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.

This report is posted weekly on the Outdoor News Service web site (www.OutdoorNewsService.com) by Thursday afternoon. 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 California Aqueduct throughout the Antelope Valley and the southern Joaquin Valley has been very good over the past week for stripers. Lots of three to four pound fish with some bigger. Most are showing on shad-like artificials or cut baits. For an update on this fishing, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824 in the Antelope Valley or Bob’s Bait Bucket at 661-833-8657 for an update on the Taft Region.
2. The Silverwood Lake striped bass bite has continued pretty good over the past week, with anglers trolling umbrella rigs, throwing swim baits, or bait fishing all getting some fish up to six pounds. The marina area, the dam, and main channel points have been the best spots. For an update on this action, call the marina at 760-389-2299 or the Silverwood Country store at 760-389-2423.
3. The Big Bear Lake’s trout action stays in the top picks for its good action on holdover trout from plants earlier this season and last year. These fish are running from 1 1/2 to four pounds. The action has been good for shore anglers fishing inflated nightcrawlers drop-shot style at the dam early in the morning. This tactic is getting the best fish. For an update on this action, check with Big Bear Sporting Goods at 909-866-3222 or visit the store’s Facebook page for photos of some of the latest catches.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

VICTORVILLE REGION

HESPERIA LAKE: The trout bite is fair to good after a plant just before the holiday weekend last week. There will be 1,000 pounds of fish planted from Jess Ranch each week. Final catfish plant of the season was three weeks ago, but the bite has continued to be pretty good for the die-hard catfish anglers even though it has been cold in the mornings and evenings when the bite is best. Best bite has been on shrimp, mackerel, or nightcrawlers and adding scent improves their effectiveness. Fish to 10 pounds have been reported. The north shore, Sandy Point, and the finger have been the best spots this week. While most of the cats have been around two pounds, there were a number of bigger fish up to 10 pounds again this week. Lake information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.

JESS RANCH LAKES: The trout bite has been very good in both lakes on PowerBait (especially rainbow/garlic, spring green and chartreuse), nightcrawlers, and a variety of small trout lures, especially small jigs and scented plastics. Most of the fish are at two pounds, and the best spots this week have been the northern and western shores of lake 2 and the eastern logged shore and western shore near the drain of lake 3. Fair bass action on the northern and southern shores of lake 2 near the inlets and on lake 3 near pump house. Senkos, spinnerbaits, and drop-shotted nightcrawlers have been the best baits, with fish up to two pounds reported. A few catfish and bluegill are also still showing. For more information call (760)240-1107 or go to www.jessranchlakesnews.com.

MOJAVE NARROWS: The first county trout plants of the season went in last week, and DFW fish were planted four weeks ago. Trout plants are weekly. A few catfish still showing, but little fishing pressure. There is still a slow to fair bluegill bite on fish up to hand-sized on small baits fished beneath bobbers around the tules. The park is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Information, call 760-245-2226.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

ANTELOPE VALLEY REGION

APOLLO PARK LAKE: Trout action remains strong after a plant last Wednesday right before Thanksgiving. There have been fish to six pounds reported, and the best bite has been either on a drop-shotted, wacky-rigged Power Worm, and the nightcrawler-salmon egg combo. The fish are still crusing near the shoreline, so fishing no further out that 10 or 15 feet has been producing the best. Stocks will be twice a month this season with about 900 pounds per stock. There should be another plant next week. The panfish and catfish bites have finally slowed down, but a fair bite for those targeted these species. For more information, contact Apollo Park at 661-940-7701 or Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

JACKSON LAKE (NEAR WRIGHTWOOD): The bite on small bluegill has been pretty fair with most fish under five inches, but a few over. No trout plants yet, and no bass reported. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

LAKE PALMDALE: The lake is closed to fishing until February, when trout season will kick off with heavy stocks of fish. 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: Slowing action overall and light fishing pressure. The catfish bite has been fair in the mornings and evenings at the outlet but some fish off the north shoreline. Cut baits are still the best baits and adding scent (or pre-scented baits) has been the hot ticket. Few striper reports this week. Even fewer few bluegill or largemouth reported. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT (Little Rock to Quail Lake stretch): Both the stripers and catfish have remained fair to good along much of the aqueduct this past week. Catfish to four pounds and stripers to six pounds have been reported this week. Stripers have been best in the west end of the valley 25th Avenue East, the 130th and 180th west areas. The best catfish action had been in the 121st East region or the 260th West region around the curves. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CENTRAL PARK LAKE (CALIFORNIA CITY): The carp action has been fair on dough baits with cooler weather slowing this bite. Also still a fair bite on small bluegill on meal worms and wax worms. There have also been an occasional catfish showing around the reeds in the main lake on chicken liver, nightcrawlers, and mackerel.

