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 crappie bite remains wide0open, Crappie Mania, excellent at Lake Isabella, and there have been a lot of limits reported and some real quality slabs up into the three-pound range. Most are around a pound or better. The bite is best all along the south shoreline coves in the trees. Small minnows or jigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles are the go-to baits, and the action is good for shore, float tube, or boats anglers fishing around flooded trees. The annual trout derby is this weekend, too. For an update on this action, check with Bob’s Bait Bucket at 661-833-8657.
2. Apollo Park stays in the No. 2 spot for its hot carp action — and trout were planted this week. The carp bite has been nearly non-stop for anglers fishing dough baits on small treble hooks or hair rigs. Most of the fish are two to five pounds. Trout have been best on PowerBait and small trout worms. For an update on this action, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
3. Lake Silverwood stays in the top picks for its crappie action that has just gotten better over the past week. Fish running from three-quarter to 1 1/2 pounds are showing in good numbers off the marina docks on small jigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles or other small baits on the hook. The fish are still in deeper water but moving shallower. This is the first time in several seasons some quality fish have been reported. For an update on this action, call the marina at 760-389-2299 or the Silverwood Country store at 760-389-2423.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

VICTORVILLE REGION

HESPERIA LAKE: No report available. Lake information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.

JESS RANCH LAKES: Trout bite was fair to good on both lakes, with anglers using PowerBait (especially salmon peach or rainbow garlic), garlic nightcrawlers, jigs, and lures. Most trout are around two pounds. 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 are starting to bite senkos and nightcrawlers from the northern and eastern shores of lake 2 with the warmer temperatures. The bluegill and catfish bites are still slow, but some bluegill are starting to show. For more information call (760)240-1107 or go to www.jessranchlakesnews.com.

MOJAVE NARROWS: The trout bite has slowed since the DFW trout plants ended two weeks ago. A few fish continue to show on garlic-flavored nightcrawlers, PowerBait, small trout jigs, or Mice Tails. Top spots continue to be the north and south shores of Pelican Lake and the back side of Horseshoe Lake near the spillway. More and more bass are being caught as they move shallow for the spawn. Also some bluegill starting to show. The park is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Information, call 760-245-2226.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

ANTELOPE VALLEY REGION

APOLLO PARK LAKE: The carp bite remains wide open and the trout plant this week has perked up an already pretty fair trout bite. Most of the carp are running two to five pounds (with bigger fish possible). The action has been nearly non-stop on half-inch dough baits fished on treble hooks or hair rigs. The trout action has been best on Drew’s custom worms, Power Worms, or Mice Tails fished drop-shot style on the north side of the lake with long leaders. The panfish and catfish bites are mostly slow, but a few bass and bluegill are showing now. Trout plants are twice a month this season with about 900 pounds per stock. There will be a youth fishing derby May 4, and the lake will be closed to fishing the days before this event and planted heavily. For more information or updates on the plants, contact Apollo Park at 661-940-7701 or Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

JACKSON LAKE (NEAR WRIGHTWOOD): Few reports, but quite a few small bluegill are starting to show. First DFW plant of the season slated for the week of April 21-27. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

LAKE PALMDALE: Both the trout and bass bites have been very good. There was a 6,000-pound trout plant for last weekend’s youth derby, and the plant had a bunch of trophy Lightning Trout to 10-plus pounds that are still showing, and a lot of limits of one to three pounders are being caught. The best bite has been on black trout plastic worms, especially the Drew’s and Jerkit baits fished on leadheads. Jakes lures in gold and yellow or pink are also getting the rainbows. The largemouth bass bite broke wide open with spawning fish all along the shorelines and whacking a wide variety of plastics, Senko, spinnerbaits, and fly-lined nightcrawlers near any structure and weeds. Lots of two-pound class bass, but some quality fish over four pounds have been caught this past week. The crappie bite has remained steady with fish to nearly two pounds reported on black jigs. 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 largemouth bass bite is very good with the warm weather and the fish moving through the spawn. The fish are running up to two pounds and showing in very good numbers on white or yellow spinnerbaits and plastics fished along the edges of the weeds. The catfish bite is fair to good on chicken liver-nightcrawler combos with the best bite at dawn and dusk. More and more bluegill are starting to show on meal worms and wax worms, but only a few stripers reported. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT (Little Rock to Quail Lake stretch): The catfish and striped bite remains pretty good throughout the vally, east and west ends. All road crossings and bends in the aqueduct are producing fish. Catfish to eight pounds and stripers to five pounds reported again this week. The smorgasbord approach to catfish bait has been the hot ticket with a combination of chicken liver, mackerel, and nightcrawlers getting the most fish. Best bite has been in the evening from six to 11 p.m. Stripers also continue to show on small swimbaits or cut baits. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CENTRAL PARK LAKE (CALIFORNIA CITY): The catfish and carp bites are fair. The cats are in the one to two–pound range and showing on nightcrawlers, while the carp are showing on dough baits. The bass are fair to good on plastics and nightcrawlers. Some bluegill are starting to show on wax worms, red worms, and nightcrawler pieces.

