FISH REPORT — 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 trout bites have exploded at three of the major reservoirs in the region thanks to Department of Water Resources-funded plants over the last two weeks, and more fish may come next week. Limits have been the rule at Silverwood, Pyramind, and Castaic, so if you want five rainbows from one to two pounds (mostly), then pick one of these waters and go. The action has been best near the marina launch ramps where the fish are being stocked, and small spoons or PowerBait are getting the fish. For updates, you can call Silverwood marina at 760-389-2299, the Pyramid entrance booth at 661-295-7155, or the Castaic marina at 661-775-6232.
2. While it drops out of the top spot, the entire California aqueduct from Hesperia to Taft remains one of the hottest places to fish in the whole region. The action is good on stripers and catfish. The best bite throughout and for both species has been on lug or blood worms fish alone or mixed with chicken liver or other cut bait and drifted along the bottom, especially in areas where the flow is constricted, interrupted, or bends. 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.
3. The Lake Isabella crappie bite just won’t go away, but it has been much tougher for shore anglers than boat or tube anglers this week. The fish are averaging around three-quarter pound now with fewer big fish spicing up the bite, but still a few to three pounds reported. Most of the action is in about 15 feet of water around structure on small jigs or small minnows. Jackrabbit Flats has been perhaps the top area, but fish are still showing in most of the coves. For an update on this bite, check with Bob’s Bait Bucket in Bakersfield at 661-833-8657.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

VICTORVILLE REGION

HESPERIA LAKE: Good catfish action continues with weekly plants of fish running from 1-8 to three pounds, with some bigger in each stock. Top baits over the past week have been shrimp, M&M (marshmallow-meal worm) Combo, and nightcrawlers. Top fish this past week was a 12-pounder landed by Rodney Russell, Colton, fishing shrimp off Sandy Point. Mike Franco, Hesperia, landed a six-pound cat, while Dave Barrett, Hesperia, had a four-pounder. Lake information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.

JESS RANCH LAKES: The bass action has been good on Senkos, nightcrawlers, and swimbaits from the northern and eastern shores of lake 2. Largemouth up to five-pounds reported in the past week. Trout remain mostly slow with only a few fish in the two-pound range showing on PowerBait, nightcrawlers, Mice Tails, or small jigs. The bluegill remain pretty good on crickets, meal worms, wax worms, and red worms. For more information call (760)240-1107 or go to www.jessranchlakesnews.com.

MOJAVE NARROWS: There continues to be a good catfish bite here thanks to weekly plants. Most of the fish are in the two to three-pound range, but some bigger each week. Best bite on frozen sardines, anchovies, or shad with Triple X Blood Bait scent added. The carp are also fair to good on dough baits. Bluegill are very good, but most of the fish are small and showing on wax worms or crickets. Information, call 760-245-2226.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

ANTELOPE VALLEY REGION

APOLLO PARK LAKE: The carp and bluegill bites are both very good. The carp are running from two to four pounds on a variety of dough baits, with the Triple X Amazing Carp Bait a top bet. The bite on small bluegill and warmouth is best on meal worms, wax worms, crickets and nightcrawler pieces. The trout bite has slowed way down with the warm weather, but some fish continue to show on the back side in deeper water on PowerBait and small black plastics or jigs. Also a few bass reported. 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): The bluegill remains wide open with excellent numbers of small fish caught. Any small bait suspended under a bobber fished near the weeds is getting fish. The trout bite is spotty with the most recent plant three weeks ago, but some anglers fishing PowerBait in yellow are still getting an occasional fish. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

