SOCAL FISH REPORT JULY 14 2010. Jim Matthews

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SOCAL FISH REPORT -- ONS-matthews -- 14jul10

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. The mere idea of a 50- to 80-pound fish in a freshwater river captures the imagination. So here it is: The flathead catfish action in the lower Colorado River has been excellent now that the heat is finally up to bacon-sizzling temperatures. There have been several 40 to 60-pound class fish reported over the past week and many more that were just taken home and filleted. Eighty-pounders or bigger fish are a real possibility. The best action has been on live bluegill, tilapia, or goldfish fished in the deeper pools and big holes in the area canals and ditches. Don’t go with anything less than 50-pound test line. Best places to get updates or tips for fishing the region are B&B Bait in Blythe at 760-921-2248 or Walter’s Camp south of Palo Verde at 760-854-3322.
2. Need a respite from the heat? Bridgeport Reservoir in the Eastern Sierra has been excellent in the past couple of weeks for trout from two to six pounds. There is a good mix of browns and rainbows in this bite, and fly anglers, trollers, and bait anglers are all scoring. It is rapidly emerging as “another Crowley” for the fly-fishing crowd, with excellent action in the channels of Buckeye Bay. Call the guys at Ken’s Sporting Goods in Bridgeport for an update on this bite at 760-932-7707.
3. The crappie bite at Cachuma Lake has been a sleeper bite for some time, but there have been several 25-fish limits and a number of other good catches reported over the past week that have pushed this bite into our top picks this week. Most of the fish are under a pound, but they have been showing on small jigs in the narrows, Santa Cruz Bay, and the back end of the lake in very good numbers, especially for the dedicated crappie anglers. For an update on this bite, you can call the marina at 805-688-4040.

FRESHWATER HOT SPOTS

TROUT: Top trout bets in Sierra continue to include Bridgeport Reservoir, Lake Crowley, Silver Lake, South Lake, and most of the Bishop Creek and Rock Creek drainage streams, which are getting heavily planted each week. Virginia Lakes has also been wide open on fish to two pounds. Flows are coming down in most of the creeks and rivers in the region and the bites are really taking off. For fly guys, the East Walker River came up this week but is still fishing pretty well. Crowley has more and more fish working perch minnows in the backs of bays with water inflows. In Southern California, there continues to be good action at just a handful of waters. Top bets are Green Valley Lake, Big Bear Lake, and Lake Hemet with all three fair to good, especially for trollers. Deep-water trollers at Casitas are also scoring fish averaging two to three pounds, and Cachuma has been good for trollers, too, thanks to a big plant a couple of weeks ago.
BLACK BASS: The largemouth bass action has been generally fair to good throughout the region, with a lot of topwater action, especially on those overcast mornings (that have all but disappeared this week). Top bets have been Diamond Valley Lake, which never seems to slow down, and Isabella which has been cranking out a lot of four to six pounders. Other decent bets include Casitas, Castaic, Skinner, Sutherland, 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 slowish in Lake Havasu. Further up on the Central Coast, Santa Margarita and Lopez have been tougher this week, but the spotted bass are pretty fair in Nacimiento.
STRIPED BASS: Striper bites are good everywhere, with pretty good action at Silverwood, Pyramid, Castaic, and Skinner, which surged back on with a couple of real quality fish last week and very consistent fishing on smaller fish this week. San Antonio Lake on the Central Coast seems to continue good with a lot of 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 and below the Palo Verde Diversion dam are worth fishing, and there’s a chance for a big fish at Willow. Another good bet is the California Aqueduct near Taft.
PANFISH: Three crappie bites of real note. First, Cachuma Lake has been good with a few 25-fish limits posted this week. Lake Henshaw has been pretty consistent with some great stringer reported here, and Lake Isabella’s bite just won’t seem to go away with good action for minnow dunkers in deeper water. It is also worth noting that Lopez and Santa Margarita are both producing bigger fish in fair action. Redear and bluegill bites are hot just about everywhere -- with Diamond Valley, Perris, Casitas, Lower Otay, Sutherland, and Puddingstone some of the top picks. The tilapia bite at the Salton Sea has remained excellent in spite of the triple digit temperatures.
CATFISH: Simply good to excellent action just about everywhere. Hesperia Lake, Henshaw, Elsinore, Corona Lake, Santa Ana River Lakes, and Irvine Lake have been the hottest spots in Southern California with a lot of fish landed at all six. 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. The channel and flathead action is pretty much 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 and big stringers of channels. There were at least two 50-plus flatheads reported this past week.

SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAIN WATERS

SILVERWOOD: Very good striper action in Chemise and by the spillway on anchovies. Jess Patienson, Westminster, caught six stripers on anchovies and shrimp in Chemise with the top fish an eight-pounder. Sanderson Carter, Newport Beach, landed four stripers to 4 1/2 pounds on swimbaits. The catfish bite has also been very good in most of the coves on cut baits. Ashton Baines, Chino Hills, landed nine cats to 11 1/4-pounds fishing chicken liver on main lake points. The bluegill are good in all the coves on small worms, wax worms, red worms, or crickets. There is still a fair trout bite, but the fish have moved into deeper water and are showing in both Cleghorn and Miller canyons on Power Bait, Power Worms, and inflated nightcrawlers. The largemouth bite is fair to good with swimbaits on the points. Carp are just fair for anglers fishing dough baits or nightcrawlers. Slow other species. Miller Canyon Creek (just above the lake) was planted with DFG trout two weeks ago and a few holdover fish are still showing for good stream anglers. 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: The trout bite has remains very good with water temperatures in the mid 60’s and oxygen levels good down to 25 feet. The summertime scenario of the trout holding in the western third of the lake is in full swing, and the best action for trollers and bait anglers is to fish from Gilner Pt. down to the dam. Trollers are whacking trout on the surface with silver or black CD Rapalas, or trolling two to three colors of leadcore with Needlefish in pearl bikini and copper chicken wing. Bait anglers going on the drift from a boat with slip bobbers rigged from 10 to 25 feet are also seeing limits of quality trout on Power Bait and nightcrawlers. DFG trout plant last week. Good action on largemouth and smallmouth bass in the backs of the bays with small spinners and jigs are the best bet. Catfish slowly improving with water temps pushing up. Also continued improvement on the panfish. Carp are stacked in the shallows and providing very good bowfishing with some real bruisers being stuck. Fishing information: Big Bear Marina 909-866-3218, Big Bear Sporting Goods 909-866-3222.
GREGORY LAKE: There continues to be a fair to good trout bite with some limits posted. There were DFG plants last week and two weeks ago. 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 fair early and late in the day. The boat house is open. Information: 909-338-2233.
GREEN VALLEY LAKE: Good trout action this past week with quite a few three to five-pound rainbows and a few bigger. Top fish was an 8-1 rainbow landed by Laury Detrick, Laguna Beach, at the dam. Michael Serguiff, San Gabriel, landed a 7-13 and a 4-2, both on Power Bait off the west shore. Rick Byrum, Pomona, had a 6-15, also on Power Bait. John Campbell, Green Valley Lake, had a 6-9 on a yellow Power Worm, while Jay Guengerich, Green Valley Lake, landed a 6-2 on a smoke jig. Calaveras trout plant this 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 plants two and four weeks ago.
JENKS LAKE REGION: DFG trout plants this week and two weeks ago and the bite has been fair to good on Power Bait, small jigs, and trout plastics. Both the Santa Ana River in the Seven Oaks area and the South Fork were planted by the DFG last week. Still fair action. 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: Continued good catfish action thanks to 2,000-pound or bigger plants each week. The best bite is early and late in the day with a wide variety of cut baits and the M&M combo (marshmallow-meal worm). Top catfish this week was an 18 1/2-pounder landed by John Littleton, Rialto, fishing the M&M combo. Lonie Nguyen, Phelan, landed a 16-pounder, while Nacho Garcia, Victorville, had a 13-pounder. Sandra Chambers, San Diego, caught a 10-8, while Tom Hernandez, San Jacinto, had fish at 10, 8-8, and six pounds. Sturgeon are mostly slow, but Mark Jorge, Moreno Valley, had a 15-pounder, while Scott Salazar, Garden Grove, landed a 12-pounder. Perhaps the catch of the week was a whopper 7-12 wiper caught by Jayson Adams, Modesto, on a nightcrawler. Brian Green, Apple Valley, caught a 2-8 wiper on a meal worm. 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. There are $2 off coupons available at Bass Pro Shops. Information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.
JESS RANCH: Trout action slowed to just fair with the summer heat settling in. The best bite has been before 10 a.m. on Power Bait, nightcrawlers, and small trout jigs. There was a 2,000-pound catfish plant June 29, and trout are planted every Friday with more and bigger fish going in now. The catfish are fair on shrimp and nightcrawlers with some limits reported along the western and northern shores of Lake No. 2. A few largemouth are showing on Senkos, spinnerbaits, and nightcrawlers, and the bluegill bite remains pretty fair on meal worms and small jigs. 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 fair to good with most fish around 1-8. Lee Curry, San Bernardino, had three cats with his top fish a 3 ½-pounder. 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. Trout action remained fair after a DFG plant two weeks ago. 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: Good catfish action. 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, but the bite slowed to just fair over this past weekend but some quality fish continue to show on the marshmallow-meal worm combo, marshmallow and nightcrawler combo, or shrimp and mackerel. There is also a good bite on bluegill with wax worms, meal worms, or nightcrawler pieces. Don MacCauley, Riverside, landed an 8 1/2-pound carp in Basin No. 1 on a Cheeto. 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: Catfish bite is excellent with many anglers taking home limits of one to two-pound fish with the best bite before 9 a.m. each morning. There are 750-pound county plants each week, usually split between the top and bottom lake, and the top lake has been the preferred spot this past week. Shrimp, mackerel, and anchovies have been the best baits. Bluegill action is fair to good on small fish, with small pieces of nightcrawler the best bait. There is a decent carp bite for those targeting them as well. 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. Doi Luong, Chino, had a mixed stringer of six catfish and carp, and the big carp was a three-pounder, all on mackerel. Joe Mendoza, Fontana, had a two-pound cat fishing shrimp. Bass, bluegill, and carp have been showing but none of the bites are better than fair. There was a 7-3 carp landed this past week. 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: Good action on small bluegill. Slow other species. Information: 909-384-5233.

