FISH REPORT — ONS-matthews – 12 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 top spot is split this week with two equal crappie bites sizzling along in the southern San Joaquin Valley region. Both Lake Success and Lake Isabella were producing nice stringers of fish over this past weekend, mostly on live minnows both places. The weather has lulled this action a little, but it is still the best action in the region. Bigger fish at Success, more fish at Isabella. You decide where to go. For an update on this action and top spots at either lake, check with Bob’s Bait at 661-833-8657.

2. The California Aqueduct remains a solid bet even with the sour weather. The bite for stripers is good in both the southern San Joaquin Valley and Antelope Valley stretches with a lot of three to eight pound fish in both region, and there are a lot of catfish in the Antelope Valley, too. The stripers have been best on Rat-L-Traps in the Antelope Valley and minnows in the San Joaquin. The catfish are best on a wide variety of 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 after another DFW plant went in last 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: The trout bite has remained fair to good after the 500-pound stock last week. The next plant has not been scheduled yet, so anglers might want to call ahead to see if fish went in late this week. Overall, the best action has been on garlic chartreuse PowerBait, nightcrawlers with garlic scent, and Black Minnow jigs. Top spots have been Finger Cove, the drain, and along the north shore. Top fish reported was a 7-13 landed by Matt McIntosh, Hesperia, on a Black Minnow jig in Finger Cove. Patricia Kinsey, Victorville, caught a 6-6 on orange Power Bait at the finger. 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 rainbow, garlic, and lemon twist, 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: Fair to good trout action continues even with the rain. There are weekly 609-pound plants on Thursdays, but last week’s was a double plant for the derby. The DFW also planted three 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 was this past week and there was a 3,000-pound plant before the derby. The bite has been fair in the rain with some anglers getting limits or an occasional fish up to five pounds. The best trout bite 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. 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 is good to excellent and weekly plants are tentatively slated to go in now. Even with the rain a lot of limits are being reported on a wide variety of baits and lures. The best action has been on light line (two-pound test) and PowerBait (nymph color with garlic is the best) or small yellow and silver jigs. 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: There has continued to be fair to good striper action and the catfish bite has been steadily improving. The catfish are showing at the outlet on big hunks of mackerel fished without weight or frozen shrimp, also flylined. The cats are running from two to 10 pounds. The stripers have been best along the north shore near the inlet, and frozen shad has been the top bait 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 bite is still fair, lulled a little by rainy weather, but they are still showing 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. Few anglers targeting bluegill. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT (Hesperia to Quail Lake stretch): Stripers still good on Rat-L-Traps, Zara Spooks
Catfish shrimp and chicken liver
The catfish and striper bites are still pretty 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. The catfish are mostly showing on shrimp, chicken liver, sardines, or mackerel, and added scent helps. Most of the fish are two 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 and the weather didn’t help this week, 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 two weeks ago. Top spots have been around the marina and into both Miller and Cleghorn canyons. The best trout bite was on small spinners, spoons, trout jigs, plastics or PowerBait, and the fish are running up to three pounds. Jerry Miller, Ontario, had a limit of five trout to three pounds in Miller Canyon on small spoons and nightcrawlers. The stripers are showing in the marina, Miller Canyon, and at the dam on sardines and nightcrawlers, with some showing on trolled swimbaits. Steve Bowden, Adelanto, landed 10 stripers to three pounds on nightcrawlers at the dam. 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. A few catfish also starting to show. Donald Smith, Rancho Cucamonga, had two cats to 2-8 on chicken liver in Quiet Cove. Lake elevation was 3,343.99 feet on Thursday this week, up 2.39 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 in spite of the colder weather in recent day. Many shore anglers are still reporting two to five fish days with trout to three pounds. PowerBait, inflated nightcrawlers with garlic scent, and small spoons have all been getting fish. The north shoreline from the dam east has been the best with rocky, gravelly beaches the best. While the bass are tough, there was a new lake record smallmouth bass landed last Friday. Philip Bougie, Highland, caught a 3.7-pound smallie in the west end of the lake. The fish breaks the previous record from 2012 of 3.64 pounds. The fish was released after weighing. 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 LAThe 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, but the rain and rapidly rising water levels this week has lulled this movement a little. There are still a lot of fish in less than 15 feet of water, but most are staged in 20 to 30 feet. Drop-shot plastics and nightcrawlers have been best bet with most fish under three pounds. The most recent DFW trout plant was three weeks ago, but a few holdover trout to three pounds continue to be caught on PowerBait or nightcrawlers with garlic scent. Some trout also on the trout or on small trout jigs. The stripers are slow to fair, mostly showing on bait in deep water with sardines, anchovies, and lug worms the best. Most are 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, and the budding crappie bite lulled again this week. A few crappie are still showing on small jigs tipped with wax or meal worms from both the upper and lower lakes. The lake’s elevation was 1,485.96 feet on Thursday, up 4.35 feet from last week. The lake is at 81 percent of full pool. The lake has risen more than 12 feet over the past four weeks. For information call the marina at 661-775-6232 (www.CastaicLake.com) or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.

