FISH REPORT — ONS-matthews – 19 november 2019 Compiled by Jim Matthews www.OutdoorNewsService.com

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. E-Mail messages or fishing reports can also be posted to Jim Matthews at odwriter@verizon.net.

The fish report is copyrighted and any use or reposting of the report, or portions of the report, is prohibited without written permission.

JIM MATTHEWS’S PICKS OF THE WEEK

1. The striped bass and catfish bites at Lake Silverwood stay in the top spot this week, and a trout plant last week have added to the mix. The stripers have been good morning and evening on swimbaits and on cut baits, mostly sardines, in the marina area and at the dam in deep water during the day. Stripers to six pounds have been reported this week. The catfish are in deep water at the dam and in Miller and Cleghorn canyons. A decent number of fish from four to seven pounds reported on chicken liver, sardines, or anchovies with nightcrawlers or lug worms added. For an update on this bite, call the marina at 760-389-2299.
2. The Kern River’s trout action both above and below Lake Isabella stays in the top picks and there were more DFW trout plants this week. There have been lots of limits of planted fish reported, and many holdover fish up to five pounds have been reported in the lower river. The river flows are perfect for fishing. Salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, and SuperDupers in both the upper and lower river are the best baits. For an update on this bite, call Bob’s Bait Bucket at 661-833-8657.
3. The California Aqueduct stays in the top picks, but cool nights have slowed the bite and reduced the fishing pressure a lot. There is still good striper action in the San Joaquin Valley stretch, with more and more keeper stripers in this catch. Lots of fish on cut baits and Fluke-like baits. The Antelope Valley stretch has had an influx in the catfish action on cut baits this week, with decent numbers of stripers. The cats are best on chicken liver, sardines, or other cut bait and drifted along the bottom, especially in areas where the flow is constricted, interrupted, or bends. Most of the cats are two to six pounds. For updates on this bite, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824 for the Palmdale to Hesperia stretch and Bob’s Bait Bucket at 661-833-8657 for the Taft region.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

VICTORVILLE REGION

HESPERIA LAKE: No catfish plant this week, and the trout stocking season kicks off Nov. 21 with a plant of Jess Ranch rainbows. The catfish bite has stayed pretty fair with some nice fish and some limits reported on the marshmallow-meal worm (and scent) combo, mackerel, shrimp, or sardines. Isidoro Salgado and Mike Pena, both from Hesperia, landed limits and the top fish was a seven-pounder. The 10 fish totaled 52 pounds and were caught on mackerel off the Finger. Denna Simpkins, Los Angeles, landed a 7-7 cat off the north shore on shrimp, while Lisa Williams, Hesperia, caught a five-pounder on shrimp off the grassy bank. Lake information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.

JESS RANCH LAKES: The trout action has improved dramatically with good fishing early in the mornings before 10 a.m. The best action has been on PowerBait in salmon peach, garlic and rainbow, nightcrawlers with garlic scent, small trout jigs, and trout plastics like MiceTails. Best spots include the northern and eastern shores of lake 2 and the grassy point and western shore near the drain of lake 3. Bass have been slow, but the odd fish to four pounds s still being reported on Senko-like lures or nightcrawlers, mostly from the northern and eastern shores of lake 2. No catfish or bluegill reports this week. For more information call (760)240-1107 or go to www.jessranchlakesnews.com.

