creek drainages, which are getting heavily planted each week. Virginia Lakes has also been wide open on fish to two pounds. Flows are still up on most of the creeks and rivers in the region, making for difficult fishing. For fly guys, the East Walker River and Kirman Lake are probably the best bets. In Southern California, there continues to be good action at just a handful of waters with plants over for the season at lower elevations. Top bet is Green Valley Lake and Big Bear and Hemet are both fair to good, especially for trollers.
BLACK BASS: The largemouth bass action has been generally fair to good throughout the region. Top bets again have been Diamond Valley Lake, Casitas, Castaic, Skinner, Sutherland, El Capitan, Wohlford, Otay, Irvine, Perris, Silverwood, Piru, Pyramid, Cachuma, and Puddingstone. The smallmouth action on the Colorado River has been very good in the river stretches, but dead in Lake Havasu. Further up on the Central Coast, Santa Margarita and Lopez are both pretty good for largemouths and the spotted bass are pretty fair in Nacimiento. Isabella is also fair to good with a lot of four to six pounders.
STRIPED BASS: Striper bites are good everywhere. San Antonio Lake on the Central Coast wasn’t quite as good this past week, but it’s still a very good bet, especially for six to 10-pound fish with some bigger. On the Colorado River, the lake bites are all pretty dismal, but the river stretches are good. Willow Beach has been punching out a number of hogs from 20 to 32 pounds the past two weeks. This is the place for a real trophy. The stretch immediately below the Palo Verde Diversion dam is also a good bet for fish to 12 pounds, and the Topoc Gorge stretch above Havasu is also finally coming to life, but mostly on smaller fish. Other good bets include the California Aqueduct near Taft, Pyramid, Castaic, Skinner, and Silverwood. All have been producing a lot of fish.
PANFISH: The crappie bite just won’t go away at Lake Isabella which still has a pretty good bite, but Lopez and Santa Margarita are both producing bigger fish. Cachuma seems to be getting better with a lot of good catches this week in the Narrows. Piru and Henshaw have fair crappie bites. Redear and bluegill bites are hot just about everywhere -- with Diamond Valley, Perris, Casitas, Otay, Sutherland, and Puddingstone some of the top picks. The tilapia bite at the Salton Sea has remained excellent.
CATFISH: Simply good to excellent action just about everywhere. Henshaw, Elsinore, and Hesperia Lake have been the hottest spots in Southern California with a lot of fish landed at all three. But Santa Ana River Lakes and Corona Lake have also been very good and enter the fray in a bigger way this week thanks to bonus plants of trophy fish to 20 pounds at both waters. Skinner, Silverwood, and Diamond Valley are also good with a lot of cats to eight pounds at all three. Isabella has been very good for cats from 1-8 to three pounds, and the California aqueduct near Taft has also been good, too. Irvine started its catfish season with plants last week and it’s also very good. The channel and flathead action is also breaking wide open along the whole lower Colorado River, especially in the warmer backwaters and irrigation ditches. This is the top bet for a quality fish over 20 pounds.
SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAIN WATERS
SILVERWOOD: Very good striper action. The dam and the spillway have been the top spots with anchovies and chicken liver top baits. Dustin Ruth, Barstow, caught a five-pound striper on a nightcrawler at the spillway. Fair trout action with the best action on Power Bait, Power Worms, and inflated nightcrawlers in deep water. The largemouth bite is good with swimbaits working well at the points. The catfish bite is good with most of the fish being caught on chicken liver, dough baits, and shrimp. Top spots for catfish have been Chamise Bay and Outhouse Cove. D.J. Kennybrew, Fontana, caught a striper and a catfish totaling 10 pounds on anchovies. Carp are good for anglers fishing dough baits or nightcrawlers. Bluegill action is starting to improve with the best bite on nightcrawlers. Slow other species. Miller Canyon Creek (just above the lake) was planted with DFG trout this week and the bite should be decent this weekend. The park is open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Information: marina 760-389-2299, state park 760-389-2281, Silverwood Country store 760-389-2423.
BIG BEAR LAKE: Trollers working 20 to 25 feet of water are finding very good action in the Trout Triangle to Papoose Bay (three colors of leadcore line) on brass or copper spoons of just about any variety. Shore and bait action is tougher, but a slip-bobber rig set at 15 to 25 feet and baited with Power Bait or nightcrawlers is the best bet. The trout have moved into deeper water. DFG trout plant this week. Desiree Guillen, Moreno Valley, caught a 4.11-pound trout along the north shore near the dam on Power Bait. The panfish and catfish bites are slowly improving as the weather warms the lake, and the smallmouth and largemouth are both in a spawning mode in the shallows. Carp are in the shallows and providing very good bowfishing. Fishing information: Big Bear Marina 909-866-3218, Big Bear Sporting Goods 909-866-3222.
GREGORY LAKE: There continues to be a fair trout bite with some limits posted and a DFG plant this week should perk this bite. The best action has been on floating baits or small lures and the warm weather has the trout in deeper water. The bite on small crappie is very good early and late in the day. The boat house is open. Information: 909-338-2233.
GREEN VALLEY LAKE: Good trout action on 1-8 to 2-8 rainbows with a few even better quality fish showing. Top rainbow reported was a nine-pounder caught by Jimmy Bon, Green Valley Lake, on a brown jig from a boat. Jonathan Ogino, Temple City, scored a 6.13-pound trout on a nightcrawler at the north shore. Calaveras trout were planed last week. Anglers win a fee Green Valley Lakes tee-shirt if they land a trout over six pounds. Recorded information: 909-867-2009.
ARROWBEAR LAKE: DFG trout plant this week.
JENKS LAKE REGION: Over a month since the last DFG plant. Slow to fair action on small jigs, trout plastics, and floating baits. Both the Santa Ana River in the Seven Oaks area and the South Fork were planted by the DFG this week. Brown trout anglers are also doing pretty good in the streams, however, but most fish are under 10 inches long. Information: Mill Creek Ranger Station at 909-382-2881.
HIGH DESERT LAKES
HESPERIA LAKE: Excellent catfish action. Catfish were planted this week and will be going in each week for the remainder of catfish season. Just about anything anglers are using is working for catfish but mackerel, shrimp, and inflated nightcrawlers have been the top choices with fish to 15 pounds or better reported again this week. Quite a few wipers are also showing with some to three pounds or a little better. Most are in the 1 1/2-pound range and showing on small lures. Trout and sturgeon are both slow now with the heat. Lake hours are 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the night session from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Cost is $15 per angler. Information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.
JESS RANCH: Trout action was fair to good this past week with a few limits reported. Power Bait or inflated night crawlers doused with attractant, jigs, and lures have all been producing fish. The bite has been better in the morning before 10 a.m. or late afternoon hours. Most of the fish have been around two pounds, with a few bigger. A few largemouth are showing on Senkos, spinnerbaits, and nightcrawlers with fish to five pounds reported. Catfish are hitting shrimp and nightcrawlers near the western and northern shores of lake 2. Quite a few bluegill reports have come with anglers reporting success on mealworms for fish around the one-pound mark. The lake is open Friday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and it is stocked with trout each week on Friday from its own hatchery. Lake information: 760-240-1107 or Jess Ranch Lakes-The Official Site.
MOJAVE NARROWS: County catfish go in each week through the end of catfish season, and the bite has been very good. Robert Page, Victorville, caught a limit of catfish to five pounds. Pretty good action on small bluegill, and quite a few crappie to a pound are also showing. Also fair action for bass, and the occasional carp is also showing. Trout action was good after a DFG plant this last week. Horseshoe Lake is still temporarily closed due to flood damage. Pelican Lake is remains open. For lake information: 760-245-2226.
INLAND VALLEY LAKES
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
CUCAMONGA-GUASTI: No report. County catfish plants are weekly and will continue to go in each week through the end of catfish season. Information: 909-481-4205.
PRADO: County catfish plants are weekly through the end of the summer season, and the bite has been pretty good on the marshmallow-meal worm combo or shrimp and marshmallow combo, nightcrawlers, and cut baits. Steven Resendez, Yucaipa, caught a seven-pound catfish on shrimp from the middle lake. Rusty Shroepher, Yucaipa, scored a 3-4 catfish on shrimp from the top lake. There is also a good bite on bluegill with wax worms, meal worms, or nightcrawler pieces. A few bass are showing with quite a few fish to four pounds reported on nightcrawlers and soft plastics. Catfish baits are also now being sold at the park, and small boats (non-inflatable) under 16 feet with electric motors are now allowed. Information: 909-597-4260.
YUCAIPA: Fair to good catfish action with most fish in the two-pound range. County catfish plants are weekly through the rest of the summer season. Shrimp, mackerel, and anchovies have been the best baits. Bluegill action is good on small fish, with small pieces of nightcrawler the best bait. Other species are slow. Lake information: 909-790-3127.
GLEN HELEN: County catfish plants are weekly through the rest of the summer season and the bite has been good on nightcrawlers, shrimp, and mackerel. Most of the cats are from 1 1/2 to two pounds. Kiley Brennan, Rialto, caught three catfish on nightcrawlers at the large lake. While the trout are pretty much gone, the bass, bluegill, and carp have been showing in decent numbers, with quite a few bass to two pounds landed by catch-and-release anglers. Information: 909-887-7540.
MOUNT BALDY TROUT POOLS: The heavily stocked pools are open every Saturday and Sunday. No fishing license is needed. Information: 909-982-4246.
SECCOMBE LAKE: DFG trout plant last week. Good action on small bluegill. Information: 909-384-5233.
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
DIAMOND VALLEY: Wide open largemouth action with many anglers reporting 20 fish days. Most of the fish have been small in the two to three-pound range. There has been a very good topwater bite in the early morning. Plastics have been working well all day long. Trout fishing has been slow with only a few catches made by anglers fishing 10 to 20 feet of water in the coves. Jesse Dinkins, Hemet, caught and released 12 trout in the one to two-pound range on nightcrawlers in the south corner of the east dam. Striper action is slow to fair with few catches reported this week. Trolling Kastmasters, Needlefish, or Rapalas has produced some stripers between two and seven pounds. The catfish bite is very good with many fish in the seven to 15-pound range. Cut baits have been working well and the top spots are near the attenuator, the inlet, and Rawson Cove. The bluegill bite has been very good. Anglers fishing with mini jigs, mealworms, or nightcrawlers along the dams have had the most success. Kim Petersen, Culver City, caught a 1.38-pound bluegill at the west dam with nightcrawlers. Crappie spotty. For general lake, launch, and fishing information, call 800-590-LAKE, the marina at 951-926-7201 or Diamond Valley Marina, or Last Chance Bait and Tackle 951-658-7410 or Last Chance Tackle - Home.
PERRIS: The largemouth bite was good the east end and Bernasconi Beach seeing decent action. Michael Dimuro, La Mirada, caught a 7.6-pound largemouth on a plastic worm near the launch ramp. Irene Carter, San Bernardino, scored a 6.5-pound largemouth on a plastic worm fishing Launch Ramp Cove. The panfish bite remains good with a lot of smaller fish in the shallows and bigger fish showing from deeper water in the marina, around the island, and off the dam. Wax worms, red worms, nightcrawlers and crickets are all getting a lot of fish. Stephanie Shields, Perris, got a 1.3-pound bluegill on a cricket fishing from the marina docks. Jeff Soto, Riverside, caught and released an 18-inch crappie estimated to be in the 3 1/2-pound range fishing a small jig tipped with a wax worm from a float tube. He also landed a bunch of redear to about a pound and some smaller bluegill. Trout action is spotty. Mostly slow other species, but there continue to be a few carp caught for those targeting them. The park is open seven days a week, and hours are from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Information: marina 951-657-2179, state park 951-940-5600.
SKINNER: The catfish bite is very good with chicken liver and mackerel the most reported baits with ramp No. 2 the hot spot. Albert Walker, Orange, caught three catfish to 7-8 on mackerel at the inlet. Kimberly Cristler, Corona, got two catfish to five pounds on nightcrawlers at ramp No. 2. Chandler and Ethan Parker, Chino, caught five cats totaling 14-8 on nightcrawlers at ramp No. 2. Bluegill are showing in good numbers at the east end and along the south shore. Slow other species. Good largemouth action. The east end and the south shore have been the top spots with dark plastics and nightcrawlers still the top baits. Carp action has been good for those targeting them. They are primarily being caught in the reeds on nightcrawlers. The striper bite was just fair with a smaller fish showing on chicken liver and anchovies. Information: store 951-926-1505 or marina 951-926-8515.
ELSINORE: Catfish and carp still providing the bulk of the action here with both in fair to good bites. There is also a decent pick on the wipers. The catfish have been showing on shad, shrimp, and nightcrawlers, with fish up to eight pounds reported. The carp are three to seven pounds and most anglers are using their homemade dough baits. The wipers are mostly showing on live shad, shrimp, with a few on lures with the southwest and northwest ends of the lake best. Anglers are reminded the limit on the wipers is two-fish, with an 18-inch minimum size. Crappie are still very slow with almost none reported in the past week. There’s a fair bite on the largemouth bass on plastics and reaction baits. Boat rentals are available through the William’s Bait, Tackle, and Boat Rental out of Elsinore West Marina. For more information, contact William’s Bait, Tackle, and Boat Rental at 951-642-0640 or Elsinore West Marina at 951-678-1300.