RIVERSIDE COUNTY

DIAMOND VALLEY: The largemouth bass and panfish bites are excellent. The bass are showing on the surface early and late in the day and then in 20 to 35 feet most of the day. Drop-shot plastics, cranks, or jerkbaits are the best baits for volume, but big swimbaits or trolled cranks off the faces of the dams and on the points have been the best bet for bigger fish. Bruce Erickson, Hemet, had a 4.6-pound largemouth on a plastic. The bluegill are excellent off the face of the dams with smaller fish shallow and 3/4-pound and up specimens in 12 to 20 feet of water. Small jigs tipped with meal worms or wax worms have been top baits, but a bobber suspended bait is getting fast action on smaller fish. Some nice redear and crappie in this bite, too. Catfish are also very good good on all of the usual baits, mackerel, anchovies, shrimp, or chicken liver with the saddle dam, Rawson Cove, quarry or east dam the best areas. Michael Hernandez, Hemet, caught a 13.39-pounder on mackerel from shore, while Geoffrey Windsor, San Jacinto, landed a 5.12-pound cat. Trout have pretty much been no shows, but few anglers are targeting the holdover fish right now. A few incidental catches have been made at the corners of the dams and Rawson Cove. Stripers have also been spotty with only a few smaller fish on swimbaits in Rawson Cove, quarry, and restroom No. 2. 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: There continues to be a fair to good redear and bluegill bite with the bigger fish coming from deeper water at the island and off Bernasconi Beach, and scads of smaller fish in the marina and around most shorelines with rip-rap or some structure. Top fish reported was a 1.2-pound bluegill landed by Felipe Gutierrez, Mead Valley, but fish in the pound range topped a lot of stringers. Sephanie Shields, Moreno Valley, had 25 bluegill and redear fishing meal worms and crickets at the island. Lorenzo Martinez, Moreno Valley, also had a 25-fish mixed limit stringer of bluegill and redear at the island on red worms. Still fair bass action off lots 11 and 12 and around the marina on nightcrawlers and plastics. Best action early and late in the day. Carp, catfish, and trout all slow. 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: Striper action has continued to improve, but most of the fish are under six pounds (most one to three). The bite has been good over large areas of the lake, but the best action continues to be at the dam or east end on chicken liver. Some afternoon boils on the abundant but small shad. Marco Lambardo, Las Vegas, caught eight stripers to six pounds fishing chicken liver at the dam, while Dan and Kathy Delgado, Los Angeles, landed 12 stripers to three pounds. Catfish action has also been very good on nightcrawlers, chicken liver, and mackerel for both shore and boat anglers fishing the coves, with some bigger cats coming from deeper water at the inlet and near the dam. Travis Cox, San Diego, caught five catfish to eight pounds on chicken liver at the dam-inlet area. Bluegill are good in the backs of the south shore coves, but the bite slowed down some this past week. Largemouth bass are just fair, but there’s a pretty good bite on topwater and reaction baits early in the morning before the sun gets too high in the sky. Carp action has been fair to good for those targeting them. They are primarily being caught in the reeds on nightcrawlers. Information: store 951-926-1505 or marina 951-926-8515.
ELSINORE: The big news is that there has been a slight uptick in the crappie bite this past week with a few boat anglers reporting catches of eight to 10 fish along the levee. While this isn’t hot action, this fish have been mostly over a pound. The catfish action remains good to excellent with three to eight pounders common on cut baits, especially shrimp, nightcrawlers, or shad. The wipers are spotty with the bite best early and late in the day on the same baits with some action on jerk baits or live shad, if you can dip net some. Anglers are reminded the limit on the wipers is two-fish, with an 18-inch minimum size. The carp remain fair to good with a lot of three to seven pounders on homemade dough baits. The bluegill bite has improved over the past week with more and more nice stringers reported and some fish topping a half-pound. There’s a slow to 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: Twice-weekly catfish plants, including another load of trophy fish this past week, have kept bite excellent. Tilipia are also being planted weekly and providing very good action. Stringers of five or more catfish have been common. Samual Lewis and John Solomon, both Los Angeles, had a 15-fish stringer that weighed in at 36 pounds topped off by an 8 1/2-pounder. Elia Hernandez, Wildomar, had four catfish for 13 pounds with a 6 1/2-pounder the top fish. Willie Rice, Chino, had the top catfish this week at nine pounds fishing shrimp from shore. The best bite has been on shrimp, but mackerel and the marshmallow-meal worm combo, or the shrimp and marshmallow combo, are all producing fish. The tilapia action has been pretty good, too, with the odd sturgeon also showing up. The anglers targeting bass and bluegill are also seeing pretty good action on these species. There are tagged catfish in Corona worth up to $100. There is 24-hour fishing every Friday and Saturday night. For Corona Lake fishing information, call 951-277-4489 or log on at fishinglakes.com, Santa Ana River Lakes - Corona Lake - Anaheim Lake.
EVANS LAKE: Continued fair bass action on small plastics and tiny jerk baits along the rocky shorelines early and late in the day with some fish to two pounds. Also a pretty decent bite on small bluegill and warmouth. Anglers targeting carp are also seeing a decent bite on dough baits.
RANCHO JURUPA: Good catfish action with plants July 1 and another one slated for Thursday this week. Shrimp and stinkbait have been working best, and fish to 15 pounds have been reported, but most are one to two pounds. Greg Coleman, Moreno Valley, had five cats topped by a 1 1/2-pounder on mackerel. 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: No more catfish plants this summer, but the bite has still been pretty good. Anglers only have to pay $2 a pound for the catfish landed until trout season, when regular plants and prices return. The best action has been on chicken liver, mackerel, and shrimp. The lake is 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 and three weeks ago. 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 from 1-8 to two pounds showing. Ashton Deering, 5, Hemet, caught a two-pound rainbow on Power Bait fishing with her grandparents. Jim Perry, Robert Schadwill, and Ron Napier, all Montclair, caught 10 trout, two bluegill, and one bass on lures off the south shore. Josh Buchanan, Yucca Valley, caught and released 23 trout at the dam on Power Bait. The bluegill bite has been pretty good with few anglers targeting them, and the odd bass is showing up. Arnie Fosness, Hemet, caught an 8 1/2-pound bass -- one of the biggest ever from the lake -- fishing nightcrawlers near the dam Saturday. Lake open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Information: Lake Hemet Market 951-659-2350, campground 951-659-2680.
FULMOR LAKE: DFG trout plant this week -- the first of the season. Information: 951-659-2117.

