FISH REPORT — ONS-matthews – 04 March 2020 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 hot bite on crappie has continued at Lake Success in the western Sierra Nevada, with nice stringers of fish being caught. The real news, however, is the size of the some of the crappie with slabs in the four-pound class being landed each week. The bite has been good for both shore and boat anglers fishing around any flooded structure with live minnows. For an update on this action and top spots, check with Bob’s Bait at 661-833-8657.
2. The California aqueduct has been good in both the Southern San Joaquin Valley and Antelope Valley stretches. The stripers are the best bet in the San Joaquin, with a lot of three to eight pound, fat, keeper-sized fish showing on both live minnows and Senko-type baits. In the Antelope Valley stretch, there has been a nice mix of stripers from two to three pounds with some bigger and catfish from two to 10 pounds showing. The stripers have been best on Rat-L-Traps, while the cats are best on cut baits. For updates on this bite, check with Bob’s Bait Bucket in the San Joaquin at 661-833-8657 or Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824 for the Antelope Valley.
3. Silverwood Lake stays in the top picks another week for its trout action, with another plant slated for this week. The trout bite has been pretty good around the marina and into both Miller and Cleghorn canyons on small spinners or plastics and PowerBait. For an update on the action, call the marina at 760-389-2299 or the Silverwood Country store at 760-389-2423.
HIGH DESERT WATERS
VICTORVILLE REGION
HESPERIA LAKE: Continued fair to good trout action. Last week’s plant was 2,000 plants from Mt. Lassen, while this week’s plant is slated to be 500 pounds. Most of the fish stocked are 1-8 to two pounds, but each plant has a few bigger fish to five pounds or better. Top spots this past week have been the drain, Finger Cove, and along the north shore. Best action continues to be on various PowerBaits and small trout jigs. Top fish this past week was a 10-pounder landed by Dale Porter, Riverside, on a Black Minnow jig off The Finger. Anthony Duran, Baldwin Park, had a seven-pounder, while Estevan McDonald, Hesperia, caught a 6-8 rainbow. John McGinn, Apple Valley, caught a six-pounder. Lake information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.
JESS RANCH LAKES: The trout bite has been slow to fair on both lakes, with anglers using PowerBait in salmon peach, corn yellow, and spring green, nightcrawlers, small trout jigs, or MiceTails. The best action is before 10 a.m., and the hot spots include the northern and eastern shores of lake 2 and the grassy point and western shore near the drain of lake 3. A few bass have been caught on top water using Senko plastics on the western and northern shores of lake 2 with some fish from three to five pounds reported. For more information call (760)240-1107 or go to www.jessranchlakesnews.com.
MOJAVE NARROWS: The all-ages trout derby this past Saturday attracted 344 anglers, and a total of 88 trout were entered in the derby. Big fish was a 4-4 rainbow caught by Hector Gonzales, Fontana, on a yellow jig to win first place. Second place went to Jose Rodriguez, Pomona, with a 4-1 rainbow caught on PowerBait, while third place was caught by Francisco Gomez, Lynwood and weighed 3-13. It was caught on a Black Minnow Jig. Ruben Garcia, Jr., Hesperia, was fourth with a 3-10 trout, while Keenan Patel, Apple Valley, was fifth with a 3-9. There are weekly 609-pound plants on Thursdays, but last week’s was a double plant for the derby. The DFW also planted two weeks ago. The park is only open Thursday through Monday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Information, call 760-245-2226.
HIGH DESERT WATERS
ANTELOPE VALLEY REGION
APOLLO PARK LAKE:
APOLLO PARK LAKE: The Apollo Park Trout Derby is this Saturday, and a big plant went in this week for the event. The best action on the trout has been on small trout jigs, especially Drew’s and Black Minnow brands. The hot PowerBait has been the natural scent garlic in Orange and Nymph colors (alone or mixed together). A few carp are also starting to show on dough baits, but mostly small fish right now. Still no bluegill or catfish reports, but those bites could break open any time with the warmer weather over the past week. 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): No fishing reports. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
LAKE PALMDALE:The trout bite remains excellent with a lot of limits reported most days, and there was another plant last week. The trout are showing on a wide variety of baits and lures fished on light line (two-pound test), with PowerBait (nymph color with garlic is the best) and small yellow and silver jigs the top bets. Some trout on deep-trolled cranks. Dock anglers are doing as well as boat anglers. Other species are not getting any pressure, but the largemouth bass bite is breaking wide open as the fish stage to spawn. A drop-shot nightcrawler or plastic worm around the tules or docks are getting fish. A few catfish and crappie are also showing. The lake is open to members and their guests only, but memberships for 2020 are still available. 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: The action broke pretty much wide open in the past week with good striper and largemouth action. The stripers have been best along the north shore near the inlet, and frozen shad have been the top baits fished on a Carolina rig. Most of the stripers are fat and running three to four pounds with some seven to 10 pounders. The largemouth are best along the south shore 10 to 30 feet off the tules in slightly deeper water staging for the spawn. Nightcrawlers or plastics have been good bets with added scent. Lots of two to three-pound class fish and some bigger. A few catfish continue to show on cut baits, mostly at the outlet fished drop-shot style or fly-lined. Few anglers targeting bluegill. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT (Hesperia to Quail Lake stretch): The catfish and striper bites are good to very good throughout the aqueduct, east and west. The stripers have been best on Rat-L-Trap-type lures or swimbaits and mostly two to four pounds, but fish to 10 pounds reported in the past week. The catfish are mostly showing on sardines, mackerel, or chicken liver with a wide range of sizes being caught, including some to 10 pounds. The best action for both stripers and catfish is at road crossings, siphons, or any spot where the flow of the water is changed, slowed, or increased. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
CENTRAL PARK LAKE (CALIFORNIA CITY): Still very tough, but a few bluegill and carp are starting to show. The bluegill are small, hand-sized fish on nightcrawlers. The carp are also small and showing on dough baits. No bass or catfish reports.