CORONA LAKE: A double plant of catfish this week, and a load of super broodstock fish from 10 to 20 pounds was slated to go in Friday for the official grand opening of catfish season. The action has been good over the past week with a lot of one- to two-pound catfish showing on stringers, along with a few bigger fish. The top catfish reported was a 5 1/2-pounder landed by Lance Machiven, Bakersfield, as part of a 10-fish, 32 1/2-pound stringer he caught on J.D.’s Mackerel Bait fished in the trees. Earl Twymon Sr. and Earl Jr., both Lake Elsinore, landed 10 catfish for 11 1/4 pounds total on nightcrawlers. Top baits have been J.D.’s Catfish Bait, the marshmallow-meal worm combo, and nightcrawlers or shrimp doused with Eagle Claw’s Catfish Gravy. For the tilapia, which are being planted at least once a week, the best bite has been on nightcrawler pieces and a lot of fish from one to two pounds are showing. There is 24-hour fishing every Friday and Saturday night. Information: 951-277-4489 or Indy Lakes Fishing Lakes and Campground.
EVANS LAKE: Bass are showing in fair numbers for the guys tossing small plastics and tiny jerk baits along the rocky shorelines. Also a pretty decent bite on small bluegill and warmouth. Bass to two pounds reported this week.
RANCHO JURUPA: Fair catfish action. There is also a fair bite on bluegill and carp. Slow other species. There is a new bait and tackle shop at the lake. Information: 951-684-7032.
FISHERMAN’S RETREAT: No report. Information: 909-795-0171.
ANGLER’S LAKE: The lake is currently closed.
REFLECTION LAKE: Catfish remain good on cut baits, and plants are every two weeks with 500 pounds planted each time. There are monthly derbies. A few bass are showing. Bluegill fair. Information: 951-654-7906 or Reflection Lake RV Park, a Hemet California RV Park and Family Campground.
JEAN'S CHANNEL CATS: Catfish action has been very good with each warm day helping the bite. The best action has been on chicken liver, mackerel, and shrimp. Plants twice a month. The lake is now only open on weekends Friday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on all Monday holidays. Information: 951-679-6562 or 951-259-2021.
SAN JACINTO MOUNTAIN WATERS
LAKE HEMET: Good trout action continues with a few limits reported once again. DFG trout were planted last week. The fish are showing for trollers and shore anglers using Power Bait or similar baits along the south shoreline. Fish are mostly smaller but a few in the two-pound range are showing. Allan Russell, Hemet, caught a limit of trout while trolling. Brandon Sabala, 6, Highland, caught three trout and one bluegill using Power Bait. The odd bass and panfish is also showing but it's mostly slow for other species. Lake open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Information: Lake Hemet Market 951-659-2350, campground 951-659-2680.
FULMOR LAKE: No recent DFG trout plants. Information: 951-659-2117.
ORANGE COUNTY
SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES: The official start to catfish season is this week with bonus plants of catfish from four to eight pounds on Tuesday, and a load of 10 to 20-pounders is slated for Friday. Catfish action is already excellent with plants twice a week with anglers using either nightcrawlers or shrimp doused with Eagle Claw catfish Gravy. Edward Babakanyan, Glendale, and Bobby Galstyam, Granada Hills, had 21 catfish for a total weight of 47 1/2 pounds, and they were all right at the to two-pound mark. Bruce Everett, Cerritos, landed 15 catfish for a total weight of 20 1/4 pounds. Mike Cates and Egbere Dugall, both Los Angeles, had seven cats for 14 1/2 pounds. Rick and Paul Guzman, Garden Grove, landed five catfish for 8 1/2 pounds. A few holdover catfish in the bigger sizes have also been showing. Matthew Kuhnau, Buena Park, landed an 11 1/2-pounder, while Damon Hanson, Brea, caught a 6 1/2-pounder -- and both the bigger fish came on nightcrawlers. Tilapia are also being planted every week. The best action has been on mealworms or half a nightcrawler fished on a small single hook and light line in three to six feet of water. Some of the tilapia are in the two to three pound category. There also has been a pretty good bite on bluegill on meal worms or wax worms. Sturgeon are slow. There is 24-hour fishing every Friday and Saturday night. Private boats are no longer allowed at Santa Ana River Lakes due to fears of invasive quagga mussels being introduced into the water system. Information: 714-632-7830.
ANAHEIM LAKE: Closed. Anaheim Lake only opens when Santa Ana River Lakes is closed for cleaning and maintenance. Information: (714) 996-3508 or fishinglakes.com, Santa Ana River Lakes - Corona Lake - Anaheim Lake.
IRVINE LAKE: Excellent catfish action. The facility will now be open on Thursday until 11 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday nights until midnight. Night fishing has has been the best time to score limits of catfish. Many fish in the two to six-pound range were reported with 15 feet the best depth. Ted Gervais, Vista, caught a 6-12 catfish on mackerel near the dam. Elaine Dickerhoof, Artesia, landed a 6-2 catfish on mackerel in the flats. Largemouth action is still very good with quite a few quality fish showing. The red clay cliffs and Rocky Point has been the top spots for largemouth with jigs and plastics the top baits. John Bittiny, Westminster, scored a 9-1 largemouth on a plastic at Rocky Point. The panfish bite is good for those targeting them with many bluegill and redear showing in the brushy areas on mealworms and crickets. A few anglers also had success for crappie fishing white Atomic Tubes under floating lights. Several wipers reports came in this past week as well. Anything shad-like was the ticket to score quick strikes on these fish. Mitz Onizuka, Anaheim, got a 4-2 wiper on a Rapala fishing the flats. There was also the odd trout landed this past week. Johnny Avila, Artesia, reeled-in a 13.2-pound rainbow on a Rapala while trolling at the dam. The lake will now be closed on Tuesdays and open until 11 p.m. on Thursdays. The road to Trout Island may re-emerge sometime this month, but the Kids Lagoon is not expected to be its own entity until mid-July. Lake information: 714-649-9111 or Irvine Lake - Fishing and Camping in Orange County, Southern California.
LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE: No report. The lake is open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Information: 949-362-3885 or Laguna Niguel Lake.
LOS ANGELES AREA LAKES
CACHUMA: Very good crappie bite in the narrows on small jigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles. Some of the fish are running up to 1 ½ pounds. The largemouth bite is also pretty decent on lipless cranks, nightcrawlers, and plastics are the best bet. Trout are just fair with no recent plants, but Destiny Andrade landed a pair of rainbows at two and 1 1/2 pounds at the dam on nightcrawlers. Catfish have been best on cut baits in the coves and flats with pretty good action on fish to three pounds. Bluegill are pretty good, but most of the fish are small. Few redear reported. For quagga mussel and the boat launching information, log on at Santa Barbara County Parks Department Home. The marina is open again with rental boats available. The boat launch remains open, but boats must get a quagga mussel inspection. Information: 805-688-4040.
CASITAS: The bass bite remains pretty good in 18 to 25 feet of water on live shad, if you can dip net some early in the morning, or nightcrawlers, plastics, and jigs if you can’t. Top area to fish is on the outside edge of the weed beds on rocky points. There is also more and more topwater action early and late in the day now. The bad news is that the shad are getting harder and harder to come by. They’ve still been a key for most of the bigger fish. Top bass this week, however, was an 8-8 caught on a plastic worm by Roger Herbison, Ojai. George Nigro, Ventura, landed an eight-pounder on live shad, while Frank Lyons, Ventura, had a 7-8 bass, also on the shad. On Wednesday this week. Kevin Bollinger, Simi Valley, had a 7-8 on live shad. Zack Allsup, 7, Thousand Oaks, was using shad to get his first bass, a five-pounder. There is a pretty good redear bite on red worms and nightcrawler pieces with fish to 1-8 or better reported, and the fish are showing from shallow water out to 25 feet. There continue to be a few trout showing for trollers working eight to 10 colors of leadcore and Needlefish or by bait anglers drifting in deep water near the dam. All are nice-quality fish up to four pounds. Luke Thompson, Simi Valley, landed a 3-4 rainbow on a Rapala. Private boats will be inspected for quagga mussels and face a 10-day dry dock requirement before being allowed to launch. The lake is open every day, including all holidays from dusk to dawn. Information: 805-649-2043.
CASTAIC: The striper bite slowed some but the action is still pretty good. Best bet is still near the buoy line on sardines. Most of the fish are smaller, but the numbers have been very good. Largemouth action is excellent with the best bite on plastics and nightcrawlers. There has been a lot of boils first thing in the morning and then the bite slows down until the late afternoon into the evening. Some panfish are showing on wax worms and mealworms. Slow trout action with no plant in a couple of weeks. Information: 661-775-6232 or Castaic Lake | Home.
PIRU: Still just fair action on bass and crappie, but the bluegill and redear bites are slow to fair. The bite should pick up going into Saturday’s full moon. The best bass bite has been on plastics fished in 10 to 25 feet of water with some fish on swimbaits and nightcrawlers. The crappie are showing in 12 to 20 feet on small jigs with few topping a pound. The best action on redear and bluegill has been on nightcrawler pieces or crickets. Catfish still very slow. Trout have not been planted since Jan. 18 but a handful of trout show each week. Information: front gate at 805-521-1500, x500 or Lake Piru Recreation Area.
PYRAMID: The striper action remains good for anglers drifting with anchovies or sardines, and they are averaging from 1 1/2 to three pounds, with some bigger fish up feeding on the trout. Largemouth bass action is fair to good with a lot of one to three-pound fish on nightcrawlers and plastics. Also quite a few smallmouth in this bite. Trout were planted three weeks ago by the DFG. The bite has been slow to fair with trollers seeing the best action on flashers with nightcrawlers, Rapalas, and Needlefish at three to four colors around the dam. The bluegill are showing in pretty good numbers with quite a few fish to half-pound. Crappie spotty on small jigs tipped with bait. Catfish are still mostly slow. Information: Emigrant Landing entrance booth, 661-295-7155, concession 661-257-2790, or Forest Service 661-296-9710.
QUAIL LAKE: No reports.
PUDDINGSTONE: Just fair action on largemouth bass on plastic worms around structure, with some topwater action early and late in the day. Bluegill action is fair to good on crickets, wax worms and meal worms with the fish up in four to five feet of water early and late in the day, and deeper once the sun gets up. Most are hand-sized and smaller but some bigger fish also showing. There’s also a pretty good surface bite early and late in the day for fly rodders. Some bigger redear showing in a little deeper water than the bluegill. Carp are in the shallows. Little fishing pressure but anglers targeting them are getting some nice fish on dough baits. No trout plants for a month and that bite is pretty much done. Catfish improving after the first DFG catfish plant of the season last week. Information: East Shore RV Park: 909-599-8355 (ask for the market).
SANTA FE DAM: DFG catfish plant last week -- first plant of season. Slow to fair bass and bluegill action. Information: 626-334-1065.
ALONDRA PARK LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
BALBOA PARK LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
BELVEDERE PARK LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
CERRITOS PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant last week.
DOWNEY WILDERNESS PARK: DFG catfish plant last week.
ECHO PARK LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
EL DORADO PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant last week.
ELIZABETH LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
HANSEN DAM LAKE: No recent DFG plants. Information: 888-527-2757 or 818-899-3779.
HOLLENBECK LAKE: No recent DFG plants. Information: 213-261-0113.
JOHN FORD PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant last week.
KENNETH HAHN PARK LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
LA MIRADA PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant last week.
LEGG LAKES: DFG catfish plant last week.
LINCOLN PARK LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
MAGIC JOHNSON LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
PECK ROAD PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant last week. Information: 818-448-7317.
SAN DIEGO AREA LAKES
BARRETT: There were 147 anglers checked and they reported catching 1,717 bass and 174 bluegill. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or City Lakes and Recreation Program | Water. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
HODGES: Fair bass action. This past week, there were 84 anglers who landed 77 bass, 24 bluegill, two crappie, and one catfish. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or City Lakes and Recreation Program | Water. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
EL CAPITAN: There were 31 anglers checked this past week and they reported catching 92 bass. The lake is open Thursday through Saturday and on Monday for fishing. Rental boats are available Saturday and Sunday only. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or City Lakes and Recreation Program | Water. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
LOWER OTAY: There were 245 anglers checked and they reported catching 207 bass to 5.67 pounds, 354 bluegill to 1.84 pounds, and eight catfish to 20 pounds. The lake is open on a Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday schedule. The lake only has boat rentals on Saturday and Sunday. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or City Lakes and Recreation Program | Water. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
UPPER OTAY: There were 18 anglers checked and they reported 41 bass to 6.23 pounds and seven bluegill to just over a half-pound. The lake is open on a Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday for catch-and-release fishing (only artificial lures with single, barbless hooks), sunrise to sunset. The road to Upper Otay is open. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or City Lakes and Recreation Program | Water. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
MURRAY: No report. No DFG trout plants in over a month. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or City Lakes and Recreation Program | Water. The lake is no longer renting boats of any kind.