MOJAVE NARROWS: No reports. The park is only open Thursday through Monday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. While there is no news on when country trout plants will begin, it is tentatively slated to be for Thanksgivng weekend. No DFW trout plants on the schedule yet. Information, call 760-245-2226.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

ANTELOPE VALLEY REGION

APOLLO PARK LAKE: The trout action has continued pretty fair with fish to five pounds reported and a lot of 1-8 to two-pound rainbows. The rainbows are showing from around the lake, and the hot bait has been spring green and garlic PowerBait mixed together. Lure anglers are using small jigs and drop-shot trout plastics, and also getting fish. County plants are tentatively slated to go in every two weeks (which means they should be planted this week). The weekly plants will be 800 pounds. While getting little pressure, the carp action also remains good for anglers fishing dough baits, and the bluegill and warmouth are also still being caught but the frenzied pace of the that bite has slowed with cooler water temperatures. Also still a few catfish being landed by anglers targeting the cats. For more information on plants and events, contact Apollo Park at 661-940-7701 or Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

JACKSON LAKE (NEAR WRIGHTWOOD): Surprisingly, there are still a fair number of rainbows being caught on PowerBait or small trout jigs. The most recent reported DFW trout plant was over a month ago. There continues to be a fair bite on small bluegill but that bite is slowed down as the water cools. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

LAKE PALMDALE: The lake closed to fishing Sunday, Oct. 6 and will reopen to fishing on Feb. 2 for the trout season kickoff. Call the Palmdale Fin & Feather Club for membership and fishing information at 661-947-2884 or go to website at www.palmdalefinandfeatherclub.com.

QUAIL LAKE: Still fair striper and catfish action, with more catfish again this week than stripers. Fishing pressure has dropped way off as the evenings get chilly. The cats have been best on the chicken liver and nightcrawler combination with fish to seven pounds or better. Most are being taken at the outlet. The stripers are averaging two to four pounds for anglers fishing at the outlet and along the north shore, especially between the islands. The best action has been on sardines or shad fished in combination with lug or blood worms. Nightcrawlers as the add-on bait also are working. Fewer boiling fish, but when the fish are up Rat-L-Traps, Zara Spooks, and big spoons are the best to use. Fewer bluegill and largemouth this week as the water cools. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT (Hesperia to Quail Lake stretch): Much lighter fishing pressure as the weather cools, but there continues to be a good number of catfish from three to eight pounds being caught, along with a fair number of stripers. Most of the stripers are showing on white, shad-colored swimbats in the Palmdale and 25th or Sierra Highway and the pumping plant areas. Stripers to six pounds reported, most smaller. The catfish are best on the chicken liver-nightcrawler or lug worm combo doused with scent at most bends and road crossings, weirs and siphons, throughout the Antelope Valley. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CENTRAL PARK LAKE (CALIFORNIA CITY): There continues to be a fair but slowing bluegill bite with most of the fish small, but some up to hand-sized. Best action on nightcrawlers. The carp are still fair on dough baits.

LITTLE ROCK RESERVOIR: No reports again this week. The lake is normally open to walk-in fishing, but the Palmdale Water District has an ongoing sediment removal project and access is restricted at times. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

LITTLE ROCK RESERVOIR: No reports again this week. The lake is normally open to walk-in fishing, but the Palmdale Water District has an ongoing sediment removal project and access is restricted at times. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAIN WATERS

SILVERWOOD: The striped bass bite has continued fair to good through the full moon and mild weather. A lot of anglers are reporting 10-fish limits of one to four-pound fish. The fish are showing on anchovies, garlic nightcrawlers, blood or lug worms fished at the dam, main lake points, or around the marina, mostly in deep water. Some anglers are also getting fish trolling or casting shad-like lures or trolling umbrella rigs, but most of the fish are fairly deep, with some to 10-plus pounds. There was a DFW trout plant this past week and the bite has been good in Cleghorn and around the marina on PowerBait and small spinners and spoons. Most are under a pound. A lot of catfish are also showing on cut baits at the marina docks and into both Miller and Cleghorn Canyons, and some are also showing at the dam. A few small largemouth are showing on swimbaits and plastics, but also some showing on jerkbaits. Noe Sarmiento, La Puente, landed a 3-2 largemouth on an eight-inch glide bait after the DFW trout plant, fishing on Sunday from a kayak. Bluegill and crappie are slow to fair, and a two-pound crappie was caught by Tony Hansen, Fontana, on a nightcrawler off the dock. Water levels have been falling since Sunday. Anglers should be aware of health advisories for the consumption of fish from this lake because of high PCB and mercury levels in the fish flesh and skin. Here’s the direct link to a PDF brochure explaining consumption recommendations: http://www.oehha.ca.gov/fish/so_cal/pdf_zip/081013KioskadvySilverwood.pdf. Dock fishing is allowed for $3 for adults, $2 for kids and seniors. Private boats must be inspected for zebra and quagga mussels. Boats with wet lower units will be turned away. Boats inspected and tagged at Diamond Valley and Perris will be allowed at Silverwood. The park is open seven days a week. Information: marina 760-389-2299, state park 760-389-2281, Silverwood Country store 760-389-2423.