ORANGE COUNTY

SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES: Another plant of trophy catfish went this past week along with a load of pan-sized fish and the combination led to excellent action over the weekend. There are also tagged catfish worth up to $100 being planted this month. Top catfish were a pair of nine-pounders, one caught by Dan Vo, Placentia, and the other by Tony Truong, Torrance, and both were wearing $50 cash tags. Vo caught his fish on shrimp in the big lake, while Truong was using nightcrawlers in the Catfish Lake. Glen Gray, Chino, landed an eight-pound catfish, also a $50 tagged fish, on shrimp in the Catfish Lake. Mauricio Calvario, landed a 7 1/2-pound catfish on mackerel on mackerel in the Catfish Lake. The action has been good throughout the Lakes complex, but the area by the boat docks have probably been the best spot. Shrimp and the marshmallow-meal worm combination have been the top baits. The sturgeon action has been spotty, but some quality fish continue to show for catfish anglers. Arreah Wilson, Fontana, landed a 22-pounder on shrimp with Eagle Claw Gravy at the boat dock in the big lake. Bigger tilapia were also planted last week and fish to three pounds are showing on small nightcrawler pieces fished on small single hooks in three to six feet of water. 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: Fair to good catfish action with a lot of two to six-pound fish showing tight to the brush. Best day bait has been the marshmallow-meal worm combo, but the best action has been at night on mackerel on Santiago Flats. Shrimp, DuMong’s, and Gulp! have also been working in the night bite. Brad Sampson, Long Beach, landed a 15-4 blue, while Derek Reynolds, Arcadia, had a six-pound channel. The crappie bite has been very good with fish to nearly a pound on small 1/16th and 1/32nd-ounce jigs. The inaugural Crappie Classic Tournament drew 53 anglers and the winning five-fish stringer was landed by Brandon Woodward with a total weight of 3-14. Bass anglers continue to do well on two to four pounders on the points with some surface action early and late then then plastics, jigs, and cranks down to 40 feet. Donny Peterson, Anaheim, landed a 7-10 bass on a Senko off Rocky Point, while Jimmy Getty, Silverado, had a 4-1 on a jig off the same spot. The bluegill and redear bite is good on mealworms and Gulp! Crickets fished in five to 10 feet of water near structure. While trout are pretty much over for the year, a few continue to show from deep water. Monas Malicki, Huntington Beach, caught a 3-2 at the Red Clay Cliffs. The lake is now closed on Tuesdays. The road to Trout Island is again usable. 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: Crappie were good to excellent again this past week with several 25-fish limits reported by anglers fishing jigs in the narrows, Santa Cruz Bay, and the back of the lake. Most of the fish are under a pound and showing on small jigs and grubs. Jim Stornetta, Santa Maria, had a limit fishing grubs in 12 feet of water in Santa Cruz Bay. Mike Brown, Nipomo, had 12 crappie on jigs in 20 feet near the island. Trout are also good since the 2,500-pound plant two weeks ago. The best action has been for trollers working three to four colors of leadcore and Needlefish or drifting with flashers and nightcrawlers. Shore anglers getting some fish on Power Bait fished on points near the marina. Jimmy Hirzel, Santa Ynez, caught a limit of trout fishing nightcrawlers at the dam. Fair to good action on both the largemouth and smallmouth bass with fish most showing on cranks, jigs, plastics, and nightcrawlers. Also a pretty good topwater bite. Glen Neel, Nipomo, landed a four-pound bass on a crank. Bluegill are fair to good in most coves on small baits. Few redear reported. While few anglers target them, the carp are good over much of the lake. 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 good in 18 to 25 feet of water nightcrawlers, plastics, and jigs, and very good if you can dip some live shad, but that has been almost impossible this week. There’s also a very good topwater bite early in the day over the grass beds, if there’s overcast. Top bass this week was a 12-pounder caught by Tommy Douglas, Ventura, on a swimbait. Pifa Victoria, Oxnard, had a 10-pounder on a plastic worm, while Art Alonzo, Santa Paula, had bass at 9-8 and 5-8 on shad. Dave Puhlman, Ventura, won an Angler’s Choice night tournament here this past weekend with five fish that went 31.57 pounds, including a 9-8. There continue to be a good trout bite for trollers working eight to 10 colors of leadcore and Needlefish or by bait anglers drifting in about 40 feet of water near the dam. Most of the trout are two to three pounds and pink-meated. There continues to be a fair to 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. Catfish are not getting much pressure, but Isaiah Legaspi, 9, Oxnard, landed an 8-8 catfish on a nightcrawler. 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 lagoon has been excellent for largemouth bass with the best bite on small swimbaits, plastics, or nightcrawlers before the sun comes up in the morning. Alex Gevoghlanian, Glendale, landed an 11.7-pounder on a nightcrawler. The largemouth are also good, but the average size is small. Best bite has been on small plastics, with some crank and surface fish early and late in the day. The striper action in the big lake has been good on anchovies and sardines at the buoy line and around Kong Islands with most one to three pounds. Still not much trolling action. Some panfish are showing on wax worms and mealworms. Slow trout action with no plant in over a month. Information: 661-775-6232 or Castaic Lake | Home.
PIRU: Fair to good action on bass, while the crappie, bluegill and redear bites are slow to fair. The best bass bite has been on plastics fished in 10 to 25 feet of water with some fish on swimbaits and nightcrawlers. Also some topwater action early and late. 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. 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. 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. No recent trout plants and the action is very slow with only a few fish showing for trollers fishing flashers with nightcrawlers, Rapalas, and Needlefish 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, but a few to five pounds reported this week. 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 morning and evening best. Most are hand-sized and smaller but some bigger fish also showing. 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. Catfish improving after the first DFG catfish plant of the season two weeks ago. Information: East Shore RV Park: 909-599-8355 (ask for the market).
SANTA FE DAM: DFG catfish plant three weeks ago. Slow to fair bass and bluegill action. Information: 626-334-1065.
ALONDRA PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant two weeks ago.
BALBOA PARK LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
BELVEDERE PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant two weeks ago.
CERRITOS PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant four weeks ago.
DOWNEY WILDERNESS PARK: DFG catfish plant four weeks ago.
ECHO PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant two weeks ago.
EL DORADO PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant four weeks ago.
ELIZABETH LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
HANSEN DAM LAKE: DFG catfish plant two weeks ago. 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 four weeks ago.
KENNETH HAHN PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant two weeks ago.
LA MIRADA PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant four weeks ago.
LEGG LAKES: DFG catfish plant four weeks ago.
LINCOLN PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant two weeks ago.
MAGIC JOHNSON LAKE: No recent DFG plants.
PECK ROAD PARK LAKE: DFG catfish plant four weeks ago. Information: 818-448-7317.