MIRAMAR: There were 33 anglers checked and they reported 12 bass, eight bluegill, and one catfish. The lake is open for fishing seven days a week. The lake is no longer renting boats of any kind, and the launch ramp is closed due to low water levels. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or City Lakes and Recreation Program | Water.
SUTHERLAND: There were 74 anglers checked and they reported catching 135 bass, 47 bluegill, two crappie, 46 catfish, and 18 carp. Lake is only open Saturday and Sunday. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or City Lakes and Recreation Program | Water. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
WOHLFORD: Good largemouth action again this past week. Dark colored plastics or crawdads fished around the submerged rock piles has the best bet. Crappie action is slow to fair with the best bite on small jigs or live golden shiners. Bluegill bite is good in Oakvale Cove and Boat Dock Cove. Catfish action is also good with quite a few limits reported at the east end and southern shore. First catfish plant of the season is slated for July 1. Top catfish this past week was an 11.8-pound blue catfish caught by Khamsouk Sophabmixay, Escondido, on a crawdad west of Senior Shoreline. Trout fishing has slowed as the water continues to warm up. The last trout plant was over a month ago. The lake is open seven days a week. There are four bass boat-type rentals available. The lake will now be offering a couple new discounts on motor boat rentals. Seniors will be able to rent motor boats for $20 every Tuesday. Active military will get the same $20 motor boat rentals on the first and third Saturday of every month. Quagga mussel fears still have a private boating ban. Information: 760-839-4346 or www.wohlfordlake.com.
DOANE POND: DFG trout plant this week.
DIXON LAKE: The trout bite slowed with the warm weather. Best times to get trout has been in the early morning or late evening. Nightcrawlers, rainbow and green Power Bait, mini jigs, Kastmasters, Roostertails, and Thomas Buoyant lures are still producing the occasional fish. Bass action is fair but it's mostly smaller fish in the three to four-pound range showing. Night fishing and catfish plants are set to begin July 1. Lake information: 760-839-4345 or www.dixonlake.com.
POWAY: Fair to good catfish action with shore anglers having better success than those fishing from boats. Catfish plant slated for this week. A few bass and bluegill are showing but it's mostly slow other species. The lake is now open for night fishing Friday and Saturday nights until 11 p.m. with shoreline access until 11:30 p.m. The lake opens at 7 a.m. in June. Lake information: 858-668-4770, tackle shop 858-486-1234.
JENNINGS: Catfish action is good with many fish hitting chicken liver in the shallows and backs of the coves. John Visser, and Jake Alirez, both of Lemon Grove, caught 10 catfish fishing Hermit Cove and the buoy line. Largemouth action is best in the early morning with a decent topwater bite in the backs of the coves. Jackie Hale, Lakeside, caught a 7-8 largemouth fishing with mudsuckers at Hermit Cove. The first anglers in have been seeing the most success for bass. Night fishing kicked off three weeks ago. The last trout plant of the season went in over a month ago. Information: 619-390-1300 or Lake Jennings - Helix Water District Drinking Water Reservoir.
MORENA: No report. Information: 24-hour fishing update line 619-478-5473, ranger station 619-579-4101, or *Lake Morena, Fishing,Camping, picnics, hiking, Real Estate, Insurance, Lake Morena, Campo.
CUYAMACA: Good trout action. Nightcrawlers are working best and the top spot has been the T-Dock. There is also a good crappie bite with a lot of small fish reported. DFG trout plant this week. A few bass and catfish reports are coming in each week as well. Private boats are allowed on the lake again, but the boats must be sprayed for quagga mussels by a high-pressure heated wash prior to entering the lake. The cost is $10 for the spraying and it lasts for multiple trips to Cuyamaca as long as the boat is not used in another reservoir. The decontamination wash down station is for all craft and items used in the water, including boats, motors, kayak, canoes, float tubes and waders. Information: 760-765-0515 or Lake Cuyamaca Home Page.
HENSHAW: Catfish action is good with a lot of nice stringers reported. Most fish in the one to two-pound range. Crappie are fair to good and they are suspended in deeper water (accessible by boat or on the fishing pier). Bass are fair, but few anglers are targeting them. Excellent carp action. Henshaw is open to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, dusk the rest of the week. Information: 760-782-3501.
COLORADO RIVER
FLOW INFORMATION: Reservoir elevation levels and flow releases for the entire lower Colorado River are available at this web site with information updated hourly: Bureau of Reclamation: Lower Colorado Region - Lower Colorado River Operations Schedule.
LAKE MEAD: Slow to fair striper action under schools of shad in 40 to 50 feet of water in the main channel and mouths of most of the coves on cut anchovies, sardines, shad-like lures. Most fish under four pounds. The largemouth bass are slow to fair in eight to 25 feet of water on plastics, and the smallmouth have also been fair. Improving catfish action, but still just a fair number of fish showing in the coves on cut baits. Improving panfish action but still slowish.
WILLOW BEACH: The action on big stripers seems to be turning around with a flurry of quality fish over the past two weeks, mostly on A.C. Plugs or similar lures. The big fish this week were caught last Friday when Paul Thompson, Sr. landed a 32.28-pounder fishing a SPRO swimbait at Mile Marker 52 ½. Nick Thompson also landed a 15.06-pounder on the same bait and spot. Trout bite is fair to good with weekly plants. Best action on salmon eggs, Power Bait, worms and Super Dupers. Information: Willow Beach Resort at 928-767-4747.
LAKE MOHAVE: The bass bite has been fair on plastics with some reaction bait and topwater fish. Trolling with anchovies in 30 to 50 feet of water has been producing some stripers, while catfish are on the bottom. While the number of stripers in Mohave has been decreasing, the quality of the fish caught has increased. The night time bite has begun to pick up. Information: Cottonwood Cove at 702-297-1464, Katherine’s Landing at 928-754-3245.
LAUGHLIN-BULLHEAD AREA: There is still a surprisingly decent bite for trout for anglers targeting the bigger holdover rainbows in this stretch of river. The hot spots have been at the Laughlin Bridge and in front of the casinos, but they are showing all the way down river into Topoc Gorge. Some of these fish are running up to five pounds. The striper bite is slowly improving as more and more fish are showing up in the river all the way up to Davis Dam. Most are showing on anchovies or crankbaits, with the Rio Lomas area the best stretch. Rusty Braun, Bullhead City, caught a 6.85-pounder this past week on a Pencil Popper. Smallmouth are fair along rip-rap on small cranks. Information: Riviera Marina at 928-763-8550.
NEEDLES AREA: There is fair to good smallmouth action in the main river from Needles south to the I-40 bridge and on down into Topoc Gorge, mostly on small cranks. Slowly improving striper action, but this bite still very spotty above Needles. Catfish improving on cut baits, but still just fair. Still a few rainbows showing with a couple at 4 1/2 and 2 1/2-pounds weighed in Wednesday this week. Information: Needles Marina at 760-326-2197.
TOPOCK AREA: The smallmouth and striper bites are just fair throughout Topock Gorge. The striper numbers seeming to be climbing every week -- until this past week. The fish showing are mostly two to five-pound fish in 10 to 12 feet of water with anchovies the best bait. The smallmouth are best on small plastics and nightcrawlers with the fish running from dinks to four pounds. Also some topwater for both species. The bluegill redear action is still fair to good but fewer big fish are showing. The catfish bite has been improving with the warm weather with more and more cats showing in both the main river and marsh with fish to six pounds reported this past week. Largemouth bass slow to fair in the marsh, with some decent topwater action early and late in the day. Topock Marsh can be accessed by boat at North Dike, Catfish Paradise, and Five-Mile Landing. Information: Phil’s Western Trader at 928-768-4954 or Capt. Doyle’s Fun Fishing at 928-768-2667.
HAVASU: The redear and bluegill are about the only bites of note here right now. The fish have mostly dropped off beds, but they are showing all around the lake with a lot of fish up in the river mouth and in most coves. Best bite in six to 20 feet of water. Nightcrawlers are the best bet with a lot of quality redear over a pound and up to three pounds. The largemouth action is slow to fair with the best action early in the day on frogs on top near the tules or on Senko-type baits resembling bluegill or crawdads. The smallmouth are just plain tough with a few showing on rocky points on crawdad cranks or jigs. Stripers are slow to spotty with some topwater action early in the morning on schools of shad, but most of the bite is in 35 to 40 feet of water on main lake drop-offs or river channels. Most are two to four pounds. Channel catfish improving with each hot day, but still very few flatheads reported from the lake. Information: Bass Tackle Master (formerly Angler’s Pro Shop) at 928-854-2277.
PARKER STRIP: Fair to good catfish and smallmouth bass action. The cats are showing in most of the pools on cut baits, while the smallmouth bass are along the rip rap and starting to whack small cranks and swim baits. Bluegill and redear are good in the backwaters and quiet water in the main river. Few flathead reports.
BLYTHE: Overall very good action on most species. The catfish action has been particularly good in both the main river and local canals. Lots of bass to five pounds showing on plastics, cranks, and even surface baits now, but many of the backwaters are very warm with better action in the main river for bass. The smallmouth bite is also very good in the main river, especially around rip-rap. Also good panfish action. The most neglected bite on the river is the decent action on striped bass from six to 15 pounds at the diversion dam. The best action has been out of the main current and close to the shoreline rocks. Information: B&B Bait 760-921-2248.
PALO VERDE: The flathead action has simply been off the hook since Memorial Day weekend, and the coming full moon Saturday should just keep this action good. The average fish are 12 to 18 pounds, but fish to 35 to 50 pounds are showing every week now. The best baits are live bluegill, goldfish and tilapia. The channel catfish bite is also very good. Excellent action on bluegill and the largemouth bass bite has also been good, with morning and evening topwater and a lot of crankbait fish. Few reports on smallmouth and stripers in the main river, and still no crappie reports. Information: Walter’s Camp 760-854-3322 Thursday through Monday.
PICACHO AREA: Fair largemouth bass action in the backwaters and river margins with the best bite early and late in the day, and the catfish -- both flatheads and channels -- are very good with some quality flatheads being caught. Bluegill good, too.
MARTINEZ LAKE AREA: Largemouth bass action has been fair with some flurries of good action on topwater. Flatheads are really good on live bluegill and goldfish. Channel cats are good on cut baits in both the main river and backwater lakes. Bluegill also showing in excellent numbers, but most are small. Information: 928-783-9589 Thursday through Monday or Martinez Lake Resort.
YUMA AREA: Largemouth bass action is fair in the whole region with the fish whacking plastics, cranks, and spinnerbaits. There is also a good topwater bite early and late in the day. The catfish bite is also good with some good catches on channels on cut baits and a flurry of quality flatheads on live goldfish and bluegill.
LOWER DESERT WATERS
SALTON SEA: The tilapia bite is still pretty good with most of the fish from 3/4 to 1 1/2-pounds with an occasional bigger fish. The best bite has been at the state park headquarter’s jetty and the newly reopened Yacht Club jetty. All of the action is still on nightcrawler pieces. Information: Salton Sea State Recreation Area ranger station 760-393-3052.
ALAMO RIVER: No reports.
COACHELLA, HIGHLINE CANALS: No reports.
ALL AMERICAN CANAL: No reports.
FINNEY-RAMER: No reports.
WEIST LAKE: No reports. Information: 760-352-3308.
SUNBEAM LAKE: No reports.
LAKE CAHUILLA: No reports. Information: 760-564-4712.
EASTERN SIERRA
For up-to-date road and campground information can call the following U.S. Forest Service offices: For the Big Pine to Lone Pine region, call 760-876-6222; for the Bishop Region, call 760-873-2500; for the Mammoth Lakes region, call 760-924-5500; for the Lee Vining region, call 760-647-3044; and for the Bridgeport region call 760-932-7070. Lodging and guide information: Bishop Chamber of Commerce 760-873-8405 or Bishop, Mono County Tourism 760-924-1743. Top Eastern Sierra fishing report web sites are: Ken's Sporting Goods - Home (Bridgeport region), The Trout Fly Mammoth Lakes, California, and Sierra Drifters Fly Fishing Guide Service, Mammoth Lakes. Flyfishing Guide Service for Trout. Fly Fish Owens River from guided driftboats in Bishop. Flyfish Crowley Lake and Bridgeport in guided flats boats named the Trout Magnet. Full service outfit.
WEST WALKER RIVER REGION: The West Walker River is still high with run-off but finally starting to come down. Improving action. The Little Walker River is still high, but pretty good fishing. Kirman Lake remains excellent on brookies to 18 inches (and four pounds or more) and cutthroats to 25 inches mostly on scud patterns and seal buggers. Float tubes needed because there is little shore access. Still no reports on damsels. Information: Ken’s Sporting Goods 760-932-7707.