LAKE PALMDALE: The carp and catfish bites are both very good. There have been carp over 30 pounds landed in the past week, and the average fsh are five to 15 pounds. The carp are biting on a wide variety of home-made and production dough baits. The catfish are running up to 15 pounds with most three eight pounds, and they have been showing on cut baits, with the chicken liver-blood worm or nightcrawler combo still a good bet. The trout action has also been surprisingly good early in the mornings when the fish are up on top feeding. Flies and small jigs are getting the rainbows. The redear and bluegill remain good on fly-lined nightcrawlers off the docks. 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 bluegill bite is wide open here with a lot of hand-sized fish being caught on red worms, wax worms, meal worms, crickets, and nightcrawler pieces. The largemouth bass bite also remains very good on reaction baits and nightcrawlers. The night bite on stripers and catfish has also been good, while the day bite is much slower. The stripers have been best along the north shore at the inlet on frozen shad or swimbaits. The cats are good all along the north shore and along the south shore tules on just about any cut bait with scent added. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT (Little Rock to Quail Lake stretch): The bite remains excellent throughout the aqueduct from Quail Lake to Hesperia. There have been stripers to 14 pounds reported, while most are three to five pounds, and the catfish running to 15 pounds. Both are showing on a wide range of cut baits, blood or lug worms, and nightcrawlers. However, frozen shad with scent added has been the hot bait. Some stripers also showing on white jigs. Top spots continue to be where the flows change and slow — especially road crossings, weirs, and siphons, but also where the canal bends. Morning and evening is the best time to fish, but catfish have been showing all day. Flows are brisk so weight is needed to get the baits down. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CENTRAL PARK LAKE (CALIFORNIA CITY): There has been an excellent bluegill bite, and the catfish bite is good at night. The bluegill are being caught on the usual array of small baits with red worms perhaps the best. The cats are showing on chunks of mackerel and running from two to five pounds. Carp are also pretty decent on dough baits, and a few bass are showing on cranks, plastics, swimbaits, and nightcrawlers.

LITTLE ROCK RESERVOIR: No reports from walk-in anglers 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 trout action has been excellent over the past week thanks to huge private plants funded by the Department of Water Resources. The fish are nice fish from one to two pounds or a little better. The bite is best around the marina and into both Cleghorn and Miller canyons. Mike Long, Wrightwood, have five trout to 2-8 on PowerBait in Cleghorn and had his limit in an hour. Ian Dabler, Wrightwood, landed four trout to two pounds on worms. The stripers also continue to be good. Most are from one to two pounds and showing at the dam, the main lake points, Chemise, and around the marina and up into both Miller and Cleghorn. Top baits continue to be sardines, nightcrawlers, frozen shad, and blood or lug worms. Trollers are using umbrella rigs with shad-like swimbaits. Top fish reported was an eight-pounder landed by John Carmichael, Costa Mesa, fishing sardines in Miller Canyon. There has continued to be pretty fair crappie and bluegill action off the docks on small jigs with Crappie Nibbles. The largemouth are fair on plastics and reaction baits. Most three pounds or under, but some bigger fish on trout-like swimbaits. 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 Fishin’ for $50K Trout Derby was won by a 5.80-pound trout landed by Jeremy Paris. William Roth had a 5.44 pounder, and Joe Rios landed a 4.92-pounders. Top fish in the women’s division was a 4.22-pounder caught by Erin Bougie, and she also won the top drawing prize of a fully-equipped fishing kayak. The event drew 419 anglers (about 100 above last year), but none of the $10,000 tagged trout were caught. There were two $100 tagged trout landed. The trout bite remains good in the west end of the lake (toward the dam), mostly from Windy Point to the Buoy Line. The best bite has been early in the morning and then again in the evening. Bait anglers are mostly using PowerBait in bright colors in the corn, cheese, and garlic flavors or inflated nightcrawlers fishedon Carolina rigs with two to three-foot leaders. Mice Tails are also good. Trollers are dragging two to three colors of leadcore (or at 8 to 12 feet on downriggers) along the south shore, Trout Alley, the west end from the west public launch to the dam. A wide variety of small spoons and Rapala-like lures in gold with red or orange highlights are the best baits to troll. The crappie and bass bites are both very good again thanks to the nice weather. The carp bowfishing also turned wide open in all shallow areas of the lake. For tournament registration information and costs, go to bigbear.com or call 800-424-4232. All the lakes’ public and private launch ramps are open. For information on fishing, call Big Bear Sporting Goods at 909-866-3222 or visit the store’s Facebook page.