SAN DIEGO AREA LAKES

BARRETT: There were 71 anglers checked and they reported catching 1,214 bass, one bluegill, and one crappie. Reservations are available for July and August by calling Tickemaster at 800-745-3000. Lake information: 619-465-3474 or City Lakes and Recreation Program | Water. Rental boat reservations: 619-668-3274 or ssmith@sandiego.gov.
HODGES: This past week, there were 95 anglers who landed 112 bass to 5.95 pounds, 10 bluegill and three channel catfish. The lake is open to fishing Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday with rental boats only available on the weekend. 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 10 anglers who reported catching 21 bass to 4.35 pounds. 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 215 anglers checked and they reported catching 302 bass to 6.55 pounds, 290 bluegill to 1.1-pound, and seven channel catfish to 7.3 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 26 anglers checked and they reported 26 bass to 6.7 pounds and seven bluegill to 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 46 anglers checked and they reported 28 bluegill, 11 bass, and four channel 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 65 anglers checked and they reported catching 91 bass with an 8.4-pounder caught by Cliff Rinder, San Diego, the top fish. There were also 32 bluegill, 12 channel cats, and one blue cat at 14.25 pounds landed by Carson Gray, San Diego. 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: The catfish bite has improved after the first plant of the season July 1, and the next plant went in Wednesday this week. Some limits reported in boat dock cove on chicken live or mackerel. The buoy line is also a good spot. Largemouth action is fair with the best action early and late in the day when the fish are up chasing baitfish. Though the day, the bite moves deeper on dark plastics and crawdads. Jeff Hodges, Escondido, landed a 9.2-pound bass on a plastic off the Senior Shoreline. Crappie are showing in small numbers around reeds and submerged willows. Wendell Jackson, Escondido, weight in a pair of crappie with the best at 1.9 pounds. He was using shiners in boat dock cove. Some bluegill showing in Oakvale Cove and Boat Dock Cove. The lake is open seven days a week. Seniors can rent 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 last week.
DIXON LAKE: Catfish action has been good at the buoy line, Whisker Bay, Catfish Cove, and Pier No. 4 with most of the fish in the one to two-pound range. There have been 1,000-pound plants of cats this week and each of the last two weeks. Fair bass action with most of the fish in deeper water and most are under four pounds. Bluegill are starting to show for anglers fishing the along piers near weed covered areas. Night fishing is allowed until 11:45 p.m. for shore anglers and boat anglers until 10:30. Lake information: 760-839-4345 or www.dixonlake.com.
POWAY: Fishing is slow to fair for the most part in spite of catfish plants last week and another one schedule for July 21. Some nice sized bass and catfish are showing but the numbers are down, with the best catfish action on cut baits at night. Kalum Figy, San Diego, caught an eight-pound bass on a jig at the long boom rock pile. The panfish bite is slow. Midnight Catfish Craze will be held 4 p.m. to midnight July 23. Entry fee is $10 (not including regular entrance fees). The lake is now open for night fishing Friday and Saturday nights until 11 p.m. with shoreline access until 11:30 p.m. Lake information: 858-668-4770, tackle shop 858-486-1234.
JENNINGS: Catfish action has improved over the past week with a few limits reported and quite a few anglers had at least two or three fish on stringers. Chicken liver doused with scent has been the best bait with Eagle, Cloister, and Hermit coves the top spots. Catfish plants this week, the weeks of July 26 and August 11. Largemouth action has been best in about 25 feet of water at the points. Night fishing will continue every Friday and Saturday until Labor Day. 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: There has been a good bass bite in the morning until about noon and then picks up again in the evening. Some topwater, but most of the fish are showing on nightcrawlers and drop-shot plastics. The bluegill action is good with the fish up in the shallows in flooded brush in good numbers. Catfish action has been good after the 1,800-pound plant early this month. Best action on chicken liver, nightcrawlers, and mackerel. Carp are very good on dough baits and fly anglers are also whacking them. Many of the fish are in the five to 10-pound range. 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 last week. A few bass and catfish reports are coming in each week as well. Private boats are allowed on the lake, 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 very good with a lot of nice stringers reported and quite a few limits. Most fish in the one to two-pound range with most stringers have at least one fish around 3 1/2 pounds. Edgar Perez, Ramoma, landed a limit of cats anchored by a six-pounder. Crappie are fair to good and they are suspended in deeper water (accessible by boat or on the fishing pier) with most around a 1/2 to 3/4-pound. Cedrick Moore, San Diego, had two nice stringers of crappie over two days. One day, he had 21 fish to 1 1/2-pound, and the second, he kept 15 crappie to two pounds. He also had a five-pound catfish. John Calder, Hesperia, landed 14 crappie to 1 1/2 pounds. Bass are fair, but few anglers are targeting them. Excellent carp action with most running from two to four pounds. Tom Luckie, Ramoma, had 10 carp to seven pounds, while Scott Branscome, Ramona, landed 10 to six pounds. 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: Just fair striper action with only a couple of 15-pound class fish reported this past week – but there was a 33-pounder speared by diver Chris Lefevre from France. The best bite had been on the big swimbaits that look like rainbow trout and the Mile Marker 52 region seems to be best. The trout action remains pretty good after the weekly plants with the best action on salmon eggs, Power Bait, worms and Super Dupers. Information: Willow Beach Resort at 928-767-4747.