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: Both the striped bass and trout bites have continued fair to good. DFW trout plants went in last week and again this week. Top spots have been around the marina and into both Miller and Cleghorn canyons. The best trout bite was on small spinners or plastics and PowerBait, and the fish are running up to three pounds. The stripers are showing in the marina, Miller Canyon, and at the dam on anchovies, sardines, anchovies, or swimbaits. A few more largemouth have been reported for anglers fishing plastics off the points with the fish moving up into less than 30 feet of water, with some as shallow as six feet. Slow other species. Lake elevation was 3,341.60 feet on Wednesday this week. This is up .27 feet from last week. 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 trout action has been improving steadily with the warmer weather, and many shore anglers are reporting two to five fish days. PowerBait, inflated nightcrawlers with garlic scent, and small spoons have all been getting a few fish. Top spots have been at the dam and any rocky, gravelly beach. 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. 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 fishing reports. Plants won’t begin until late April or May. The website is www.gvlfishing.com and the Facebook page is Green Valley Lake Fishing.
INTERSTATE 5 LAKES
CASTAIC: The larmemouth and smallmouth bites have continued to improve each week as the fish move up out of the deep water and stage for the spawn. Many fish are now in less than 15 feet of water. Drop-shot plastics and nightcrawlers have been best bet, and a number of limits have been reported with most fish up to 2-8. DFW trout plant two weeks ago, and the trout action is slow to fair on PowerBait with garlic scent or small spoons and jigs. Most are around a half-pound with some to 1-8. The stripers are fair, mostly showing on bait — sardines, anchovies, and lug worms — in deep water. A few bigger fish are showing on trout-like swimbaits, but most of the action has been on bait with those fish around 1-8 to three pounds. A few catfish have been reported in deep water off sandy beaches on sardines or chicken liver. The bluegill bite is slow, but ever-increasing numbers of crappie are being reported on small jigs (tipped with wax or meal worms) both the upper and lower lakes. The lake’s elevation was 1,481.61 feet on Wednesday, up .01 feet from last week. The lake is at 78 percent of full pool. The lake has risen more than eight feet over the past two weeks. For information call the marina at 661-775-6232 (www.CastaicLake.com) or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.
PYRAMID: The largemouth and smallmouth bites are both fair to good now with more and more fish starting to move up out of deep water for the spawn. The fish are mostly still in 15 to 25 feet of water with some action shallower in the afternoons. Drop-shot plastics off the points or walls has been the best bet, with some fish showing on deep-diving cranks and jerkbaits. The trout bite has remained fair after the plant five weeks ago, but the lake was not on the plant list again for this week. Top areas have been along the rip-rap in front of the boat shop, Spanish Point, Bear Trap, and along the canal near the entrance booth. PowerBait, small spinners, trout jigs, and trout plastics all getting a few fish. A decent number of cats are showing for anglers targeting these fish with chicken liver, sardines, or anchovies on most sandy shoreline in Yellowbar. The striper bite has been slow, with a few beng caught in very deep water off Chumash Island and at the dam on sardines, jigging spoons, or trolling with umbrella rigs. Shore anglers fishing blood worms, lug worms, or nightcrawlers at the canal at the entrance booth are also getting a few. No reports on other species. The lake’s elevation was 2,564.99 feet on Wednesday this week, up .50 feet from last week. This is at 85 percent of full pool. 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: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:There has been a pretty good catfish bite for shore anglers fishing frozen shad, clams, or dip baits. Lots of cats from three to 10 pounds or better. Few reports from crappie anglers this week, so that winter bite might be fading. A few more largemouth starting to be caught as the spawn approaches. No bluegill or carp reports. There was a DFW trout plant last week and four weeks ago, and trout are slated to go in again next week. Few trout reports. The lake elevation on Wednesday this week was 2,561.03 feet, up .20 feet from last week. The lake is 31 percent full and very stable right now. 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 continues pretty fair in both the upper and lower river, but it has been three weeks since the last plants (in the upper river). DFW trout are slated to go into section 4 and 5 of the upper river next week. There are, however, good numbers of holdover fish spread throughout the plant areas in both the upper and lower river. Salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, Roostertails and Blue Fox spinners, and SuperDupers are the best baits and lures. Excellent fishing flows in both the upper (482 cfs) and lower river (325 cfs). Fly-fishing action fair and improving on the upper river from Kernville up to the Johnsondale Bridge and above, and there is increasing dry fly activity. The bass and catfish action remains slow in the lower river. Information: Kern River Fly Shop 760-376-2040 or (www.kernriverflyfishing.com) or Gateway Market 760-376-2424.