GREGORY LAKE: The trout bite has been pretty good, and a DFW plant slated for this week should keep the bite going. Top spots have been in the cove by the baseball field and the cove near the dam. PowerBait, Mice Tails, small trout jigs, and small trout spoons have all been getting fish. Early morning and early evening are the times to fish. 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: Trout have been planted three weeks in a row with plants from Jess Ranch. The bite has been good on small trout jigs, Mice Tails, trout spoons, inflated nightcrawlers with garlic, and PowerBait in yellow or chartreuse. With the heat, the best bite is early morning for both shore and boat anglers, and the fish are congregating in the deeper water at the dam. The website is www.gvlfishing.com and the Facebook page is Green Valley Lake Fishing.

INTERSTATE 5 LAKES

CASTAIC: The big news is the excellent trout action, although the striper bite has been good, too. The trout bite exploded after 3,000-pound plants three days in a row last week contracted by the Department of Water Resources. At least two more plants were slated to go in this week. These are all Calaveras trout from northern California and they all were from 1-8 to three pounds. PowerBait, Mice Tails, and small spoons (Kastmasters) were getting easy limits. Vagan Sarkisyan, Burbank, had a limit of five trout to three pounds on Kastmasters. The bite for stripers has remained pretty good on sand worms, lug worms, blood worms, and frozen shad, Triple X sardines or anchovies. The fish are still mostly in deeper water, but seem to be on top or near-surface most mornings and whacking jerk baits or topwaters. The trout plants have yet to stimulate a swim bait bite on bigger fish. John Petrov, Venice, had eight stripers to three pounds on topwater baits. The largemouth and smallmouth bass also continued to be fair to good. The bite is best on plastics worms, nightcrawlers, Senko-like baits, or just about any reaction bait. Brandon Warner, Laguna Hlls, caught and released 14 smallies and largemouth to four pounds on plastics. The bluegill action is excellent along most shoreline structure in four to 20 feet of water on small baits or jigs. A few crappie reported. For information call the marina at 661-775-6232 (www.CastaicLake.com) or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.

PYRAMID: Like Castaic and Silverwood, the DWR has contracted to have thousands of pounds of rainbows planted over the past couple of weeks. There were two plants last week and more were slated to come in this week. These are all 1-8 to three-pound trout, and the bite has been excellent all around the marina and all the way out to Spanish Point and into Bear Trap. PowerBait and most small lures are getting limits. The striped bass bite has also been very good on two to four-pound fish and some bigger. The best bite has been on blood, lug, and sand worms, but frozen sardines, anchovies, and shad are nearly as good. Top spots for stripers continues to be the rip rap in front of the boat shop, the shoreline and points past the swim beach, and the canal by the entrance booth. The largemouth and smallmouth bass bites remain pretty good. 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 early mornings. The bluegill bite is very good along the shoreline structure on meal worm, wax worms, red worms, and crickets. Even a few fish bigger than hand-sized. Catfish are fair on cut baits on the sandy banks and coves. 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: A thunderous amount of water is moving in and out of Isabella right now (5,500 cfs coming in and going out), and the lake is 55 percent full. The crappie bite is still pretty good, but the fish are mostly in 15 feet of water and access to the action for shore anglers is tough. Boat and tube anglers are still getting limits of fish on small jigs or small minnows. Most are under a pound, but a few bigger fish continue to show. The catfish bite has also turned on with the heat, mostly on shad and clams, and the night bite has been particularly good. They are showing around much of the lake. The largemouth bass bite is pretty good with topwater action early and then a lot of fish on cranks and plastics. The trout bite is fair for trollers, but also for bait anglers fishing MiceTails or PowerBait near the auxiliary dam. Not much pressure on the trout. Few carp anglers, too, but dedicated carpers are getting fish on flooded flats and fly anglers are finding a lot of gulpers working. Bluegill good for the few anglers fishing them. 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 Kern was flowing at 5,500 cfs in Kernville and at 5,500 cfs below the dam much of this week. Those are almost unfishable flows, but the trout bite is pretty good on mice tails, spinners, crickets, or salmon eggs in the slower pools and edge water. Fly-fishing for wild fish has also been tough with the best action on small nymphs fished along the edges of heavier flow, 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 slow to fair in the very high flows. A few smallmouth on nightcrawlers, small reaction baits, or plastic worms. The catfish also slowed with very few reports. Information: Kern River Fly Shop 760-376-2040 or (www.kernriverflyfishing.com) or Gateway Market 760-376-2424.