LAKE MOHAVE: Still mostly tough fishing. The bass bite has been fair on plastics with some reaction bait and topwater fish. Slow-trolling or drifting with anchovies in 30 to 50 feet of water has been producing some stripers, while catfish are on the bottom. 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: Light fishing pressure with air temps supposed to be in the 120-degree range by the end of the week. For those going out, there is still a 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. There are also more stripers in the river, and some of the better quality fish are eating hooked trout (three reports of that this week). Few anglers fishing stripers, but Leroy Davis, Bullhead, after have a hooked trout attacked by a big striper was hurling a Long-A Bomber and caught a seven-pound striper. Most are showing on anchovies or crankbaits, with the Rio Lomas area the best stretch. And most are just under two pounds. Smallmouth are fair along rip-rap on small cranks. Information: Riviera Marina at 928-763-8550.
NEEDLES AREA: There is fair smallmouth action in the main river from Needles south to the I-40 bridge and on down into Topoc Gorge, mostly on small cranks. Improving striper action, with more and more two-pound class fish showing on anchovies in the main river from the upper end of Topoc Gorge to Needles. Catfish probably the best bet on cut baits, but still just fair. Still a few rainbows showing but most are nice quality fish up to four pounds. Information: Needles Marina at 760-326-2197.
TOPOCK AREA: Still spotty striped bass fishing in the main river with a few to four pounds showing with the odd bigger fishing. Bluegill and redear are good on nightcrawlers, while the smallmouth are a mainstay on tube baits and shallow-running cranks. Most of the smallies are 1/2 to two pounds with the best action early or late. Catfish are good on cut baits, mostly anchovies, in both the main river and marsh. 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: There is a pretty decent largemouth bass bite early and late in the day on topwater buzzbaits and spook-type lures with flipping Senkos and crawdad-type baits into shady pockets. The smallies are tough with some topwater early on rocky banks in the morning. The redear are still very good on shallow flats and off points in big schools with some fish topping two pounds. The catfish action has been fair to good with the best action in the evening and into the night on cutbaits for the channels and bluegill for the flatheads. Stripers are tough but some quality fish from four to eight pounds are showing on trolled baits in the main basis before 10 a.m. most mornings. Air temps have been from 112 to 115 this week. 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 best on small cranks and swim baits. Bluegill and redear are good in the backwaters and quiet water in the main river. Few flathead reports.
BLYTHE: The flathead catfish bite has been very good now that hot weather has set in (temps to 118 this week in Blythe). Live goldfish, bluegill, and tilapia fished in deeper holes have been the hot ticket. Gary Owens, San Diego, caught and released a 50-pound flathead on a live bluegill fishing just below the Palo Verde Diversion dam on one of the canals on the Indian Reservation. Mike Lee, Los Angeles, had a 25-pounder from a Blythe-area canal, and Ben Johnson, Blythe, landed a pair of 15-pound flatheads just below the interstate bridge on the Arizona side of the river. Channel cats are also good in the main canals, backwaters. The smallmouth bass bite is excellent in the main river along the rip-rap and in the canals. Most are small, but the action is very good on surface baits, cranks, and small plastics. Largemouth have slowed in the backwaters and ditches except where cooler water from the main river enters. Still pretty good action there on plastics, cranks, and surface baits. Also good panfish action in both the main river and canals. Jake George, Blythe, caught a limit of 25 bluegill to a pound in a canal off 10th Avenue. There is still a fair striper bite on three to five-pound fish at the Palo Verde Diversion dam on cut baits, mostly chicken liver, and most anglers are getting good mixed stringers of stripers and catfish. 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 continued to be good to excellent with a lot of fish from eight to 20 pounds and a few bigger fish each week. James Crockwell and Paul King, both of Blythe, had a pair of flatheads at 52 and 55 to 60 pounds (the scales weren’t agreeing). The best baits are live bluegill, goldfish and tilapia. The channel catfish bite is also very good. Good action on bluegill and the largemouth bass bite has also been good, with morning and evening topwater and a lot of crankbait fish. Most of the day the bass are back in the tules with high water levels. 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, mostly at backwater entrances. 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 continued decent action on quality flatheads with live goldfish and bluegill.