LITTLE ROCK RESERVOIR: Light fishing pressure, and access remains restricted some days because of heavy equipment use, but walk-in anglers fishing on days when the lake is open. Few reports over the past week, and the bite has slowed way down. Very few crappie, bluegill, and bass reports. The Palmdale Water District has an ongoing sediment removal project, and the U.S. Forest Service (Angeles National Forest) may close the area in the future.

SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAIN WATERS

SILVERWOOD: The striped bass bite has continued pretty good over the past week, with anglers trolling umbrella rigs, throwing swim baits, or bait fishing all getting some fish up to six pounds. The marina area, the dam, and main channel points have been the best spots. Cheryl Buck, Rialto, had three stripers to six pounds on anchovies at the dam, while Joel Ruiz, Desert Hot Spring, landed 10 stripers to five pounds on swimbaits at the Gazebo (Cleghorn Canyon). The crappie and bluegill bites are still fair off the dock on small jigs tipped with bait or Crappie Nibbles. Trout plants two and three weeks ago. The bite is fair on PowerBait and small jigs or Mice Tails. Only a few largemouth and catfsh reported. A reminder: the dam is closed to angler access. 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: Continued good autumn trout action for shore anglers. Lots of the rainbows are from 1-8 to three pounds with some to six. The best bite is very early in the morning from the buoy line east to the west public launch ramp along the north shore. Chartreuse garlic and salmon egg PowerBait have been the best bets, but inflated nightcrawlers on slip bobber rigs is still a good bet. All of the private marinas have shut down, but the west public ramp is through Friday. For information on fishing, call Big Bear Sporting Goods at 909-866-3222 or visit the store’s Facebook page.

GREGORY LAKE: DFW trout plant two weeks ago. While the bite has slowed way down, there are still a few trout showing, especially on PowerBait or MiceTails fished in deep water early and late in the day. Lake and fishing information at 909-338-2233 or on the website at www.lakegregoryrecreation.com/fish. Fishing updates are posted infrequently on the park’s Facebook page or website.

GREEN VALLEY LAKE: Very slow. No plants in over a month. The lake facilities closed Oct. 31 and plants won’t begin again until next April. The website is www.gvlfishing.com and the Facebook page is Green Valley Lake Fishing.

INTERSTATE 5 LAKES

CASTAIC: The striped bass bite surged back on over the past week, with more and more stripers to 10 pounds reported in the action. Boat anglers are mostly fishing deeper water (although there is still an occasional surface flurry) using spoons, ice jigs, ghost shrimp, lug worms, and scented sardines. Shore anglers are seeing the best action along the west bank, with the best action off the furthest point on the bicycle trail. The largemouth and smallmouth bite also still fair with some flurries of good action. Overall, all the bites have been slowing as nights get cooler and the water temperature drops. The smallmouth have been fair bouncing swimbaits on the bottom off the points, and some largemouth are also being caught on small swimbaits and finesse plastics. The crappie and bluegill bite have slowed in the upper lake, but some panfish are still being caught in the lower lake. The best bite has been on wax worms, meal worms, and nightcrawler pieces. The catfish bite has been slow in the evenings on cut baits doused with scent in the upper lake, with a little better action in the lower lake. DFW trout plant went in two weeks ago, but the plant was small and the bite is slow. For information call the marina at 661-775-6232 (www.CastaicLake.com) or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.

PYRAMID: The striper bite has been fair to good on sardines, lug worms, and chicken liver for both boat and shore anglers. The fish are in deeper water off the points and (for shore anglers) in the canal by the front entrance booth and the rocks near the boat shop. The trout bite has been slow to fair after a DFW plant two weeks ago, but some fish are still showing around the marina on PowerBait or inflated nightcrawlers with scent in the first few coves out of the marina. The largemouth and smallmouth bass have been fair on nightcrawlers, plastics and reaction baits fished in 20-plus feet of water on the points. The catfish bite is slowing with only a few reported on sardines, chicken liver or nightcrawlers in deeper water in all coves and rip rap areas, with the boat launch area a top spots. Bluegill are slow to fair on meal worms, wax worms, and small jigs. No crappie reports. 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: The catfish action remains fair to good with most of the fish from two to four pounds and an occasional larger fish. Top baits have been super meal worms, shad, and clams, but fish are showing on a wide variety of dip baits and cut baits. The best action has been early and late and at night. No reports of crappie this past week, and very few bass reported. For fishing 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 remains pretty fair but getting light fishing pressure. The upper river was planted with trout last week and rainbows are slated to go in again in sections 4, 5, and 6. Until last week, the most recent plant was five weeks ago. The best bite has been on crickets, nightcrawlers, and salmon eggs. Fly anglers continue having decent action on wild fish in the low flows, especially in the upper reaches of the roadside water and up into the wild trout water past the Johnsondale bridge. The lower river flows are very low and the bite has been fair to good on bass with nightcrawlers or plastic worms. No DFW plants slated for the lower river this fall-winter season. The catfish action has also been pretty fair in the pools on clams and nightcrawlers. Information: Kern River Fly Shop 760-376-2040 or (www.kernriverflyfishing.com) or Gateway Market 760-376-2424.