BRIDGEPORT REGION: The trout action continues to improve at both Twin Lakes with a lot of pan-sized fish to two pounds showing on Power Bait, Gulp! Eggs, and nightcrawlers for the bait anglers, and trollers are getting fish on a wide variety of lures, but no trophy browns this week. The East Walker River has been very good this week for most anglers, with a lot of surface fish to 18 inches now on caddis patterns. Flows have been around 200 cfs again this week. Bridgeport Reservoir is still excellent for still fishing or trolling, but the boat bite is still better than from shore with rainbows to four pounds and browns to five pounds reported. The usual baits and trolling lures are working. The midge bite for fly anglers is also starting in the flats near Buckeye Bay. Warm weather finally cleared the ice off the Virginia Lakes, and there has been a wide open bite this past week with a lot of fish to two pounds. Information: Ken’s Sporting Goods 760-932-7707 or Ken's Sporting Goods - Home, Twin Lakes Resort (Lower Twin) 760-932-7751, Annett’s Mono Village (Upper Twin) 760-932-7071.
JUNE LAKE LOOP REGION: Fishing is fair to good on all four lakes, June, Gull, Silver and Grant, on the usual floating dough baits (salmon egg glitter and salmon peach have been the hot Power Bait colors) and inflated nightcrawlers, especially at the stream mouths and outlets. A lot of nice browns have been coming from Silver Lake in the past week along with some holdover cutthroats and rainbows. Bailey Stockton, Bakersfield, had a 2-4 rainbow on red Gulp! In Silver. Rush Creek is good between Silver and Grant on planted trout, but Robert Fleischer, Oxnard, landed a 2-8 cutt on worms. Lower Rush (below Grant) has very low flows and tough fishing. Higher elevation waters are still mostly inaccessible due to ice and snow, but that is going fast now. Information: Ernie’s Tackle at 760-648-7756.
MAMMOTH AREA: Crowley Lake is pretty good on floating baits, inflated nightcrawlers, with improving fly action on midge pupae. Also still some nice cutthroats and browns showing. Convict Lake is good for planted fish. Fair action in Twin Lakes out of Mammoth but no plants in basin yet. Rock Creek drainage planted this week and the action has been very good. Most everything is completely ice free in this region now, except at the highest elevations. Information: The Troutfitter at 760-934-2517, Convict Lake Resort at 760-934-3800, Crowley Lake Fish Camp at 760-935-4301.
BISHOP AREA: A reminder that the Bishop Creek Canyon Summer Classic Trout Derby is ongoing this month. Entry fee is just $5, with the money used to plant trout in the drainage, and there are tagged fish planted worth from $30 to $300 -- but you must be pre-entered to claim the prize. Trophy Alpers’ trout are planted this whole month and the DFG is now planting all the waters in the region, too. Sabrina Lake is filling quickly and the action is fair to good, and some of the Alpers stocked last week are showing. Loren Scott, Highland, landed a three-pounder, while 2 1/4-pound trout were caught by Brockman Blair, Temecula, and Forth Hoyt, Folsom. John Berry, Palmdale, landed a 2-4, as did Becky Robertson, Redlands. Hers came from Bishop Creek. All the forks of the creek have been good for knowledgeable stream anglers. Intake II has been excellent, getting the North Lake stockings, which may not get trout plants until August. All three forks of the creek were also planted again this week. South Lake has been good at the seasonal stream inlets and main inlet at the back of the lake with the fish still in a spawning mode. Trollers are getting a few browns from 11 to 14 inches. Most of the back country still has a lot of snow and ice. Pleasant Valley Reservoir is good for planted rainbows on floating baits and small lures. Lower Owens just fair. Information: Sierra Drifters Guide Service 760-935-4250, Culver’s 760-872- 8361, Brock’s 760-872-3581.
BIG PINE TO LONE PINE AREA: Generally fair to good action after DFG plants again this week on all the creeks. Information: 760-876-4444 or go to Lone PineChamber of Commerce | the Other Side of California.
WESTERN SIERRA
BOB’S BAIT CARP DERBY: The month-long Bob’s Bait Carp Derby kicked off June 1 with a $100 cash prize going to the angler who weighs in the biggest carp during June at Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield. The current leader is Polo Cantu, Bakerfield, with a 16-pounder caught from the aqueduct. For more information, call Bob’s Bait at 661-833-8657.
LAKE ISABELLA: The crappie action just won’t seem to die, and there is still a very good bite on small minnows in Brown’s and Jauchin’s coves in the South Fork arm. Most are half- to three-quarter pounders with the occasional bigger fish, but limits are still being caught. The largemouth bass bite has been pretty good with quality fish from four to six pounds and some bigger showing on Senkos and deep-diving cranks. The catfish action also remains very good in Stein and Robinson coves on frozen shad and clams with lots of fish from two pounds and up. Trout action is still good at the auxiliary dam on Power Bait and nightcrawlers. Bluegill finally starting to improve. Information: Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.
KERN RIVER: Flows have dropped in the upper river, but the fishing is still tough. Stocks the last couple of weeks are keeping the bite petty good on salmon eggs and crawlers. The lower river is still pretty high and tough to fish, but anglers are getting trout after last week’s plants. Information: Kern River Fly Shop 760-376-2040 (or Fly Fishing the Kern River) or James Store 760-376-2424.
AQUEDUCT NEAR TAFT: The catfish and striper action remains very good. Lots of cats showing on cut baits, and the striper bite continues to be mostly on blood and sand worms or shad. Ed Munetoun, Bakersfield, landed a pair of 4-8 stripers. Silvia Villareal, Bakersfield, had an 11-pound carp. Information: Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.
HART PARK LAKE: Very good bluegill action on wax worms with a lot of hand-sized fish showing, and the carp are good on homemade dough baits or Powder Bait. Only a few bass are showing on plastics and nightcrawlers early and late in the day.
TRUXTUN LAKE: Good bluegill bite, and the carp bite has been good on Powder Bait. Fair catfish bite on nightcrawlers and shad. Bass and crappie spotty.
RIVER WALK PARK: The bluegill bite is good on wax worms, and the carp action also is good on homemade dough baits and Powder Bait. There are a few bass showing on minnows, nightcralwers, and plastics.
MING LAKE: The carp bite is very good on Powder Bait and other dough baits. There has also been a very good bite on bluegill, mostly on wax worms and meal worms, and the bass action is slow with a few on plastics.
BRITE LAKE: No reports.
BUENA VISTA LAKES: Continued good catfish action on frozen shad, dip baits, or green garlic nightcrawlers, with most of the cats running from two to five pounds and showing from the small lake. The lake is being planted with catfish every couple of weeks, and there is a five-fish limit on the cats here. A fair number of stripers on bloodworms, minnow, and Zoom Flukes or similar surface swim baits. The bluegill action has been very good on wax worms, but the crappie have been very slow. Carp good. Information: Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.
WOOLLOMES LAKE: The bluegill bite is good on red worms, meal worms, or wax worms, and a few bass are showing on plastics. Pretty good carp action, too.
SUCCESS LAKE: Pretty good bass action Senkos and plastics, and some bluegill and catfish also starting to show. Water level coming up. Information: 559-781-2078.
KAWEAH LAKE: The largemouth bass bite has been fair to good with a lot of fish on plastics and some on topwater and reaction baits. The redear and bluegill are really starting to take off in the shallows. Some catfish beginning to show. Information: 559-597-2526.
CENTRAL COAST LAKES
SAN ANTONIO: There continues to be a fair to good striped bass bite here with a lot of six to 10-pound fish and some in the 12 to 20-pound class each week. The best action has been on trolled shad-like swim baits or live or frozen shad. Also some topwater action for anglers throwing to boils early and late in the day. The best reports on this action continue to come from the Forum section of FishingNetwork.net. The catfish action is also improving and there has been some pretty good crappie action, especially if you can get live shad. Few other reports. Information: 805-472-2818.
NACIMIENTO: Both the smallmouth and largemouth bites are fair with some topwater early and late in the day and then better action in deep water after the dawn-dusk flurries on top. The white bass action is slow to fair on slow-trolled Roostertails and silver spoons. The crappie bite has slowed down with spotty action on live minnows or small jigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles. The catfish bite is improving, and anglers targeting carp are seeing excellent action. Information: 805-238-1056 or Lake Nacimiento Resort and Marina.
SANTA MARGARITA: There is generally a pretty good bite on bass, crappie, and bluegill/redear here. The bass are showing on topwater and live shad, if you can dip a few at dawn, with a slightly lesser bite on plastics and cranks. Most are two to three pounders. The crappie bite has been fair to good, and what they lack in numbers, they’ve been making up in size with a lot of two to three-pound fish. The best bite is in the back of the narrows on the small jigs or live shad, and a 10 to 12 fish catch for a good angler has been common. The bluegill and redear are good in most coves, but the fish are mostly hand-sized with a few bigger ones. Catfish are slow. The marina store is open Wednesday through Sunday. Information: 805-438-1522.
LOPEZ: Fair to good largemouth and crappie action, and the bluegill bite is also good. The bass have mostly been showing off Strawberry Flats early in the morning on topwater, cranks, and plastics. The crappie bite has been best off the F Dock and at the dam with catches of five to 10 fish pretty common, but some of the fish are up into the two-pound range. Best action has been on small jigs tipped with meal worms or Crappie Nibbles. Smaller bluegill and redear are showing in most coves and off the F Dock on red worms and meal worms. Some catfish showing. Information: 805-489-1006.
TROUT PLANTS
Barring adverse weather, water or road conditions, the following lakes and streams, listed by county, will be restocked with catchable-size rainbow trout from the Department of Fish and Game hatcheries this week. For updates in Southern California and the Eastern Sierra Nevada, you can call the DFG recording at 562-594-7268, or for updates in the Western Sierra, you can call 559-243-4005, x183. For trout plants statewide, you can visit the DFG's web site at California Department of Fish & Game Fisheries Fish Planting Schedule by Regions.
SAN BENARDINO: Arrowbear Lake, Big Bear Lake, Lake Gregory, Miller Canyon Creek above Silverwood Lake, Santa Ana River, South Fork of the Santa Ana River.
SAN DIEGO: Cuyamaca Reservoir, Doane Pond.
INYO: Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek Dam Intake No. 2, George Creek, Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lake Sabrina, Lone Pine Creek, lower Bishop Creek, Middle Fork Bishop Creek, Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Rock Creek Lake, Shepherd Creek, South Fork Bishop Creek, South Lake, Symms Creek, Taboose Creek, Tinemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek.
MONO: Bridgeport Reservoir, Convict Creek, Convict Lake, Deadman Creek, Glass Creek, Grant Lake, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lee Vining Creek, lower Twin Lake, near Bridgeport, lower Virginia Lake, Lundy Lake, Mammoth Creek, McGee Creek, Mill Creek, Robinson Creek, Rock Creek from French Camp to upper bridge at Rock Creek Lodge, Rock Creek from Paradise Lodge to Tuff Campground, Rush Creek, Sherwin Creek, upper Owens River from Benton Crossing to Crowley Lake, upper Twin Lake near Bridgeport, upper Virginia Lake, Virginia Creek.
FRESNO: Big Creek near Huntington, Dinkey Creek, Kings River below the Pine Flat Reservoir, Rancheria Creek, San Joaquin River below the Friant Dam, Tamarack Creek.
MADERA: Corrine Lake, Fish Creek, Granite Creek, Lewis Creek, lower Chiquito Creek, Upper Big Creek, West Fork Chiquito Creek.
TULARE: Middle Fork Tule River, North Fork of Middle Fork Tule River at Wishon Campground, South Fork of Middle Fork Tule River at Camp Nelson, South Fork of Middle Fork Tule River at Ceder Slopes.
TUOLUMNE: Lyons Canal, Middle Fork Stanislaus River, Moccasin Creek, Pinecrest Lake, Powerhouse Stream, South Fork Stanislaus River, Stanislaus River Clark Fork.
CATFISH PLANTS
The following lakes, listed by county, will be stocked this week with one-pound catfish by private hatcheries under contract with the Department of Fish and Game.
ORANGE: Carr Park lake, Centennial Regional Park lake, Eisenhower Park lake, Greer Park lake, Huntington Central Park lake, Laguna Lake, Mile Square Regional Park lake, Ralph Clark Regional Park lake, Tri-City Park lake, Yorba Regional Park lake.
Compiled by Bo Matthews 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 in 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@verizon.net.
This report is published by 11 daily newspapers in Southern California each week. Frequently it is edited for space. A complete version is posted on the Outdoor News Service web site (Outdoor News Service). The updated report is usually posted by Thursday morning. The fish report is copyrighted and any use or reposting of the report, or portions of the report, is prohibited without written permission. Posting of links to the fish report on the Outdoor News Service web site is allowed.
The Outdoor News Service is also on Facebook with updated reports and photos posted throughout the week. The new Twitter account name is MatthewsOutdoor. For our latest fishing information, use these sites.
The Cal TIP number, the Department of Fish and Game poacher hotline, is 1-888-DFG-CALTIP. The DFG’s Internet web page is located at the following address: California Department of Fish and Game.
MATTHEWS’ PICKS OF THE WEEK
1. Three very different picks for you this week. The number one pick is the wonderful yellowtail action that has been going on for more than the past week at the Coronado Islands for the San Diego Sportfishing Fleet. This bite is what it used to be like here in the good-old-days, when you could jump on a 3/4-day boat and go out and catch three to five 20-pound yellowtail. It has been that good. Some days, every drop with a sardine has been a hook-up. Check with any of the San Diego Landings for an update on this bite or to book a trip.