BIG BEAR LAKE: The nights are getting cold, and the full moon has slowed the bite some, but it is still pretty fair. There also continued to be some bigger fish in the catch. Bank anglers are getting from two fish to limits from the Red House to Juniper Point along the North Shore. The action is best on Carolina rigs with long leaders of two to four-pound test fluorocarbon leaders and original or yellow garlic PowerBait. Trollers are working the same areas of the North Shore, especially in front of the West Launch Ramp to the Solar Observatory. The fish are in eight to 15 feet or water and whacking a variety of lures and slow-trolled/drifted baits at this depth. For information on fishing, call Big Bear Sporting Goods at 909-866-3222 or visit the store’s Facebook page.

GREGORY LAKE: No report available. The first Mt. Lassen plant of the season went in three weeks ago with a plant of 3,000 pounds of rainbows up to three pounds. Most recent DFW plant was over a month ago. Lake and fishing information at 909-338-2233 or on the website at lakegregoryrecreation.com/fish. Fishing updates are posted infrequently on the park’s Facebook page or website.
GREEN VALLEY LAKE: No plants in over a month, and the action is pretty slow. Only a few trout on PowerBait and inflated nightcrawlers, mostly at the dam. The website is www.gvlfishing.com and the Facebook page is Green Valley Lake Fishing.

INTERSTATE 5 LAKES

CASTAIC: The bite has toughened up and there has been lighter pressure. Anglers using live shad are still having good action on stripers. Shad-imitation lures are nearly as good. There is also a decent largemouth bass bite on the same lures along with drop-shot plastics. Trout were planted last Thursday, and this was the first plant of the season. Limit-style fishing has been the norm on Powerbait or a garlic scented nightcrawler since the plant, but the fish are spreading around the lake quickly. Both catfish and stripers continue to show in a fair deep-water bait bite on sardines or anchovies. The bluegill and crappie have slowed down, with the lower lagoon being the best bet. The lake’s elevation is dropping slowly, currently at 82 percent full, which is down two percent from last week. For information call the marina at 661-775-6232 (www.CastaicLake.com) or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.

PYRAMID: Little change here with the striper bite still fair for both shore and boat anglers. Shore anglers fishing the channel near the entrance booth and along the rip-rap are getting fishing on anchovies, sardines, and nightcrawlers. Trollers working umbrella rigs or anglers metering fish and vertical jigging with spoons or ice jigs are getting fish around Chumash Island and Serrano Cove. The largemouth and smallmouth bass are both still pretty fair, especially along the weed lines with plastics or nightcrawlers fished drop-shot style. No report of trout or panfish this week. The lake’s level is not changing much. It is at 92 percent full this week, up one percent from last week. There is a health warning about eating fish from Pyramid Lake (except the rainbow trout). More information at this link: http://www.oehha.ca.gov/fish/so_cal/pyramidlake2013.html. Information: Emigrant Landing entrance booth at 661-295-7155 or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.

COLORADO RIVER

ARIZONA FISHING REPORTS: ARIZONA FISHING REPORTS: The Arizona Game and Fish Department compiles a weekly report for most waters in the state, including the Colorado Rivers. Anglers can read the report at this direct link: http://azgfd.net/artman/publish/FishingReport/.
FLOW INFORMATION: Reservoir elevation levels and flow releases for the entire lower Colorado River are available at this web site with information updated hourly: www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g4000/hourly/rivops.html.