AQUEDUCT NEAR TAFT: The striped bass bite has been good with a lot of fish over the 18-inch minimum and the fish are reported to be fat and in good shape. Jumbo and large minnows along with Gitzit and Fluke-style baits have been the best bet. Light pressure on cats, but some fish continue to show on shad, sardines, anchovies, blood worms, chicken liver, and Wussy Bait. 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: Slow. A few catfish showing on cut baits or nightcrawlers, especially morning and evening. A few carp also being caught on dough baits and Powder Bait.

RIVER WALK PARK LAKE: No trout are slated to be planted by the DFW this fall/winter season, but that could change after allotment meetings are held this week. The bluegill and carp action remains pretty fair on wax worms with meal worms the next best. Carp are best on Powder Bait or Wussy Bait and other dough baits. Slow other species with only an occasional bass being caught on plastics and Senkos early morning or late evening. Information Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.

HART PARK LAKE: No trout are slated to be planted by the DFW this fall/winter season. The bluegill bite remains a fair bet with the best bite on wax worms, meal worms, and nightcrawler pieces. A few bass are also showing very early in the morning or at night on reaction baits. The morning, evening, and night bite on catfish has been stayed pretty fair for anglers fly-lining cut baits. The carp bite is fair on Powder Bait, Wussy Bait, or other dough baits.

TRUXTUN LAKE: No trout are slated to be planted by the DFW this fall/winter season. The bass bite has slowed, but a few still showing on plastics and nightcrawlers. The bluegill and carp bites are slow to fair. Bluegill have been best on wax worms, meal worms, or nightcrawler pieces, while the carp are best on dough baits. Bass are best on reaction bait, plastics, or nightcrawlers.

MING LAKE: Trout plants have been reduced with a single 500-pound plant slated for December and another 500-pound plant scheduled for January. The bluegill action is finally slowing, but some fish continue to show on meal worms or wax worms, and the bass action has been spotty on plastics, nightcrawlers, and reaction baits morning and late afternoon. The carp are fair on Powder Bait or Wussy Bait. Catfish best on super meal worms, but this action is slow to fair.

BRITE LAKE: There continues to be a good bite on small bass from six to 10 inches on small lures and garlic nightcrawlers with topwater action early and late in the day. There crappie bite remains fair to good for float tubers fishing deeper water off the launch ramp, mostly on small jigs tipped with meals. Also fair to good action on bluegill on small baits like meal worms and jigs, and the odd catfish continues to show. There were also some trout reports, but there hasn’t been a DFW trout plant yet this season.

BUENA VISTA LAKES: The trout bite has continued pretty fair over the past week with most of the fish being caught on Mice Tails, garlic nightcrawlers, and garlic-scented PowerBait. A few diligent crappie anglers are getting a few fish. A few bass and bluegill also continue to be caught, but both of these bites have slowed way down. A few catfish are also being caught on nightcrawlers, chicken liver, or shad. The carp are fair on Powder Bait and Wussy Bait but getting little pressure. 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 crappie and largemouth bass bites continued to slow. The bass are best on smaller plastics fished drop-shot and split-shot style. Most of the bass are in the two-pound range. The crappie are decent fish around three-quarter pound to a pound and the action is mostly on small minnows with some on jigs. Bluegill slow on red worms, wax worms, and meal worms, mostly fished under a bobber. Also a few catfish showing on cut baits and dip baits. The water level has dropped enough that the main ramp is not being used, and anglers are launched at Lure Point. 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 water level continues to drop, but there continues to be a slow to fair bass bite on plastics and small swimbaits, but the fish are mostly in deeper water except early and late in the day. Other bites have slowed way down. 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 page is frequently updated after this news report is published so the current week, next week’s, and even previous week’s plant information may change.

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.