AQUEDUCT NEAR TAFT: The striper bite remains very good on blood and sand worms for bait anglers and on pearl and chartreuse Flukes for lure anglers. Paul Perkins, Bakersfield, landed a 4-11 striper this past week. Catfish are nearly as good at the stripers, and this bite has been best on shad or mackerel. The flows remain high 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: There is fair bass action on plastics and reaction baits, and the carp and bluegill bites have both continued to improve with warm weather and both are pretty good now. Carp best on Wussy Bait and Powder Bait, while the bluegill are showing on crickets and wax worms.

RIVER WALK PARK LAKE: The carp bite improved again this week on dough baits. The bass and bluegill bites remains 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 action remains excellent this week on Powder Bait or other dough baits. Lots of fish up to five or six pounds and some bigger. The bass and bluegill bites are also good. The bass are showing on plastics, jigs, and reaction baits, while the bluegill are best on wax and meal worms or red worms.

TRUXTUN LAKE: Fair to good bass bite, and the carp and bluegill bites are both excellent, especially at night. The bass remain 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, crickets, and meal worms.

MING LAKE: Very good carp action on Powder Bait and other dough baits. The bass and bluegill are good. The bass are best on dark plastics, but some are also showing on small swimbaits, cranks, buzz baits, or live minnows. the bluegill are showing on meal, wax, or red worms.

BRITE LAKE: The bite on small crappie has been pretty fair, but the trout have continued to slow down. Crappie have been best on small jigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles or bait. The few trout being caught are coming in on PowerBait or MiceTails. Small bass are starting to show in better numbers, and the bluegill bite is also now very good.

BUENA VISTA LAKES: The carp action has really taken off with the hot weather, and fish to eight pounds have been reported. The best bite has been on Powder Bait or other dough baits. The bass and crappie bites have been fair. The bass have been best on plastics, spinnerbaits, and jerk baits, while the crappie are best on small minnows or jigs with Crappie Nibbles. The bluegill action has been good on wax worms, crickets, or meal worms. 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 bass action has been good again this week. The lake level is 105 percent capacity with Sierra snowmelt runoff in the Tule River very high. The best action has been on reaction baits with some on plastics. A few crappie continue to show in deeper water on small jigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles or small minnows. The bluegill action is also good on crickets, wax worms, or meal worms. Catfish are fair on cut baits. 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 have yo-yoed a little in the past week with big releases, but it continues in a generally upward trend. On Wednesday is was 85 percent of full. The crappie bite has continued to be pretty good on small minnows or jigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles or other baits. Most fish are three-quarter pound, but some bigger. There is a fair to good bass bite on reaction baits, plastics, and small swimbaits. Bluegill also are good. 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 include a big list of waters in Inyo County – Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Intake II, the Middle Fork and the South Fork of Bishop Creek, Cottonwood Creek, George Creek, Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, section 2 of the Owens River, Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Shepherd Creek, Symmes Creek, Taboose Creek, Tinnemana Creek, and Tuttle Creek. In San Bernardino County, Arrowbear Lake, Green Valley Lake, Lake Gregory, and Jenks Lake are all slated to get trout.

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.