LITTLE ROCK RESERVOIR: No reports this week. Water level is high and spilling at spillway, but no reports from walk-in anglers 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 good crappie action has continued with most anglers getting their fish off the docks on small jigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles. Some fish are also showing in flooded brush in Miller Canyon and the main channel. The trout bite has been fair to good with the most recent DFW plant two weeks ago. Next plant is in two weeks. The best action has been around the marina and in Cleghorn and Miller canyons, especially where water is flowing into the lake on chartreuse PowerBait, PowerWorms, or Mice Tails with garlic scent added. Allan Mackey, Ontario, had four trout, including one at siz pounds, all on green PowerBait. The stripers continue to show from the docks and around the marina and at the dam on cut baits (anchovies and sardines) and blood worms. Most are one to two pounds, but some are bigger. The largemouth bass bite is fair to good now with most of the fish shallow for the spawn. 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: While winds have hampered the bite a little this week, the trout action has remained fair to good over the past week with a lot of anglers reporting at least one or two trout and some with hefty stringers. The rainbows are cruising the shorelines and feeding heavily, congregating at the stream mouths for the spawn. Peak bites are early morning and evening. Top action has been on Power Baits in bright colors with garlic scent or nightcrawlers fished on a Carolina-rig with a two to three-foot leader. Rapalas, Kastmasters, Thomas Bouyants, Jake’s lures all work well in the smallest sizes. Some bigger fish are showing along the rocks and boulders found at the west end of the lake near the dam and inlets. Trout to four pounds have been reported this week. A reminder: the small streams themselves are closed to fishing from March 1 through the Friday before Memorial Day. The crappie bite has started to take off on small fish, and the bass action is also beginning with the fish moving shallow for the spawn. Best bass action on small plastics and reaction baits, while the crappie are showing on small jigs fished around docks and other structure. The lakes’ public and private launch ramps opened over the weekend or on Monday this week, including the east ramp near Stanfield Cutoff this season. The hot trolling pattern is to use one to three colors of leadcore (about four to 12 fish if you use downriggers) running the circuits along the south shore and Trout Alley or running west from the BBMWD’s west public launch to the Buoy Line near the dam. For information on fishing, call Big Bear Sporting Goods at 909-866-3222 or visit the store’s Facebook page.

GREGORY LAKE: The first DFW trout plant went in this week, and a few holdover rainbows are also showing in a fair bite. The Spring Trout Derby will be Saturday, May 18, with private plants planned before this event. The boat house is still closed due to storm damage this winter, but work is ongoing to get it open soon. 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 report. The lake facilities are closed and won’t open until late April or early May. The website is www.gvlfishing.com and the Facebook page is Green Valley Lake Fishing.

INTERSTATE 5 LAKES

CASTAIC: The largemouth and smallmouth bass continued to be pretty good as the fish move tight to spawn. The bite is best on plastics worms, nightcrawlers, Senko-like baits, or just about any reaction bait. The fish are mostly in four to 12 feet of water. Most of the bass are from 1-8 to three pounds. Jamal Amer, Sunland, caught and released 12 smallmouth and largemouth to three pounds on nightcrawlers. The bite for stripers remains fair to good with a lot of fish showing on cut baits and lug or blood worms, and more catfish are starting to be caught in this bite. The stripers are mostly in 50 to 60 feet of water and showing for both shore anglers or boat anglers. Also some stripers showing for trollers. Sam Ledesma, Oxnard, landed a 14.81-pound catfish on a nightcrawler from shore. Trout were planted two weeks ago, but only a few reports. Victor Espino, Culver City, had one trout at five pounds and one smaller trout, both on jerkbaits in the Fish Arm. The crappie are slow, but more and more bluegill are showing, especially in the lower lake on nightcrawlers. For information call the marina at 661-775-6232 (www.CastaicLake.com) or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.