AQUEDUCT NEAR TAFT:Good striper action with a lot of fat, healthy-looking three to eight pound fish showing. There have been fish reported on a wide variety of baits and lures with blood worms, sand worms, Gitzits and Flukes are the top bets. Live minnows are also producing fish. The catfish bite is slow on cut baits, but more and more fish are starting to show. 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.bobsbaitbucket.com or Cope’s Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.
MILL CREEK PARK AND CANAL: A few catfish continue to show here for anglers fishing nightcrawlers. No reports of carp or bluegill, yet.
RIVER WALK PARK LAKE: The trout action has been pretty good since the big plant for the trout derby last weekend, and the trout have been best on PowerBait, small trout jigs, and flies. The bass action is also really taking off with fish showing on plastics and Flukes in pretty decent numbers. Even some bluegill starting to be caught on wax worms. Information Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.
HART PARK LAKE: DFW trout plant (the first of the year) is slated for next week here. Until then, the bass and bluegill bites have both really started to take off, especially the bass with a lot of fish showing on plastics and Brush Hawgs. The bluegill have been fair on wax worms.
TRUXTUN LAKE: The bass bite has been getting better with each warm day, and the bite is pretty good on Senko-type baits. A few bluegill are also starting to show on wax worms, meal worms, or red worms. Still no carp or catfish reports.
MING LAKE:The largemouth bite is pretty good with a lot of fish moving around in the shallower water and whacking Senkos, Brush Hawgs, and live minnows. Most recent DFW trout plant over a month ago, and no fish are scheduled for this week or next week. Other species still slow.
BRITE LAKE:There has been a fair bite on hand-sized crappie on small jigs fished under a float, and the trout bite has been fair on Drew’s plastics and PowerBait. Other species are slow.
BUENA VISTA LAKES: There was a Mt. Lassen trout plant this week, and the cation has been pretty good since the plant on Mini Jigs, Mice Tails, garlic nightcrawlers, and PowerBait. Some trout over three pounds, but most 1-8 to two. The bass have also started to show in decent numbers for anglers fishing Senkos along the tules, and a few crappie are showing on minnows at night. Few reports of other species. Fishing information: www.bobsbaitbucket.com or Copeís Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.
WOOLLOMES LAKE: No reports.
SUCCESS LAKE: The good crappie bite has continued here with a lot of nice stringers of fish. Maybe not as many limits, but still good quality slabs. Matt Lytle, Bakersfield, had a four-pound crappie on a minnow as part of his stringer that included several fish around two pounds. The fish are showing for both boat and shore anglers fishing live minnows. DFW trout plants this week and three weeks ago. Other species have been mostly slow, but a few more bass and bluegill are starting to show. The lake elevation is 607.10 feet as of Wednesday, up 1.17 feet from last week. The lake is at 21 percent capacity. Information: Cope’s Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.
KAWEAH LAKE: Most recent DFW trout plant was three weeks ago, but another plant is slated for next week. The largemouth bass bite is starting to improve as the fish move up into shallower water staging for the spawn. Best action has been on plastics or small swimbaits. Still few bluegill and catfish being reported. Lake elevation is currently 613.71 feet as of Wednesday, up 1.98 feet from last week. The lake is at 16 percent capacity. 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 San Bernardino County, Cucamonga-Guasti Park Lake and Silverwood Lake are on the plant list. In Tulare County, Success Reservoir will get trout. In Inyo County, Diaz Lake, Lone Pine Creek, and the Owens River below Tinnemaha will get planted. Note that some of these plants in Inyo County are on waters that do not open to fishing until the early trout season opener on March 7.
Next week’s trout plants (March 8-14): In Kern County, Hart Park Lake, Lake Isabella, and sections 4 and 5 of the Kern River will get trout. In Tulare County, section 5 of the Kern River and Kaweah Reservoir are slated to get fish.
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 the information will be included in the weekly report. If you have questions or comments, please call Matthews at 909-887-3444.