2. Kirman Lake in the Eastern Sierra Nevada normally gets into our top picks late in the trout season when the huge brook trout in this little lake color up in their spawning colors. But this walk-in water has been spectacular since it first iced-out early in the season. This is where an 18-inch brook trout will be four to five pounds, and 24-inch cutthroats will weigh six pounds. Besides this spot, you’d have to travel thousands of miles to find brook trout this size. For an update on this bite, Ken’s Sporting Goods in Bridgeport is your source at 760-932-7707.
3. For two weeks now, Willow Beach has been producing some huge striped bass. Tops this past week was a 32-plus pounder. With only a handful of anglers fishing the big, trout-like swimbaits for these fish, it looks like this bite is really starting to break open. But it’s not getting the pressure it deserves. Mile Maker 52 1/2 has been one of the hot spots, but the big fish are showing throughout this stretch of river. If you have a hankering for big striper, call Willow Beach Resort at 928-767-4747 for an update. The full moon this weekend sure won’t hurt this bite.
FRESHWATER HOT SPOTS
TROUT: Top trout bets in Sierra continue to include Bridgeport Reservoir, Lake Crowley, Silver Lake, and most of the Bishop Creek and Rock Creek drainages, which are getting heavily planted each week. Virginia Lakes has also been wide open on fish to two pounds. Flows are still up on most of the creeks and rivers in the region, making for difficult fishing. For fly guys, the East Walker River and Kirman Lake are probably the best bets. In Southern California, there continues to be good action at just a handful of waters with plants over for the season at lower elevations. Top bet is Green Valley Lake and Big Bear and Hemet are both fair to good, especially for trollers.
BLACK BASS: The largemouth bass action has been generally fair to good throughout the region. Top bets again have been Diamond Valley Lake, Casitas, Castaic, Skinner, Sutherland, El Capitan, Wohlford, Otay, Irvine, Perris, Silverwood, Piru, Pyramid, Cachuma, and Puddingstone. The smallmouth action on the Colorado River has been very good in the river stretches, but dead in Lake Havasu. Further up on the Central Coast, Santa Margarita and Lopez are both pretty good for largemouths and the spotted bass are pretty fair in Nacimiento. Isabella is also fair to good with a lot of four to six pounders.
STRIPED BASS: Striper bites are good everywhere. San Antonio Lake on the Central Coast wasn’t quite as good this past week, but it’s still a very good bet, especially for six to 10-pound fish with some bigger. On the Colorado River, the lake bites are all pretty dismal, but the river stretches are good. Willow Beach has been punching out a number of hogs from 20 to 32 pounds the past two weeks. This is the place for a real trophy. The stretch immediately below the Palo Verde Diversion dam is also a good bet for fish to 12 pounds, and the Topoc Gorge stretch above Havasu is also finally coming to life, but mostly on smaller fish. Other good bets include the California Aqueduct near Taft, Pyramid, Castaic, Skinner, and Silverwood. All have been producing a lot of fish.
PANFISH: The crappie bite just won’t go away at Lake Isabella which still has a pretty good bite, but Lopez and Santa Margarita are both producing bigger fish. Cachuma seems to be getting better with a lot of good catches this week in the Narrows. Piru and Henshaw have fair crappie bites. Redear and bluegill bites are hot just about everywhere -- with Diamond Valley, Perris, Casitas, Otay, Sutherland, and Puddingstone some of the top picks. The tilapia bite at the Salton Sea has remained excellent.
CATFISH: Simply good to excellent action just about everywhere. Henshaw, Elsinore, and Hesperia Lake have been the hottest spots in Southern California with a lot of fish landed at all three. But Santa Ana River Lakes and Corona Lake have also been very good and enter the fray in a bigger way this week thanks to bonus plants of trophy fish to 20 pounds at both waters. Skinner, Silverwood, and Diamond Valley are also good with a lot of cats to eight pounds at all three. Isabella has been very good for cats from 1-8 to three pounds, and the California aqueduct near Taft has also been good, too. Irvine started its catfish season with plants last week and it’s also very good. The channel and flathead action is also breaking wide open along the whole lower Colorado River, especially in the warmer backwaters and irrigation ditches. This is the top bet for a quality fish over 20 pounds.
SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAIN WATERS
SILVERWOOD: Very good striper action. The dam and the spillway have been the top spots with anchovies and chicken liver top baits. Dustin Ruth, Barstow, caught a five-pound striper on a nightcrawler at the spillway. Fair trout action with the best action on Power Bait, Power Worms, and inflated nightcrawlers in deep water. The largemouth bite is good with swimbaits working well at the points. The catfish bite is good with most of the fish being caught on chicken liver, dough baits, and shrimp. Top spots for catfish have been Chamise Bay and Outhouse Cove. D.J. Kennybrew, Fontana, caught a striper and a catfish totaling 10 pounds on anchovies. Carp are good for anglers fishing dough baits or nightcrawlers. Bluegill action is starting to improve with the best bite on nightcrawlers. Slow other species. Miller Canyon Creek (just above the lake) was planted with DFG trout this week and the bite should be decent this weekend. The park is open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Information: marina 760-389-2299, state park 760-389-2281, Silverwood Country store 760-389-2423.
BIG BEAR LAKE: Trollers working 20 to 25 feet of water are finding very good action in the Trout Triangle to Papoose Bay (three colors of leadcore line) on brass or copper spoons of just about any variety. Shore and bait action is tougher, but a slip-bobber rig set at 15 to 25 feet and baited with Power Bait or nightcrawlers is the best bet. The trout have moved into deeper water. DFG trout plant this week. Desiree Guillen, Moreno Valley, caught a 4.11-pound trout along the north shore near the dam on Power Bait. The panfish and catfish bites are slowly improving as the weather warms the lake, and the smallmouth and largemouth are both in a spawning mode in the shallows. Carp are in the shallows and providing very good bowfishing. Fishing information: Big Bear Marina 909-866-3218, Big Bear Sporting Goods 909-866-3222.
GREGORY LAKE: There continues to be a fair trout bite with some limits posted and a DFG plant this week should perk this bite. The best action has been on floating baits or small lures and the warm weather has the trout in deeper water. The bite on small crappie is very good early and late in the day. The boat house is open. Information: 909-338-2233.
GREEN VALLEY LAKE: Good trout action on 1-8 to 2-8 rainbows with a few even better quality fish showing. Top rainbow reported was a nine-pounder caught by Jimmy Bon, Green Valley Lake, on a brown jig from a boat. Jonathan Ogino, Temple City, scored a 6.13-pound trout on a nightcrawler at the north shore. Calaveras trout were planed last week. Anglers win a fee Green Valley Lakes tee-shirt if they land a trout over six pounds. Recorded information: 909-867-2009.
ARROWBEAR LAKE: DFG trout plant this week.
JENKS LAKE REGION: Over a month since the last DFG plant. Slow to fair action on small jigs, trout plastics, and floating baits. Both the Santa Ana River in the Seven Oaks area and the South Fork were planted by the DFG this week. Brown trout anglers are also doing pretty good in the streams, however, but most fish are under 10 inches long. Information: Mill Creek Ranger Station at 909-382-2881.
HIGH DESERT LAKES
HESPERIA LAKE: Excellent catfish action. Catfish were planted this week and will be going in each week for the remainder of catfish season. Just about anything anglers are using is working for catfish but mackerel, shrimp, and inflated nightcrawlers have been the top choices with fish to 15 pounds or better reported again this week. Quite a few wipers are also showing with some to three pounds or a little better. Most are in the 1 1/2-pound range and showing on small lures. Trout and sturgeon are both slow now with the heat. Lake hours are 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the night session from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Cost is $15 per angler. Information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.
JESS RANCH: Trout action was fair to good this past week with a few limits reported. Power Bait or inflated night crawlers doused with attractant, jigs, and lures have all been producing fish. The bite has been better in the morning before 10 a.m. or late afternoon hours. Most of the fish have been around two pounds, with a few bigger. A few largemouth are showing on Senkos, spinnerbaits, and nightcrawlers with fish to five pounds reported. Catfish are hitting shrimp and nightcrawlers near the western and northern shores of lake 2. Quite a few bluegill reports have come with anglers reporting success on mealworms for fish around the one-pound mark. The lake is open Friday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., and it is stocked with trout each week on Friday from its own hatchery. Lake information: 760-240-1107 or Jess Ranch Lakes-The Official Site.
MOJAVE NARROWS: County catfish go in each week through the end of catfish season, and the bite has been very good. Robert Page, Victorville, caught a limit of catfish to five pounds. Pretty good action on small bluegill, and quite a few crappie to a pound are also showing. Also fair action for bass, and the occasional carp is also showing. Trout action was good after a DFG plant this last week. Horseshoe Lake is still temporarily closed due to flood damage. Pelican Lake is remains open. For lake information: 760-245-2226.
INLAND VALLEY LAKES
SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
CUCAMONGA-GUASTI: No report. County catfish plants are weekly and will continue to go in each week through the end of catfish season. Information: 909-481-4205.
PRADO: County catfish plants are weekly through the end of the summer season, and the bite has been pretty good on the marshmallow-meal worm combo or shrimp and marshmallow combo, nightcrawlers, and cut baits. Steven Resendez, Yucaipa, caught a seven-pound catfish on shrimp from the middle lake. Rusty Shroepher, Yucaipa, scored a 3-4 catfish on shrimp from the top lake. There is also a good bite on bluegill with wax worms, meal worms, or nightcrawler pieces. A few bass are showing with quite a few fish to four pounds reported on nightcrawlers and soft plastics. Catfish baits are also now being sold at the park, and small boats (non-inflatable) under 16 feet with electric motors are now allowed. Information: 909-597-4260.
YUCAIPA: Fair to good catfish action with most fish in the two-pound range. County catfish plants are weekly through the rest of the summer season. Shrimp, mackerel, and anchovies have been the best baits. Bluegill action is good on small fish, with small pieces of nightcrawler the best bait. Other species are slow. Lake information: 909-790-3127.
GLEN HELEN: County catfish plants are weekly through the rest of the summer season and the bite has been good on nightcrawlers, shrimp, and mackerel. Most of the cats are from 1 1/2 to two pounds. Kiley Brennan, Rialto, caught three catfish on nightcrawlers at the large lake. While the trout are pretty much gone, the bass, bluegill, and carp have been showing in decent numbers, with quite a few bass to two pounds landed by catch-and-release anglers. Information: 909-887-7540.
MOUNT BALDY TROUT POOLS: The heavily stocked pools are open every Saturday and Sunday. No fishing license is needed. Information: 909-982-4246.
SECCOMBE LAKE: DFG trout plant last week. Good action on small bluegill. Information: 909-384-5233.
RIVERSIDE COUNTY
DIAMOND VALLEY: Wide open largemouth action with many anglers reporting 20 fish days. Most of the fish have been small in the two to three-pound range. There has been a very good topwater bite in the early morning. Plastics have been working well all day long. Trout fishing has been slow with only a few catches made by anglers fishing 10 to 20 feet of water in the coves. Jesse Dinkins, Hemet, caught and released 12 trout in the one to two-pound range on nightcrawlers in the south corner of the east dam. Striper action is slow to fair with few catches reported this week. Trolling Kastmasters, Needlefish, or Rapalas has produced some stripers between two and seven pounds. The catfish bite is very good with many fish in the seven to 15-pound range. Cut baits have been working well and the top spots are near the attenuator, the inlet, and Rawson Cove. The bluegill bite has been very good. Anglers fishing with mini jigs, mealworms, or nightcrawlers along the dams have had the most success. Kim Petersen, Culver City, caught a 1.38-pound bluegill at the west dam with nightcrawlers. Crappie spotty. For general lake, launch, and fishing information, call 800-590-LAKE, the marina at 951-926-7201 or Diamond Valley Marina, or Last Chance Bait and Tackle 951-658-7410 or Last Chance Tackle - Home.
PERRIS: The largemouth bite was good the east end and Bernasconi Beach seeing decent action. Michael Dimuro, La Mirada, caught a 7.6-pound largemouth on a plastic worm near the launch ramp. Irene Carter, San Bernardino, scored a 6.5-pound largemouth on a plastic worm fishing Launch Ramp Cove. The panfish bite remains good with a lot of smaller fish in the shallows and bigger fish showing from deeper water in the marina, around the island, and off the dam. Wax worms, red worms, nightcrawlers and crickets are all getting a lot of fish. Stephanie Shields, Perris, got a 1.3-pound bluegill on a cricket fishing from the marina docks. Jeff Soto, Riverside, caught and released an 18-inch crappie estimated to be in the 3 1/2-pound range fishing a small jig tipped with a wax worm from a float tube. He also landed a bunch of redear to about a pound and some smaller bluegill. Trout action is spotty. Mostly slow other species, but there continue to be a few carp caught for those targeting them. The park is open seven days a week, and hours are from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Information: marina 951-657-2179, state park 951-940-5600.