WESTERN SIERRA

LAKE ISABELLA: LAKE ISABELLA: There continues to be a fair to good catfish bite, but continued light fishing pressure. The action has been best in the morning and again later in the evening. Top baits have been the Triple S dip bait, clams, shad, sardines, chicken liver, all used with scent added. Many anglers are adding nightcrawlers to their cut baits to add motion. Lots of fish from three to six pounds and some bigger. The crappie bite continues to hang on with surprisingly good action for both shore and boat or tube anglers fishing minnows, especially in the Red’s Marina and French Gulch areas. Still fair largemouth bass action, especially early and late in the way when the fish are chasing bait.
The lake level continues to drop slowly with it down to 29 percent full this week, down from 31 percent three weeks ago. Few trout or carp reports, and the bluegill bite has slowed to nearly nothing. Information: Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657 or www.bobsbaitbucket.com, North Fork Marina at 760-376-1812, or Cope’s Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.

KERN RIVER: The trout bite is good in both the upper and lower river, and there were DFW plants in sections 2, 3, and 4 this week and last week. Salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, Blue Fox spinners, SuperDupers have all been getting fish. Ideal flows for fishermen in both the upper (360 cfs) and lower river (410 cfs), with little change from last week. Also improved fly action on the upper river from Kernville up to the Johnsondale Bridge and above. The bass action in the lower river has also been fair to good on nightcrawlers and small reaction baits. Information: Kern River Fly Shop 760-376-2040 or (www.kernriverflyfishing.com) or Gateway Market 760-376-2424.

AQUEDUCT NEAR TAFT: The striper bite is good with more and more keeper-sized fish from 20 to 24 inches again this week. A few anglers have been reporting two-fish limits along with a lot of smaller fish that are released. The best bite has been on sardines or blood worms for bait and Gitzits, Flukes or Lucky Craft jerk baits (in shad colors) for artificials. The catfish bite is fair on cut baits and dip baits at most bridge crossings and weirs. Lots of fish on Triple S dip bait, mackerel, blood or lug worms, or chicken liver fished along the bottom. Anglers are reminded the limit on stripers is two fish greater than 18 inches, while the largemouth limit is five fish. Information: Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657 or www.bobsbaitbucket.com or Cope’s Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.

MILL CREEK PARK AND CANAL: Little change here with the carp and bluegill bites slowing a little but still fair. The catfish action is spotty. Carp have been best on best on Wussy Bait and Powder Bait, while the catfish are showing on nightcrawlers or paste baits. The bluegill are showing on crickets and wax worms. Bass are improving with the cooler weather, mostly on nightcrawlers and plastics.

RIVER WALK PARK LAKE: Trout were planted last week and three weeks ago. The action has slowed way down since the weekend with most of the fish caught out. The best trout action has been on gold spinners, Phoebes, and Kastmasters, along with mini jigs. Bait anglers are using PowerBait or nightcrawlers with garlic oil. The carp and bluegill bites are slowing but still fair most mornings and evenings, and a few bass are being caught early mornings on Senko-type baits, jigs, and crankbaits. The carp bite is best on dough baits, especially Wussy Bait and Powder Bait. The bluegill are best on wax worms or red worms. Information Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.

HART PARK LAKE: Trout were planted again this week after the first plant of the season two weeks ago. The action has been good with a number of limits reported on PowerBait with garlic oil added. Mice Tails or other small trout plastics, gold spinners, or Kastmasters are also getting fish. The bass bite is fair, while the carp and bluegill bites are slow to fair. The bass are best on plastics, jigs, and reaction baits morning and evening. The bluegill are best on wax and meal worms or red worms. The carp are best on Powder Bait, Wussy Bait, or other dough baits. A few smaller catfish are being reported on cut baits or paste baits.