LOWER DESERT WATERS

SALTON SEA: Hot weather! But the tilapia bite is still holding up with pretty good action this past week on fish from a half-pound to a pound, with an occasional bigger fish up into the two-pound class. 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. Full ice-chests are still the rule. Information: Salton Sea State Recreation Area ranger station 760-393-3052 or visitor center at 760-393-3810.
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 and there have been some good reports this past week. The Little Walker River is dropping and very fishable. Kirman Lake continues to be tough with numbers down but quality still excellent. Leech patterns are best, but some action on scuds and even midges. Information: Ken’s Sporting Goods 760-932-7707.
BRIDGEPORT REGION: The trout action has been very good at the Twin Lakes with some fish to three pounds. The kokanee are also turning one with reports of as many as 20 to 30 fish per day caught and released. The East Walker River has been good this week but flows were bumped as has as 410 cfs and were about 350 ad mid-week. The surface bite lulled, but anglers fishing nymphs along the bottom under indicators are still seeing very good action. Bridgeport Reservoir is still excellent for fly, bait, and trolling anglers. Lots of boat anglers have been reporting 20 to 70 fish days. Fly anglers are seeing the best action in the channels of Buckeye Bay and off Rainbow Point. Most fish are one to two pounds with some up to six pounds. Virginia Lakes remain excellent with a lot of fish to two pounds on just about everything and anything. 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), inflated nightcrawlers, and the fly-bubble combination, especially at the stream mouths and outlets. Silver has been particularly good but high water has limited shoreline access. Steve Archer, Anaheim, landed a three-pound brown from Rush Creek betweem Silver and Grant. Hatt Haeli, Oakdale, had a 1-11 brown from Silver. Mornings and evenings continue to be best with the warmer weather. Quite a few Alpers’ fish to four pounds or better reported. Rush Creek is good between Silver and Grant on planted trout. Information: Ernie’s Tackle at 760-648-7756.
MAMMOTH AREA: Crowley Lake is still good for fly anglers, but the fish have moved into the bays where water is entering the lake. Lots of 16 to 22-inch trout -- rainbows, browns and cutts. 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 again this week and the action has been very good. Most everything is completely ice free in this region now, except at the very 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: Sabrina Lake is full and spilling at the dam, and the action has been slow to fair with the best bite off off the face of the dam or in the creek inlets. DFG plant this week. All the forks of the Bishop Creek have been good for knowledgeable stream anglers, and all three forks of the creek were also planted again this week. South Lake is excellent with a lot of limits and quite a few quality fish showing in the bite. Ryan Wischnack, Santa Clarita, landed a six-pound rainbow on a jig. Brendan Waegner, San Juan Capistrano, landed a 4-6 rainbow on a red and gold Thomas Bouyant, and Sean Paul Kiemel, Arrowbear, also landed a 4-6 on Power Bait in Boiler Cove. DFG plant here again this week. Intake II has been fair. North Lake slow, with no plants until at least early August. Backcountry anglers are now making it into Green Lake, Brown Lake, Treasure Lakes, Tyee Lakes, Long Lake and Marie Louise Lakes with trail conditions much improved. Pleasant Valley Reservoir is good for planted rainbows on floating baits and small lures. Lower Owens just fair to good with some very good dry fly action. 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 last week on all the creeks, but only Big Pine Creek got trout this week. Information: 760-876-4444 or go to Lone PineChamber of Commerce | the Other Side of California.