SKINNER: The catfish bite is very good with chicken liver and mackerel the most reported baits with ramp No. 2 the hot spot. Albert Walker, Orange, caught three catfish to 7-8 on mackerel at the inlet. Kimberly Cristler, Corona, got two catfish to five pounds on nightcrawlers at ramp No. 2. Chandler and Ethan Parker, Chino, caught five cats totaling 14-8 on nightcrawlers at ramp No. 2. Bluegill are showing in good numbers at the east end and along the south shore. Slow other species. Good largemouth action. The east end and the south shore have been the top spots with dark plastics and nightcrawlers still the top baits. Carp action has been good for those targeting them. They are primarily being caught in the reeds on nightcrawlers. The striper bite was just fair with a smaller fish showing on chicken liver and anchovies. Information: store 951-926-1505 or marina 951-926-8515.
ELSINORE: Catfish and carp still providing the bulk of the action here with both in fair to good bites. There is also a decent pick on the wipers. The catfish have been showing on shad, shrimp, and nightcrawlers, with fish up to eight pounds reported. The carp are three to seven pounds and most anglers are using their homemade dough baits. The wipers are mostly showing on live shad, shrimp, with a few on lures with the southwest and northwest ends of the lake best. Anglers are reminded the limit on the wipers is two-fish, with an 18-inch minimum size. Crappie are still very slow with almost none reported in the past week. There’s a fair bite on the largemouth bass on plastics and reaction baits. Boat rentals are available through the William’s Bait, Tackle, and Boat Rental out of Elsinore West Marina. For more information, contact William’s Bait, Tackle, and Boat Rental at 951-642-0640 or Elsinore West Marina at 951-678-1300.
CORONA LAKE: A double plant of catfish this week, and a load of super broodstock fish from 10 to 20 pounds was slated to go in Friday for the official grand opening of catfish season. The action has been good over the past week with a lot of one- to two-pound catfish showing on stringers, along with a few bigger fish. The top catfish reported was a 5 1/2-pounder landed by Lance Machiven, Bakersfield, as part of a 10-fish, 32 1/2-pound stringer he caught on J.D.’s Mackerel Bait fished in the trees. Earl Twymon Sr. and Earl Jr., both Lake Elsinore, landed 10 catfish for 11 1/4 pounds total on nightcrawlers. Top baits have been J.D.’s Catfish Bait, the marshmallow-meal worm combo, and nightcrawlers or shrimp doused with Eagle Claw’s Catfish Gravy. For the tilapia, which are being planted at least once a week, the best bite has been on nightcrawler pieces and a lot of fish from one to two pounds are showing. There is 24-hour fishing every Friday and Saturday night. Information: 951-277-4489 or Indy Lakes Fishing Lakes and Campground.
EVANS LAKE: Bass are showing in fair numbers for the guys tossing small plastics and tiny jerk baits along the rocky shorelines. Also a pretty decent bite on small bluegill and warmouth. Bass to two pounds reported this week.
RANCHO JURUPA: Fair catfish action. There is also a fair bite on bluegill and carp. Slow other species. There is a new bait and tackle shop at the lake. Information: 951-684-7032.
FISHERMAN’S RETREAT: No report. Information: 909-795-0171.
ANGLER’S LAKE: The lake is currently closed.
REFLECTION LAKE: Catfish remain good on cut baits, and plants are every two weeks with 500 pounds planted each time. There are monthly derbies. A few bass are showing. Bluegill fair. Information: 951-654-7906 or Reflection Lake RV Park, a Hemet California RV Park and Family Campground.
JEAN'S CHANNEL CATS: Catfish action has been very good with each warm day helping the bite. The best action has been on chicken liver, mackerel, and shrimp. Plants twice a month. The lake is now only open on weekends Friday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on all Monday holidays. Information: 951-679-6562 or 951-259-2021.
SAN JACINTO MOUNTAIN WATERS
LAKE HEMET: Good trout action continues with a few limits reported once again. DFG trout were planted last week. The fish are showing for trollers and shore anglers using Power Bait or similar baits along the south shoreline. Fish are mostly smaller but a few in the two-pound range are showing. Allan Russell, Hemet, caught a limit of trout while trolling. Brandon Sabala, 6, Highland, caught three trout and one bluegill using Power Bait. The odd bass and panfish is also showing but it's mostly slow for other species. Lake open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Information: Lake Hemet Market 951-659-2350, campground 951-659-2680.
FULMOR LAKE: No recent DFG trout plants. Information: 951-659-2117.
ORANGE COUNTY
SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES: The official start to catfish season is this week with bonus plants of catfish from four to eight pounds on Tuesday, and a load of 10 to 20-pounders is slated for Friday. Catfish action is already excellent with plants twice a week with anglers using either nightcrawlers or shrimp doused with Eagle Claw catfish Gravy. Edward Babakanyan, Glendale, and Bobby Galstyam, Granada Hills, had 21 catfish for a total weight of 47 1/2 pounds, and they were all right at the to two-pound mark. Bruce Everett, Cerritos, landed 15 catfish for a total weight of 20 1/4 pounds. Mike Cates and Egbere Dugall, both Los Angeles, had seven cats for 14 1/2 pounds. Rick and Paul Guzman, Garden Grove, landed five catfish for 8 1/2 pounds. A few holdover catfish in the bigger sizes have also been showing. Matthew Kuhnau, Buena Park, landed an 11 1/2-pounder, while Damon Hanson, Brea, caught a 6 1/2-pounder -- and both the bigger fish came on nightcrawlers. Tilapia are also being planted every week. The best action has been on mealworms or half a nightcrawler fished on a small single hook and light line in three to six feet of water. Some of the tilapia are in the two to three pound category. There also has been a pretty good bite on bluegill on meal worms or wax worms. Sturgeon are slow. There is 24-hour fishing every Friday and Saturday night. Private boats are no longer allowed at Santa Ana River Lakes due to fears of invasive quagga mussels being introduced into the water system. Information: 714-632-7830.
ANAHEIM LAKE: Closed. Anaheim Lake only opens when Santa Ana River Lakes is closed for cleaning and maintenance. Information: (714) 996-3508 or fishinglakes.com, Santa Ana River Lakes - Corona Lake - Anaheim Lake.
IRVINE LAKE: Excellent catfish action. The facility will now be open on Thursday until 11 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday nights until midnight. Night fishing has has been the best time to score limits of catfish. Many fish in the two to six-pound range were reported with 15 feet the best depth. Ted Gervais, Vista, caught a 6-12 catfish on mackerel near the dam. Elaine Dickerhoof, Artesia, landed a 6-2 catfish on mackerel in the flats. Largemouth action is still very good with quite a few quality fish showing. The red clay cliffs and Rocky Point has been the top spots for largemouth with jigs and plastics the top baits. John Bittiny, Westminster, scored a 9-1 largemouth on a plastic at Rocky Point. The panfish bite is good for those targeting them with many bluegill and redear showing in the brushy areas on mealworms and crickets. A few anglers also had success for crappie fishing white Atomic Tubes under floating lights. Several wipers reports came in this past week as well. Anything shad-like was the ticket to score quick strikes on these fish. Mitz Onizuka, Anaheim, got a 4-2 wiper on a Rapala fishing the flats. There was also the odd trout landed this past week. Johnny Avila, Artesia, reeled-in a 13.2-pound rainbow on a Rapala while trolling at the dam. The lake will now be closed on Tuesdays and open until 11 p.m. on Thursdays. The road to Trout Island may re-emerge sometime this month, but the Kids Lagoon is not expected to be its own entity until mid-July. Lake information: 714-649-9111 or Irvine Lake - Fishing and Camping in Orange County, Southern California.
LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE: No report. The lake is open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Information: 949-362-3885 or Laguna Niguel Lake.
LOS ANGELES AREA LAKES
CACHUMA: Very good crappie bite in the narrows on small jigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles. Some of the fish are running up to 1 ½ pounds. The largemouth bite is also pretty decent on lipless cranks, nightcrawlers, and plastics are the best bet. Trout are just fair with no recent plants, but Destiny Andrade landed a pair of rainbows at two and 1 1/2 pounds at the dam on nightcrawlers. Catfish have been best on cut baits in the coves and flats with pretty good action on fish to three pounds. Bluegill are pretty good, but most of the fish are small. Few redear reported. For quagga mussel and the boat launching information, log on at Santa Barbara County Parks Department Home. The marina is open again with rental boats available. The boat launch remains open, but boats must get a quagga mussel inspection. Information: 805-688-4040.
CASITAS: The bass bite remains pretty good in 18 to 25 feet of water on live shad, if you can dip net some early in the morning, or nightcrawlers, plastics, and jigs if you can’t. Top area to fish is on the outside edge of the weed beds on rocky points. There is also more and more topwater action early and late in the day now. The bad news is that the shad are getting harder and harder to come by. They’ve still been a key for most of the bigger fish. Top bass this week, however, was an 8-8 caught on a plastic worm by Roger Herbison, Ojai. George Nigro, Ventura, landed an eight-pounder on live shad, while Frank Lyons, Ventura, had a 7-8 bass, also on the shad. On Wednesday this week. Kevin Bollinger, Simi Valley, had a 7-8 on live shad. Zack Allsup, 7, Thousand Oaks, was using shad to get his first bass, a five-pounder. There is a pretty good redear bite on red worms and nightcrawler pieces with fish to 1-8 or better reported, and the fish are showing from shallow water out to 25 feet. There continue to be a few trout showing for trollers working eight to 10 colors of leadcore and Needlefish or by bait anglers drifting in deep water near the dam. All are nice-quality fish up to four pounds. Luke Thompson, Simi Valley, landed a 3-4 rainbow on a Rapala. Private boats will be inspected for quagga mussels and face a 10-day dry dock requirement before being allowed to launch. The lake is open every day, including all holidays from dusk to dawn. Information: 805-649-2043.
CASTAIC: The striper bite slowed some but the action is still pretty good. Best bet is still near the buoy line on sardines. Most of the fish are smaller, but the numbers have been very good. Largemouth action is excellent with the best bite on plastics and nightcrawlers. There has been a lot of boils first thing in the morning and then the bite slows down until the late afternoon into the evening. Some panfish are showing on wax worms and mealworms. Slow trout action with no plant in a couple of weeks. Information: 661-775-6232 or Castaic Lake | Home.
PIRU: Still just fair action on bass and crappie, but the bluegill and redear bites are slow to fair. The bite should pick up going into Saturday’s full moon. The best bass bite has been on plastics fished in 10 to 25 feet of water with some fish on swimbaits and nightcrawlers. The crappie are showing in 12 to 20 feet on small jigs with few topping a pound. The best action on redear and bluegill has been on nightcrawler pieces or crickets. Catfish still very slow. Trout have not been planted since Jan. 18 but a handful of trout show each week. Information: front gate at 805-521-1500, x500 or Lake Piru Recreation Area.
PYRAMID: The striper action remains good for anglers drifting with anchovies or sardines, and they are averaging from 1 1/2 to three pounds, with some bigger fish up feeding on the trout. Largemouth bass action is fair to good with a lot of one to three-pound fish on nightcrawlers and plastics. Also quite a few smallmouth in this bite. Trout were planted three weeks ago by the DFG. The bite has been slow to fair with trollers seeing the best action on flashers with nightcrawlers, Rapalas, and Needlefish at three to four colors around the dam. The bluegill are showing in pretty good numbers with quite a few fish to half-pound. Crappie spotty on small jigs tipped with bait. Catfish are still mostly slow. Information: Emigrant Landing entrance booth, 661-295-7155, concession 661-257-2790, or Forest Service 661-296-9710.
QUAIL LAKE: No reports.
PUDDINGSTONE: Just fair action on largemouth bass on plastic worms around structure, with some topwater action early and late in the day. Bluegill action is fair to good on crickets, wax worms and meal worms with the fish up in four to five feet of water early and late in the day, and deeper once the sun gets up. Most are hand-sized and smaller but some bigger fish also showing. There’s also a pretty good surface bite early and late in the day for fly rodders. Some bigger redear showing in a little deeper water than the bluegill. Carp are in the shallows. Little fishing pressure but anglers targeting them are getting some nice fish on dough baits. No trout plants for a month and that bite is pretty much done. Catfish improving after the first DFG catfish plant of the season last week. Information: East Shore RV Park: 909-599-8355 (ask for the market).
SANTA FE DAM: DFG catfish plant last week -- first plant of season. Slow to fair bass and bluegill action. Information: 626-334-1065.
ALONDRA PARK LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
BALBOA PARK LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
BELVEDERE PARK LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
CERRITOS PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant last week.
DOWNEY WILDERNESS PARK: DFG catfish plant last week.
ECHO PARK LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
EL DORADO PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant last week.
ELIZABETH LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
HANSEN DAM LAKE: No recent DFG plants. Information: 888-527-2757 or 818-899-3779.
HOLLENBECK LAKE: No recent DFG plants. Information: 213-261-0113.
JOHN FORD PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant last week.
KENNETH HAHN PARK LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
LA MIRADA PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant last week.
LEGG LAKES: DFG catfish plant last week.
LINCOLN PARK LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
MAGIC JOHNSON LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
PECK ROAD PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant last week. Information: 818-448-7317.