TRUXTUN LAKE: The carp and bluegill bites are both slowing with cooler weather, but still fair most mornings and evenings. The bass remain fair with a few on plastics or swimbaits in the morning. The carp are best on Wussy Bait, Powder Bait, or a variety of homemade dough baits. The bluegill are showing in fair numbers on wax worms, red worms, crickets, and meal worms. The odd catfish is showing on Triple S Dip Bait. A few more bass are starting to show.

MING LAKE: DFW trout were planted last week and four weeks ago. The bite has been fair with few limits, but most anglers still getting a fish or two. PowerBait or MiceTails with garlic oil, garlic nightcrawlers, or small trout jigs and gold spinners are the best baits. Still a few carp showing on Powder Bait and Wussy Bait. The bluegill bite is fair on meal, wax, or red worms. A few bass on topwater or reaction baits early and then on live minnows or plastics.

BRITE LAKE: DFW trout plant last week and three weeks ago. The action has stayed fair on PowerBait with garlic oil and Power Worms or Mice Tails. There has continued to be a slow to fair bite on small bluegill and warmouth near the aerator and dam. Also still a few small largemouth around the weeds.

BUENA VISTA LAKES: Still very light fishing pressure. A few bluegill are showing on wax worms, meal worms, or red worms, and a few crappie on small minnows. The catfish remain slow on cut baits with scents added, but the Triple S dip bait has been best. Morning and evening are best for the cats. The carp action is fair, but few anglers. The best bite has been on Powder Bait or other dough baits. Some morning largemouth action and that has been improving with the cooler weather. The trout season will kick off in late November with the first plants (2,000 pounds) for the Nov. 23 Taft Chamber of Commerce Derby. General trout season will start after that event. Fishing information: Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657 or www.bobsbaitbucket.com or Cope’s Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.

WOOLLOMES LAKE: No reports.

SUCCESS LAKE: The first DFW trout plant of the season is set for next week. The bass bite has slowed but some fish are showing on structure on plastics with fewer on reaction baits and Senkos. Few crappie reports, but the bluegill action has slowed with only a few showing on crickets, wax worms, or meal worms. Finding fish has been the challenge. Catfish are fair on cut baits. The lake level is about as low as it can get, falling to just 9 percent of capacity, a little more down from last week. Information: Sequoia Fishing Company at 559-539-5626, www.sequoiafishingcompany.com or Cope’s Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.

KAWEAH LAKE: The first DFW trout plant of the season is set for next week. The lake level continues to sit at just eight percent full. This is about as low as it gets. The bite is still slow to fair, but some bass are showing on plastics and reaction baits, but cooling water is slowing the action. Very few bluegill and catfish being reported. Information: Sierra Sporting Goods at 559-592-5212.

EASTERN SIERRA

Top Eastern Sierra fishing report web sites are: www.KensSport.com (Bridgeport region), www.TheTroutFly.com (Mammoth Lakes region), and www.SierraDrifters.com (Bishop and Mammoth Lakes region).

TROUT PLANTS

For trout plants statewide, you can visit the DFW’s stocking page at https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FishPlants/.
This week’s trout plants: In Kern County, Brite Valley Reservoir and sections 2, 3, and 4 of the Kern River will all be stocked. In Los Angeles County, Alondra Park Lake, and Kenneth Hahn Lake are slated to get trout. Last week in San Bernardno County, Silverwood Lake received its first plant of the fall, but the DFW’s website did not have this information until this week.

OCEAN FISHING REPORT

For the most comprehensive and up-to-date ocean fishing available, go to www.976-TUNA.com.

YOUR FISHING REPORTS

Please feel free to send your freshwater or saltwater fishing reports and fishing photos to Jim Matthews, Outdoor News Service, at odwriter@verizon.net and the information will be included in the weekly report. If you have questions or comments, please call Matthews at 909-887-3444.