FISH REPORT — ONS-matthews – 11 December 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. Hesperia Lake has been getting trout plants weekly now for four weeks, and the trout action has been pretty good. The weather has kept a lot of anglers away, allowing the fish to stockpile a little. There have been a number of fish to four pounds reported, including quite a few limits. There were also some quality Lightning Trout in last week’s plant, according to some reports. For an update, call the lake store at 760-244-5951.

2. The Kern River’s trout bite has stayed very good. This is partially thanks to regular DFW plants, but there continue to be a lot of quality rainbows showing in the lower Kern below Isabella, and these are probably fishing from the lake that came through the dam. Salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, and SuperDupers have been the best baits. For an update on this bite, call Bob’s Bait Bucket at 661-833-8657.

3. Apollo Park Lake, if it gets the scheduled plant this week, should be a top bet. Even without a plant, the bite has been very consistent for rainbows to four-plus pounds in the back lake (near the three islands) on the usual array of small jigs, especially green with black flake. For update on this spot, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824..

HIGH DESERT WATERS

VICTORVILLE REGION

HESPERIA LAKE: Lightning trout were planted last week, and weekly trout plants have keep the bite pretty good. There also has been a pretty fair bite on holdlover catfish with some bruisers between seven to 15 pounds reported. Lake information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.

JESS RANCH LAKES: Unsettled weather over the past week has continued to make the trout bite unpredictable here, but there is fair action some days, especially in the mornings. Top action has been on PowerBait in salmon peach, garlic, and rainbow, nightcrawlers, and small trout jigs and other small trout lures. Best spots include the northern and eastern shores of lake 2 and the grassy point and western shore near the drain of lake 3. Other species very slow. For more information call (760)240-1107 or go to www.jessranchlakesnews.com.

MOJAVE NARROWS: The trout action has been fair with weekly 609-pound plants on Thursdays. The trout are from 1-8 to three pounds, and while no limits were reported, many anglers reported one or two fish. David Martinez, Apple Valley, had two trout and his best was a three pounder. Both were caught on Power Jigs off the left side of Pelican Lake. The park is only open Thursday through Monday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. No DFW trout plants on the schedule yet. Information, call 760-245-2226.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

ANTELOPE VALLEY REGION

APOLLO PARK LAKE: Trout plant expected this week, but the bite has been pretty fair since the last plant two weeks ago. The action in the front lake has been best on the Drew’s Rat Tail (red head, orange body) with far fewer fish on Mice Tails or regular Power Bait. In the back lake, where the fishing has been best, small trout jigs in green with black flake have been the hot ticket. There is also still a pretty fair carp bite on the Amayzing Dough bait. Light fishing pressure. 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): While the road was closed a couple of days last week, there has continued to be a surprisingly fair bite on rainbows. Most are being caught on PowerBait or small trout jigs. The most recent reported DFW trout plant was over a month ago. The bluegill bite has almost died. 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: Cold rain and even some snow again last week, but while it has not been wet, it is still very cold and fishing pressure has been light. Still a fair bite on stripers on the points near the outlet on sardines. No reports on largemouth, catfsh, or bluegill this past week. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT (Hesperia to Quail Lake stretch): Overall slowing in fishing pressure and action throughout the valley this week, but there continues to be quite a few stripers to four pounds reported in the Pearblossom to Anaverde stretch. The hot bait has been the chicken liver-nightcrawler combo fishing right on the bottom where the current flow is broken. That means a bends, road crossings, weirs, and siphons. Fewer catfish reported this week. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CENTRAL PARK LAKE (CALIFORNIA CITY): No reports over the past week.

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 trout bite has been good since last Friday’s plant by the DFW with quite a few limits reported. The trout bite is best in Cleghorn, Miller, around the marina, and up into the channel on PowerBait in chartreuse and garlic. Also quite a few fish showing on small jig, spinners, and spoons. There were also DFW plants three and five John Gonzalez, Wrightwood, had five trout to 2-2 on Trout Magnet jigs in the marina. The striped bass bite has remains fair with fish to four pounds on anchovies, garlic nightcrawlers, blood or lug worms fished at the dam, main lake points, or around the marina, mostly in deep water. Still some catfish showing on cut baits at the marina docks and into both Miller and Cleghorn canyons, and some are also showing at the dam. The largemouth bite is slow with little pressure, and there have been no reports of crappie since before the rains. Lake elevation is just over 3,345 feet, up about three feet since 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: Weather continues cold, but the lake is not frozen solid. There is lots of shoreline sheet ice most mornings. The trout fishing has been pretty good near the dam. The best action is 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. 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. Most recent plants 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: More snow this past week. Very slow fishing with no plants in over a month. The website is www.gvlfishing.com and the Facebook page is Green Valley Lake Fishing.

INTERSTATE 5 LAKES

CASTAIC: DFW Trout plant last Friday and there was a plant the week before. The Friday plant was reported to be 2,000 pounds. These were the second and third plants of the season, and the bite has been good around the main launch ramp on PowerBait, mini jigs, and Kastmasters. Most anglers reporting limits in the morning. The plant didn’t seem to bring up the bigger stripers because anglers tossing big swimbaits haven’t reported any fish, but the anglers targeting smaller fish in deeper water with spoons, ice jigs, or small shad swimbaits are getting fish. Finding fish has been difficult. The largemouth and smallmouth action has been mostly in deeper water and with finesse-style baits. They also have been tough to locate, but when you find a school, the finesse baits or deep-diving jerk baits and weighted swimbaits have been getting fish. Catfish have been hard to locate with the colder temperatures. Bluegill and crappie bites tanked, even in the lower lake. No catfish reports. The lake’s elevation is dropping slowly, currently at 76 percent full, which is down one percent from last week. Lake elevation is 1,477 feet. For information call the marina at 661-775-6232 (www.CastaicLake.com) or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.