SAN DIEGO AREA LAKES
BARRETT: There were 147 anglers checked and they reported catching 1,717 bass and 174 bluegill. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or City Lakes and Recreation Program | Water. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
HODGES: Fair bass action. This past week, there were 84 anglers who landed 77 bass, 24 bluegill, two crappie, and one catfish. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or City Lakes and Recreation Program | Water. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
EL CAPITAN: There were 31 anglers checked this past week and they reported catching 92 bass. The lake is open Thursday through Saturday and on Monday for fishing. Rental boats are available Saturday and Sunday only. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or City Lakes and Recreation Program | Water. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
LOWER OTAY: There were 245 anglers checked and they reported catching 207 bass to 5.67 pounds, 354 bluegill to 1.84 pounds, and eight catfish to 20 pounds. The lake is open on a Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday schedule. The lake only has boat rentals on Saturday and Sunday. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or City Lakes and Recreation Program | Water. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
UPPER OTAY: There were 18 anglers checked and they reported 41 bass to 6.23 pounds and seven bluegill to just over a half-pound. The lake is open on a Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday for catch-and-release fishing (only artificial lures with single, barbless hooks), sunrise to sunset. The road to Upper Otay is open. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or City Lakes and Recreation Program | Water. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
MURRAY: No report. No DFG trout plants in over a month. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or City Lakes and Recreation Program | Water. The lake is no longer renting boats of any kind.
MIRAMAR: There were 33 anglers checked and they reported 12 bass, eight bluegill, and one catfish. The lake is open for fishing seven days a week. The lake is no longer renting boats of any kind, and the launch ramp is closed due to low water levels. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or City Lakes and Recreation Program | Water.
SUTHERLAND: There were 74 anglers checked and they reported catching 135 bass, 47 bluegill, two crappie, 46 catfish, and 18 carp. Lake is only open Saturday and Sunday. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or City Lakes and Recreation Program | Water. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
WOHLFORD: Good largemouth action again this past week. Dark colored plastics or crawdads fished around the submerged rock piles has the best bet. Crappie action is slow to fair with the best bite on small jigs or live golden shiners. Bluegill bite is good in Oakvale Cove and Boat Dock Cove. Catfish action is also good with quite a few limits reported at the east end and southern shore. First catfish plant of the season is slated for July 1. Top catfish this past week was an 11.8-pound blue catfish caught by Khamsouk Sophabmixay, Escondido, on a crawdad west of Senior Shoreline. Trout fishing has slowed as the water continues to warm up. The last trout plant was over a month ago. The lake is open seven days a week. There are four bass boat-type rentals available. The lake will now be offering a couple new discounts on motor boat rentals. Seniors will be able to rent motor boats for $20 every Tuesday. Active military will get the same $20 motor boat rentals on the first and third Saturday of every month. Quagga mussel fears still have a private boating ban. Information: 760-839-4346 or www.wohlfordlake.com.
DOANE POND: DFG trout plant this week.
DIXON LAKE: The trout bite slowed with the warm weather. Best times to get trout has been in the early morning or late evening. Nightcrawlers, rainbow and green Power Bait, mini jigs, Kastmasters, Roostertails, and Thomas Buoyant lures are still producing the occasional fish. Bass action is fair but it's mostly smaller fish in the three to four-pound range showing. Night fishing and catfish plants are set to begin July 1. Lake information: 760-839-4345 or www.dixonlake.com.
POWAY: Fair to good catfish action with shore anglers having better success than those fishing from boats. Catfish plant slated for this week. A few bass and bluegill are showing but it's mostly slow other species. The lake is now open for night fishing Friday and Saturday nights until 11 p.m. with shoreline access until 11:30 p.m. The lake opens at 7 a.m. in June. Lake information: 858-668-4770, tackle shop 858-486-1234.
JENNINGS: Catfish action is good with many fish hitting chicken liver in the shallows and backs of the coves. John Visser, and Jake Alirez, both of Lemon Grove, caught 10 catfish fishing Hermit Cove and the buoy line. Largemouth action is best in the early morning with a decent topwater bite in the backs of the coves. Jackie Hale, Lakeside, caught a 7-8 largemouth fishing with mudsuckers at Hermit Cove. The first anglers in have been seeing the most success for bass. Night fishing kicked off three weeks ago. The last trout plant of the season went in over a month ago. Information: 619-390-1300 or Lake Jennings - Helix Water District Drinking Water Reservoir.
MORENA: No report. Information: 24-hour fishing update line 619-478-5473, ranger station 619-579-4101, or *Lake Morena, Fishing,Camping, picnics, hiking, Real Estate, Insurance, Lake Morena, Campo.
CUYAMACA: Good trout action. Nightcrawlers are working best and the top spot has been the T-Dock. There is also a good crappie bite with a lot of small fish reported. DFG trout plant this week. A few bass and catfish reports are coming in each week as well. Private boats are allowed on the lake again, but the boats must be sprayed for quagga mussels by a high-pressure heated wash prior to entering the lake. The cost is $10 for the spraying and it lasts for multiple trips to Cuyamaca as long as the boat is not used in another reservoir. The decontamination wash down station is for all craft and items used in the water, including boats, motors, kayak, canoes, float tubes and waders. Information: 760-765-0515 or Lake Cuyamaca Home Page.
HENSHAW: Catfish action is good with a lot of nice stringers reported. Most fish in the one to two-pound range. Crappie are fair to good and they are suspended in deeper water (accessible by boat or on the fishing pier). Bass are fair, but few anglers are targeting them. Excellent carp action. Henshaw is open to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, dusk the rest of the week. Information: 760-782-3501.
COLORADO RIVER
FLOW INFORMATION: Reservoir elevation levels and flow releases for the entire lower Colorado River are available at this web site with information updated hourly: Bureau of Reclamation: Lower Colorado Region - Lower Colorado River Operations Schedule.
LAKE MEAD: Slow to fair striper action under schools of shad in 40 to 50 feet of water in the main channel and mouths of most of the coves on cut anchovies, sardines, shad-like lures. Most fish under four pounds. The largemouth bass are slow to fair in eight to 25 feet of water on plastics, and the smallmouth have also been fair. Improving catfish action, but still just a fair number of fish showing in the coves on cut baits. Improving panfish action but still slowish.
WILLOW BEACH: The action on big stripers seems to be turning around with a flurry of quality fish over the past two weeks, mostly on A.C. Plugs or similar lures. The big fish this week were caught last Friday when Paul Thompson, Sr. landed a 32.28-pounder fishing a SPRO swimbait at Mile Marker 52 ½. Nick Thompson also landed a 15.06-pounder on the same bait and spot. Trout bite is fair to good with weekly plants. Best action on salmon eggs, Power Bait, worms and Super Dupers. Information: Willow Beach Resort at 928-767-4747.
LAKE MOHAVE: The bass bite has been fair on plastics with some reaction bait and topwater fish. Trolling with anchovies in 30 to 50 feet of water has been producing some stripers, while catfish are on the bottom. While the number of stripers in Mohave has been decreasing, the quality of the fish caught has increased. The night time bite has begun to pick up. Information: Cottonwood Cove at 702-297-1464, Katherine’s Landing at 928-754-3245.
LAUGHLIN-BULLHEAD AREA: There is still a surprisingly decent bite for trout for anglers targeting the bigger holdover rainbows in this stretch of river. The hot spots have been at the Laughlin Bridge and in front of the casinos, but they are showing all the way down river into Topoc Gorge. Some of these fish are running up to five pounds. The striper bite is slowly improving as more and more fish are showing up in the river all the way up to Davis Dam. Most are showing on anchovies or crankbaits, with the Rio Lomas area the best stretch. Rusty Braun, Bullhead City, caught a 6.85-pounder this past week on a Pencil Popper. Smallmouth are fair along rip-rap on small cranks. Information: Riviera Marina at 928-763-8550.
NEEDLES AREA: There is fair to good smallmouth action in the main river from Needles south to the I-40 bridge and on down into Topoc Gorge, mostly on small cranks. Slowly improving striper action, but this bite still very spotty above Needles. Catfish improving on cut baits, but still just fair. Still a few rainbows showing with a couple at 4 1/2 and 2 1/2-pounds weighed in Wednesday this week. Information: Needles Marina at 760-326-2197.
TOPOCK AREA: The smallmouth and striper bites are just fair throughout Topock Gorge. The striper numbers seeming to be climbing every week -- until this past week. The fish showing are mostly two to five-pound fish in 10 to 12 feet of water with anchovies the best bait. The smallmouth are best on small plastics and nightcrawlers with the fish running from dinks to four pounds. Also some topwater for both species. The bluegill redear action is still fair to good but fewer big fish are showing. The catfish bite has been improving with the warm weather with more and more cats showing in both the main river and marsh with fish to six pounds reported this past week. Largemouth bass slow to fair in the marsh, with some decent topwater action early and late in the day. Topock Marsh can be accessed by boat at North Dike, Catfish Paradise, and Five-Mile Landing. Information: Phil’s Western Trader at 928-768-4954 or Capt. Doyle’s Fun Fishing at 928-768-2667.
HAVASU: The redear and bluegill are about the only bites of note here right now. The fish have mostly dropped off beds, but they are showing all around the lake with a lot of fish up in the river mouth and in most coves. Best bite in six to 20 feet of water. Nightcrawlers are the best bet with a lot of quality redear over a pound and up to three pounds. The largemouth action is slow to fair with the best action early in the day on frogs on top near the tules or on Senko-type baits resembling bluegill or crawdads. The smallmouth are just plain tough with a few showing on rocky points on crawdad cranks or jigs. Stripers are slow to spotty with some topwater action early in the morning on schools of shad, but most of the bite is in 35 to 40 feet of water on main lake drop-offs or river channels. Most are two to four pounds. Channel catfish improving with each hot day, but still very few flatheads reported from the lake. Information: Bass Tackle Master (formerly Angler’s Pro Shop) at 928-854-2277.
PARKER STRIP: Fair to good catfish and smallmouth bass action. The cats are showing in most of the pools on cut baits, while the smallmouth bass are along the rip rap and starting to whack small cranks and swim baits. Bluegill and redear are good in the backwaters and quiet water in the main river. Few flathead reports.
BLYTHE: Overall very good action on most species. The catfish action has been particularly good in both the main river and local canals. Lots of bass to five pounds showing on plastics, cranks, and even surface baits now, but many of the backwaters are very warm with better action in the main river for bass. The smallmouth bite is also very good in the main river, especially around rip-rap. Also good panfish action. The most neglected bite on the river is the decent action on striped bass from six to 15 pounds at the diversion dam. The best action has been out of the main current and close to the shoreline rocks. Information: B&B Bait 760-921-2248.
PALO VERDE: The flathead action has simply been off the hook since Memorial Day weekend, and the coming full moon Saturday should just keep this action good. The average fish are 12 to 18 pounds, but fish to 35 to 50 pounds are showing every week now. The best baits are live bluegill, goldfish and tilapia. The channel catfish bite is also very good. Excellent action on bluegill and the largemouth bass bite has also been good, with morning and evening topwater and a lot of crankbait fish. Few reports on smallmouth and stripers in the main river, and still no crappie reports. Information: Walter’s Camp 760-854-3322 Thursday through Monday.
PICACHO AREA: Fair largemouth bass action in the backwaters and river margins with the best bite early and late in the day, and the catfish -- both flatheads and channels -- are very good with some quality flatheads being caught. Bluegill good, too.
MARTINEZ LAKE AREA: Largemouth bass action has been fair with some flurries of good action on topwater. Flatheads are really good on live bluegill and goldfish. Channel cats are good on cut baits in both the main river and backwater lakes. Bluegill also showing in excellent numbers, but most are small. Information: 928-783-9589 Thursday through Monday or Martinez Lake Resort.
YUMA AREA: Largemouth bass action is fair in the whole region with the fish whacking plastics, cranks, and spinnerbaits. There is also a good topwater bite early and late in the day. The catfish bite is also good with some good catches on channels on cut baits and a flurry of quality flatheads on live goldfish and bluegill.
LOWER DESERT WATERS
SALTON SEA: The tilapia bite is still pretty good with most of the fish from 3/4 to 1 1/2-pounds with an occasional bigger fish. The best bite has been at the state park headquarter’s jetty and the newly reopened Yacht Club jetty. All of the action is still on nightcrawler pieces. Information: Salton Sea State Recreation Area ranger station 760-393-3052.
ALAMO RIVER: No reports.
COACHELLA, HIGHLINE CANALS: No reports.
ALL AMERICAN CANAL: No reports.
FINNEY-RAMER: No reports.
WEIST LAKE: No reports. Information: 760-352-3308.
SUNBEAM LAKE: No reports.
LAKE CAHUILLA: No reports. Information: 760-564-4712.
EASTERN SIERRA
For up-to-date road and campground information can call the following U.S. Forest Service offices: For the Big Pine to Lone Pine region, call 760-876-6222; for the Bishop Region, call 760-873-2500; for the Mammoth Lakes region, call 760-924-5500; for the Lee Vining region, call 760-647-3044; and for the Bridgeport region call 760-932-7070. Lodging and guide information: Bishop Chamber of Commerce 760-873-8405 or Bishop, Mono County Tourism 760-924-1743. Top Eastern Sierra fishing report web sites are: Ken's Sporting Goods - Home (Bridgeport region), The Trout Fly Mammoth Lakes, California, and Sierra Drifters Fly Fishing Guide Service, Mammoth Lakes. Flyfishing Guide Service for Trout. Fly Fish Owens River from guided driftboats in Bishop. Flyfish Crowley Lake and Bridgeport in guided flats boats named the Trout Magnet. Full service outfit.