WESTERN SIERRA

BOB’S BAIT CATFISH DERBY: The month-long Bob’s Bait Catfish Derby kicked off July 1 with a $100 cash prize going to the angler who weighs in the biggest catfish at Bob’s Bait in Bakersfield during July. The current leader is David Kiel, Bakersfield, with a 6-8 cat caught from the aqueduct. For more information, call Bob’s Bait at 661-833-8657.
LAKE ISABELLA: The largemouth bass bite has very 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. The crappie action has moved deeper water but there’s still a pretty good bite on fish up to pound on small minnows for boat and float tube anglers. Brown’s and Jauchin’s coves in the South Fork arm are still the best. Trout action is still good at the cemetery area auxiliary dam on Power Bait and nightcrawlers. Bluegill finally starting to improve. Information: Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.
KERN RIVER: Flows have dropped again this week in the upper river and very fishable now with good action. The upper stretch nearly to the Johnsondale Bridge was again stocked this week and the best bite has been on salmon eggs and crickets. All the other stretches were also planted in both the upper and lower river. The lower river is still pretty high, but careful anglers are getting trout, especially in the Richbar area. 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 worms. Information: Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.
HART PARK LAKE: Good action on small bluegill with wax worms or crickets. Most hand-sized. The carp are good on homemade dough baits or Powder Bait. Bass very slow.
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, meal worms, and crickets, and the carp action is good on homemade dough baits and Powder Bait. There are a few bass showing on minnows, nightcralwers, and plastics, but this bite is very slow.
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, and a few smaller crappie have been showing again on live minnows. The bluegill action has been fair to good on wax worms. Carp good for those targeting them. 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: The striped bass bite has remained strong 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 catfish action is also improving and there has been a fair crappie bite, 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: The bass action has been tough, but there is a pretty good bite on bluegill and redear, a few catfish are starting to show, and there’s still a fair bite on crappie to two pounds or better. In a local bass tournament with 40 boats, the winner only managed 13 pounds for five-fish. There is a topwater bite early, early in the day, and the action is on Senkos, jigs, and Creature baits. Most are two to three pounders with some up to five. The crappie bite is best in the back of the narrows on the small jigs or live shad. The bluegill and redear are good in most coves on bobber-suspended baits, but the fish are mostly hand-sized with a few bigger ones. The marina store is open Wednesday through Sunday. Information: 805-438-1522.
LOPEZ: Fair largemouth and crappie action, and the bluegill bite is 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.
LOS ANGELES: Jackson Lake
RIVERSIDE: Hemet Lake, Lake Fulmor.
SAN BERNARDINO: Jenks Lake.
SAN DIEGO: Cuyamaca Reservoir, Doane Pond.
INYO: Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek Dam Intake No. 2, George Creek, Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lone Pine Creek, lower Bishop Creek, Middle Fork Bishop Creek, Rock Creek Lake, Shepherd Creek, South Fork Bishop Creek, South Lake, Symms Creek, Taboose Creek, Tinemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek, Bridgeport Reservoir.
MONO: Buckeye Creek, Convict Creek, Convict Lake, Deadman Creek, Ellery Lake, Glass Creek, Grant Lake, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lake George, Lake Mamie, Lake Mary, 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, Saddlebag Creek, Sherwin Creek, South Fork Lee Vining Creek, Trumbull Lake, upper Owens River from Benton Crossing to Crowley Lake, upper Twin Lake near Bridgeport, upper Virginia Lake,
Virginia Creek, Walker River Little, West Walker River Section 2, West Walker River Section 3.
KERN: Kern River from Powerhouse No. 3 to Riverside Park, Kernville.
TULARE: Kern River from Brush Creek to Fairview Dam, Kern River from Fairview Dam to Falling Waters Lodge, 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.
FRESNO: Big Creek near Huntington, Dinkey Creek, Kings River below the Pine Flat Reservoir, Rancheria Creek, San Joaquin River below the Friant Dam, Shaver Lake, Tamarack Creek, Wishon Reservoir.
MADERA: Fish Creek, Lewis Creek, lower Chiquito Creek, Nelder Creek, North Fork of Willow Creek, Upper Big Creek, West Fork Chiquito Creek.
MERCED: Yosemite Lake.
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.
No catfish plans this week.