PYRAMID: Trout were planted last Friday and two weeks ago. The action has been good since the Friday plant with a lot of limits posts on small spinners and spoons or with PowerBait or inflated garlic scented nightcrawlers. Top spots have been the marina area and the shorelines adjacent to the marina. The stripers bite has been with some bigger fish showing on trout-like swimbaits, but most of the action is for two to three pounds stripers on cut baits in deeper water or for trollers or anglers spooning on deep fish. The largemouth and smallmouth bites both held up through the rain and have been good going into this week’s full moon. Soft plastic, cranks, and small swimbaits have all been getting fish along most shorelines. No reports on other species. The lake’s level is not changing much. It is at 91 percent full this week, only down one percent from last week. Lake elevation is 2,574 feet. 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: Very light fishing pressure with very cold nights. There does continue to be a pretty good crappie bite around the marinas with fish running from ¾-pound up to nearly two pounds, mostly on small live minnows. There also continues to be a pretty fair catfish bite on fish to six pounds on 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. Best area has been near the dam. Only a few largemouth from deep water, and not bluegill, carp, or trout reports this past week. The lake level is about the same this week and currently sits at 30 percent, the same as last week. Lake elevation is 2,560 feet. 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 DFW plants slated in sections 2 and 3 of the lower river Democrat to dam this week. There was plant in section 4 of the upper river two weeks ago. Salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, Roostertails and Blue Fox spinners, and SuperDupers are the best baits and lures. There continues to be a steady string of big rainbows from the lower river being caught with fish to eight pounds reported this week. Many anglers think these are some of the big fish coming out of the lake from the plants of trophy fish for the derby earlier this year. Ideal flows for fishermen in both the upper (519 cfs) and lower river (472 cfs), but rain last week jumped flows a little in the upper river. Fly-fishing action fair on the upper river from Kernville up to the Johnsondale Bridge and above. The bass action in the lower river has also been fair 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 flows finally picked up this week, and the action has improved in recent days for stripers. The fish have been showing on Gitzit-style lures, with some on lug or blood worms. Many of the fish are keeper-sized from 20 to 24 inches. The catfish bite is slow on cut baits and dip baits at most bridge crossings and weirs. Most 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: Overall very slow with almost no fishing pressure and no reports of carp, bluegill, or catfish.

RIVER WALK PARK LAKE: Trout stocked this week, and the bite has been pretty good on Mice Tails, PowerBait (with garlic oil), gold spinners, Phoebes, and Kastmasters, along with mini jigs. Other species have slowed way down. Information Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.

HART PARK LAKE: Most recent trout plant was four weeks ago, and the lake is not slated to get DFW trout for the next two weeks (but that could change). No fishing pressure this past week with only the odd trout reported on PowerBait with garlic oil added. Other species have slowed way down with no bass, catfish, carp, or bluegill reports.

TRUXTUN LAKE: Almost no fishing pressure and there have not been any carp, bass, or bluegill reported.

MING LAKE: DFW trout were planted this week, and the bite has been pretty good since. The best action continues to be on Mice Tails, the mini jig-wax worm combo, and PowerBait with garlic oil or garlic nightcrawlers are the best baits. Slow other species.

BRITE LAKE: DFW trout plant two weeks ago. Still a few trout showing on PowerBait with garlic oil, Power Worms, or Mice Tails. Other species are slow.

BUENA VISTA LAKES: The trout plant on Monday this week, and the action has been very good. Mice Tails have been the hot bait, but fish are also showing on garlic nightcrawlers, PowerBait, and small trout jigs. Other bites are very slow with no bass, carp, crappie, or bluegill reported. 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 went in two weeks ago. The bass bite has continued to slow but some fish are showing on structure on plastics with fewer on reaction baits and Senkos. No crappie, bluegll, or catfish reports. The lake level came back up to eight percent this week, up one percent from last week. The lake elevation is 587 feet. Information: Cope’s Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.

KAWEAH LAKE: The first DFW trout plant of the season went in three weeks ago. The lake level jumped from eight percent to 12 percent over the past two weeks with storm runoff. Lake elevation is currently 603 feet. The overall bite is still slow, but some bass are showing on plastics and jigs in deeper water. No bluegill and catfish being reported. Trout have slowed since the plant. 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, sections 2 and 3 of the lower Kern River, along with Ming Lake and River Walk Lake are scheduled to get fish.

For the week of Dec. 15-21, in Kern and Tule counties, Brite Valley Reservoir, sections 4, 5, and 6 of the upper Kern River, Lake Isabella, Ming Lake, and River Walk Lake were on the plant list. In Inyo County, Diaz Lake, the Owens River below Tinnemaha Reservoir and the Big Pine to Bishop stretch, and Pleasant Valley Reservoir are slated to get trout. In Los Angeles County, Castaic and Pyramid lakes are on the list.

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.