WEST WALKER RIVER REGION: The West Walker River is still high with run-off but finally starting to come down. Improving action. The Little Walker River is still high, but pretty good fishing. Kirman Lake remains excellent on brookies to 18 inches (and four pounds or more) and cutthroats to 25 inches mostly on scud patterns and seal buggers. Float tubes needed because there is little shore access. Still no reports on damsels. Information: Ken’s Sporting Goods 760-932-7707.
BRIDGEPORT REGION: The trout action continues to improve at both Twin Lakes with a lot of pan-sized fish to two pounds showing on Power Bait, Gulp! Eggs, and nightcrawlers for the bait anglers, and trollers are getting fish on a wide variety of lures, but no trophy browns this week. The East Walker River has been very good this week for most anglers, with a lot of surface fish to 18 inches now on caddis patterns. Flows have been around 200 cfs again this week. Bridgeport Reservoir is still excellent for still fishing or trolling, but the boat bite is still better than from shore with rainbows to four pounds and browns to five pounds reported. The usual baits and trolling lures are working. The midge bite for fly anglers is also starting in the flats near Buckeye Bay. Warm weather finally cleared the ice off the Virginia Lakes, and there has been a wide open bite this past week with a lot of fish to two pounds. Information: Ken’s Sporting Goods 760-932-7707 or Ken's Sporting Goods - Home, Twin Lakes Resort (Lower Twin) 760-932-7751, Annett’s Mono Village (Upper Twin) 760-932-7071.
JUNE LAKE LOOP REGION: Fishing is fair to good on all four lakes, June, Gull, Silver and Grant, on the usual floating dough baits (salmon egg glitter and salmon peach have been the hot Power Bait colors) and inflated nightcrawlers, especially at the stream mouths and outlets. A lot of nice browns have been coming from Silver Lake in the past week along with some holdover cutthroats and rainbows. Bailey Stockton, Bakersfield, had a 2-4 rainbow on red Gulp! In Silver. Rush Creek is good between Silver and Grant on planted trout, but Robert Fleischer, Oxnard, landed a 2-8 cutt on worms. Lower Rush (below Grant) has very low flows and tough fishing. Higher elevation waters are still mostly inaccessible due to ice and snow, but that is going fast now. Information: Ernie’s Tackle at 760-648-7756.
MAMMOTH AREA: Crowley Lake is pretty good on floating baits, inflated nightcrawlers, with improving fly action on midge pupae. Also still some nice cutthroats and browns showing. Convict Lake is good for planted fish. Fair action in Twin Lakes out of Mammoth but no plants in basin yet. Rock Creek drainage planted this week and the action has been very good. Most everything is completely ice free in this region now, except at the highest elevations. Information: The Troutfitter at 760-934-2517, Convict Lake Resort at 760-934-3800, Crowley Lake Fish Camp at 760-935-4301.
BISHOP AREA: A reminder that the Bishop Creek Canyon Summer Classic Trout Derby is ongoing this month. Entry fee is just $5, with the money used to plant trout in the drainage, and there are tagged fish planted worth from $30 to $300 -- but you must be pre-entered to claim the prize. Trophy Alpers’ trout are planted this whole month and the DFG is now planting all the waters in the region, too. Sabrina Lake is filling quickly and the action is fair to good, and some of the Alpers stocked last week are showing. Loren Scott, Highland, landed a three-pounder, while 2 1/4-pound trout were caught by Brockman Blair, Temecula, and Forth Hoyt, Folsom. John Berry, Palmdale, landed a 2-4, as did Becky Robertson, Redlands. Hers came from Bishop Creek. All the forks of the creek have been good for knowledgeable stream anglers. Intake II has been excellent, getting the North Lake stockings, which may not get trout plants until August. All three forks of the creek were also planted again this week. South Lake has been good at the seasonal stream inlets and main inlet at the back of the lake with the fish still in a spawning mode. Trollers are getting a few browns from 11 to 14 inches. Most of the back country still has a lot of snow and ice. Pleasant Valley Reservoir is good for planted rainbows on floating baits and small lures. Lower Owens just fair. Information: Sierra Drifters Guide Service 760-935-4250, Culver’s 760-872- 8361, Brock’s 760-872-3581.
BIG PINE TO LONE PINE AREA: Generally fair to good action after DFG plants again this week on all the creeks. Information: 760-876-4444 or go to Lone PineChamber of Commerce | the Other Side of California.
WESTERN SIERRA
BOB’S BAIT CARP DERBY: The month-long Bob’s Bait Carp Derby kicked off June 1 with a $100 cash prize going to the angler who weighs in the biggest carp during June at Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield. The current leader is Polo Cantu, Bakerfield, with a 16-pounder caught from the aqueduct. For more information, call Bob’s Bait at 661-833-8657.
LAKE ISABELLA: The crappie action just won’t seem to die, and there is still a very good bite on small minnows in Brown’s and Jauchin’s coves in the South Fork arm. Most are half- to three-quarter pounders with the occasional bigger fish, but limits are still being caught. The largemouth bass bite has been pretty good with quality fish from four to six pounds and some bigger showing on Senkos and deep-diving cranks. The catfish action also remains very good in Stein and Robinson coves on frozen shad and clams with lots of fish from two pounds and up. Trout action is still good at the auxiliary dam on Power Bait and nightcrawlers. Bluegill finally starting to improve. Information: Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.
KERN RIVER: Flows have dropped in the upper river, but the fishing is still tough. Stocks the last couple of weeks are keeping the bite petty good on salmon eggs and crawlers. The lower river is still pretty high and tough to fish, but anglers are getting trout after last week’s plants. Information: Kern River Fly Shop 760-376-2040 (or Fly Fishing the Kern River) or James Store 760-376-2424.
AQUEDUCT NEAR TAFT: The catfish and striper action remains very good. Lots of cats showing on cut baits, and the striper bite continues to be mostly on blood and sand worms or shad. Ed Munetoun, Bakersfield, landed a pair of 4-8 stripers. Silvia Villareal, Bakersfield, had an 11-pound carp. Information: Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.
HART PARK LAKE: Very good bluegill action on wax worms with a lot of hand-sized fish showing, and the carp are good on homemade dough baits or Powder Bait. Only a few bass are showing on plastics and nightcrawlers early and late in the day.
TRUXTUN LAKE: Good bluegill bite, and the carp bite has been good on Powder Bait. Fair catfish bite on nightcrawlers and shad. Bass and crappie spotty.
RIVER WALK PARK: The bluegill bite is good on wax worms, and the carp action also is good on homemade dough baits and Powder Bait. There are a few bass showing on minnows, nightcralwers, and plastics.
MING LAKE: The carp bite is very good on Powder Bait and other dough baits. There has also been a very good bite on bluegill, mostly on wax worms and meal worms, and the bass action is slow with a few on plastics.
BRITE LAKE: No reports.
BUENA VISTA LAKES: Continued good catfish action on frozen shad, dip baits, or green garlic nightcrawlers, with most of the cats running from two to five pounds and showing from the small lake. The lake is being planted with catfish every couple of weeks, and there is a five-fish limit on the cats here. A fair number of stripers on bloodworms, minnow, and Zoom Flukes or similar surface swim baits. The bluegill action has been very good on wax worms, but the crappie have been very slow. Carp good. Information: Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.
WOOLLOMES LAKE: The bluegill bite is good on red worms, meal worms, or wax worms, and a few bass are showing on plastics. Pretty good carp action, too.
SUCCESS LAKE: Pretty good bass action Senkos and plastics, and some bluegill and catfish also starting to show. Water level coming up. Information: 559-781-2078.
KAWEAH LAKE: The largemouth bass bite has been fair to good with a lot of fish on plastics and some on topwater and reaction baits. The redear and bluegill are really starting to take off in the shallows. Some catfish beginning to show. Information: 559-597-2526.
CENTRAL COAST LAKES
SAN ANTONIO: There continues to be a fair to good striped bass bite here with a lot of six to 10-pound fish and some in the 12 to 20-pound class each week. The best action has been on trolled shad-like swim baits or live or frozen shad. Also some topwater action for anglers throwing to boils early and late in the day. The best reports on this action continue to come from the Forum section of FishingNetwork.net. The catfish action is also improving and there has been some pretty good crappie action, especially if you can get live shad. Few other reports. Information: 805-472-2818.
NACIMIENTO: Both the smallmouth and largemouth bites are fair with some topwater early and late in the day and then better action in deep water after the dawn-dusk flurries on top. The white bass action is slow to fair on slow-trolled Roostertails and silver spoons. The crappie bite has slowed down with spotty action on live minnows or small jigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles. The catfish bite is improving, and anglers targeting carp are seeing excellent action. Information: 805-238-1056 or Lake Nacimiento Resort and Marina.
SANTA MARGARITA: There is generally a pretty good bite on bass, crappie, and bluegill/redear here. The bass are showing on topwater and live shad, if you can dip a few at dawn, with a slightly lesser bite on plastics and cranks. Most are two to three pounders. The crappie bite has been fair to good, and what they lack in numbers, they’ve been making up in size with a lot of two to three-pound fish. The best bite is in the back of the narrows on the small jigs or live shad, and a 10 to 12 fish catch for a good angler has been common. The bluegill and redear are good in most coves, but the fish are mostly hand-sized with a few bigger ones. Catfish are slow. The marina store is open Wednesday through Sunday. Information: 805-438-1522.
LOPEZ: Fair to good largemouth and crappie action, and the bluegill bite is also good. The bass have mostly been showing off Strawberry Flats early in the morning on topwater, cranks, and plastics. The crappie bite has been best off the F Dock and at the dam with catches of five to 10 fish pretty common, but some of the fish are up into the two-pound range. Best action has been on small jigs tipped with meal worms or Crappie Nibbles. Smaller bluegill and redear are showing in most coves and off the F Dock on red worms and meal worms. Some catfish showing. Information: 805-489-1006.
TROUT PLANTS
Barring adverse weather, water or road conditions, the following lakes and streams, listed by county, will be restocked with catchable-size rainbow trout from the Department of Fish and Game hatcheries this week. For updates in Southern California and the Eastern Sierra Nevada, you can call the DFG recording at 562-594-7268, or for updates in the Western Sierra, you can call 559-243-4005, x183. For trout plants statewide, you can visit the DFG's web site at California Department of Fish & Game Fisheries Fish Planting Schedule by Regions.
SAN BENARDINO: Arrowbear Lake, Big Bear Lake, Lake Gregory, Miller Canyon Creek above Silverwood Lake, Santa Ana River, South Fork of the Santa Ana River.
SAN DIEGO: Cuyamaca Reservoir, Doane Pond.
INYO: Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek Dam Intake No. 2, George Creek, Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lake Sabrina, Lone Pine Creek, lower Bishop Creek, Middle Fork Bishop Creek, Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Rock Creek Lake, Shepherd Creek, South Fork Bishop Creek, South Lake, Symms Creek, Taboose Creek, Tinemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek.
MONO: Bridgeport Reservoir, Convict Creek, Convict Lake, Deadman Creek, Glass Creek, Grant Lake, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lee Vining Creek, lower Twin Lake, near Bridgeport, lower Virginia Lake, Lundy Lake, Mammoth Creek, McGee Creek, Mill Creek, Robinson Creek, Rock Creek from French Camp to upper bridge at Rock Creek Lodge, Rock Creek from Paradise Lodge to Tuff Campground, Rush Creek, Sherwin Creek, upper Owens River from Benton Crossing to Crowley Lake, upper Twin Lake near Bridgeport, upper Virginia Lake, Virginia Creek.
FRESNO: Big Creek near Huntington, Dinkey Creek, Kings River below the Pine Flat Reservoir, Rancheria Creek, San Joaquin River below the Friant Dam, Tamarack Creek.
MADERA: Corrine Lake, Fish Creek, Granite Creek, Lewis Creek, lower Chiquito Creek, Upper Big Creek, West Fork Chiquito Creek.
TULARE: Middle Fork Tule River, North Fork of Middle Fork Tule River at Wishon Campground, South Fork of Middle Fork Tule River at Camp Nelson, South Fork of Middle Fork Tule River at Ceder Slopes.
TUOLUMNE: Lyons Canal, Middle Fork Stanislaus River, Moccasin Creek, Pinecrest Lake, Powerhouse Stream, South Fork Stanislaus River, Stanislaus River Clark Fork.
CATFISH PLANTS
The following lakes, listed by county, will be stocked this week with one-pound catfish by private hatcheries under contract with the Department of Fish and Game.
ORANGE: Carr Park lake, Centennial Regional Park lake, Eisenhower Park lake, Greer Park lake, Huntington Central Park lake, Laguna Lake, Mile Square Regional Park lake, Ralph Clark Regional Park lake, Tri-City Park lake, Yorba Regional Park lake.