PYRAMID: The largemouth and smallmouth bass bites are really turning on with the fish moving up throughout the shallows in three to 12 feet of water for the spawn. The best bite has been on nightcrawlers, plastics, and jigs in the mouths of coves and around structure. Some fish are showing on reaction and jerk baits. The striper bite has been good with both boat and shore anglers getting fish in the one to two pound range and some bigger. Lug worms, blood worms and nightcrawlers have been the best baits for both boat and shore anglers, and more and more catfish are showing in this bait bite. Top spots for stripers have been the rip rap in front of the boat shop, the shoreline and points past the swim beach, and the canal by the entrance booth. Catfish have been best on the sandy banks and coves. Vick Khachatryan, Burbank, had three stripers overaing about two pounds each fishing lug worms and nightcrawlers at the rip rap by the marina. Still few bluegill and 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: Crappie mania! The excellent crappie bite has continued this week with anglers continuing to reports slabs up to three pounds or better. Most are from three-quarter pound to 1 ½-pounds, and some even bigger fish. The fish are showing on crappie jigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles or small minnows, and the bite has been good in all the coves all along the south shore for shore, tube, or boat anglers. The keys has been to fish the flooded trees and brush in four to 12 feet of water. The lake level continues to come up (at over 40 percent full now), and the catfish and bass bites are also pretty good. The cats are showing on a wide variety of cut baits, especially in the French Gulch area. The best action has been on dip baits and clams. The bass have been best on jerkbaits, cranks, and underspins, but also a lot of fish on plastics. Most of the fish are in 15 feet of water or less. The 30th Annual Trout Fishing Derby is set for this weekend, April 13-15, and the trout have been planted heavily for this event, and the trout bite is pretty good on MiceTails and PowerBait. 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: Flows continue to come up with the warm weather this past week hitting the snowpack. The upper river was around 2,600 cfs at mid-week and the lower river has been around 2,300 cfs. DFW trout were planted in sections 1 through 6 (both the upper and lower river) last week. Trout were planted in sections 4 and 5 (upper river) three weeks ago. Flows are making the trout fishing challenging, but the bite is pretty fair. Fly-fishing for wild fish has also been tough with the best action on small nymphs fished in deeper runs, especially in the upper reaches of the roadside water and up into the wild trout water past the Johnsondale bridge. The lower river bite has been fair and improving for bass on nightcrawlers, small reaction baits, or plastic worms, but flows are way up. The catfish action has been improving 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 bite remains very good for stripers on Rat-L-Traps, Flukes, lug worms, minnows, and cut sardines. More and more fish are above the keeper size, and the better weather this past week has brought out more anglers. The catfish bite is also starting to take off, mostly on cut sardines, chicken liver, and Wussy Bait. The flows are up and anglers need to be prepared to use heavier weight to get down through the heavy current. 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: Quite a few bass are being reported on plastics and reaction baits, and the carp bite is very good on Wussy Bait and Powder Bait.

RIVER WALK PARK LAKE: The carp bite has broken open with good action on dough baits. The bass and bluegill bites are also pretty fair. The bass have been best on plastics and Senko-type baits, and the bluegill best on wax worms or red worms. Information Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.

HART PARK LAKE: The carp, bass, and bluegill bites are pretty good now. The bass are moving shallow for the spawn and showing on plastics, jigs, and reaction baits, while the usual array of dough baits are working for the carp. Bluegill best on wax and meal worms or red worms.

TRUXTUN LAKE: Good carp and bass bite, and more and more bluegill are showing each warm day. The bass have been moving shallow for the spawn and best on plastics or swimbaits. The carp are best on Wussy Bait, Powder Bait, or a variety of homemade dough baits. The bluegill are showing on wax worms, red worms, and meal worms.

MING LAKE: The carp and bass bites are really taking off. The carp are showing all around the lake on dough baits, especially Wussy Bait and Powder Bait. The bass are best on dark plastics, but some are also showing on small swimbaits, cranks, buzz baits, or live minnows. Bluegill are also pretty good with continued warm weather and they are showing on meal, wax, and red worms, or micro jigs tipped with bait.\ BRITE LAKE: The few anglers fishing are still seeing a few crappie and small bass. No other reports. There will be a big trout derby April 19 with a big plant of private trout prior to that event.

BUENA VISTA LAKES: The trout bite was fair over the weekend, but the action has slowed considerably since. The last plant of the season was two weeks ago. The trout bite has been best on PowerBait with garlic. Mice Tails, or garlic Gulp! Pinchced ‘Crawlers. Also a few crappie reported on small minnows with some solid fish to two pounds reported n the past week. A few also on crappie jigs and minnows. The bass and carp bites also both continue to surge with good action on both. The carp are very good on a variety of dough baits, with Wussy Bait and Powder Bait the two best bets. The bass hav een best on jerkbaits and plastics. The bluegill action is improving with pretty fair action this week on wax worms. Catfish are still slow. 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 good crappie action has continued, with good stringers and some quality fish in this action. The best bite has been on small jigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles or small minnows. The bass bite is also pretty good on drop-shot plastics and reaction baits as the fish move up shallow for the spawn. The bluegill are fair to good on small worms, while the catfish are finally turning on with a fair bite on cut baits. The lake is nearly 90 percent full. 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: Lake levels are coming up rapidly with runoff, but the lake is still less than 30 percent full. The bass action has been good on plastics and reaction baits in less than 15 feet of water. The bluegill are starting to show in better numbers and a few catfish and crappie are being caught. 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/. In San Bernardino County, many waters in the San Bernardino Mountains are getting their first plants of the season this week, including Arrowbear Lake, Gregory Lake, and Jenks Lake. Yucaipa Regional Park Lake is also getting planted (and it has not been planted by the county since the end of March). In Inyo County, Cottonwood Creek, Georges Creek, section 2 of the Owens River (the Big Pine area), Pleasant Valley Reservoir, and Tuttle Creek will also get plants.

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.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]