PYRAMID: The water level continues to rocket up, and the best action has been on stripers for shore anglers fishing the canal by the fish cleaning station and the front entrance booth in the moving water. Anchovies, sardines, lug worms or blood worms have been the best. A few are also showing on jigging spoons or trolling with umbrella rigs for boat anglers The largemouth and smallmouth bites are both fair with fish starting to move up out of deep water for the spawn. The fish are mostly still in 20 to 30 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 for boat anglers fishing PowerBait, Mice Tails, or small nightcrawlers in the channel by the entrance booth, rip-rap areas, and the backs of coves. A decent number of cats are showing for anglers targeting these fish in deep water with chicken liver, sardines, or anchovies on most sandy shoreline in Yellowbar. No reports on other species. The lake’s elevation was 2,565.63 feet on Thursday this week, up .64 feet from last week. This is at 86 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:With the warm weather late last week, the crappie bite exploded in the South Fork arm at the cages, with limit-style fishing on live minnows and small trout jigs. The weather change has pushed the fish out into 15 to 20 feet of water, but the boat, float tube, and kayak anglers are still getting the crappie. Most are three-quarter pound fish with a few bigger but no bruisers yet. The good catfish bite for shore anglers fishing frozen shad, clams, or dip baits. Lots of cats from three to 10 pounds or better. A few more largemouth starting to be caught as the spawn approaches. No bluegill or carp reports. There was a DFW trout plant this week and two weeks ago, but few trout reported. The lake elevation on Thursday was 2,561.30 feet, up .27 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 four weeks since the last plants (in the upper river). DFW trout were slated to go into section 4 and 5 of the upper river this week, but that plant was apparently cancelled and removed from the DFW stocking list. There are still pretty decent 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 (468 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:The striper bite has remained fair to good with live minnows being the hot bait, but also more and more fish showing on
Gizits and Flukes. The fat fish are running three to eight pounds. 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 orwww.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 Fireman’s Trout Derby scheduled for next weekend has been cancelled due to Corona virus concerns. A few trout are still showing from the big plant for the derby two weeks ago. The best bite has been 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 before the weather change. Information Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.

HART PARK LAKE: The DFW trout plant slated for this week has been cancelled. The bass and bluegill bites were both pretty good this past weekend, but the weather since has slowed things a little. The bass are still fair on plastics and Brush Hawgs. The bluegill have been fair on wax worms and meal worms.

TRUXTUN LAKE: The bass were pretty good over the weekend and improving with the warm weather, but since the latest round of storms, the action has lulled to just fair. Senko-type baits are still the best bet. 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 was pretty good over the weekend with a lot of fish moving around in the shallower water and whacking Senkos, Brush Hawgs, and live minnows. The weather has moved the fish out of the shallows a little, but the bite is still pretty fair. 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 but there hasn’t been a DFW plant in over a month. Other species are slow.

BUENA VISTA LAKES: There was a Mt. Lassen trout plant last week and a few trout are still showing on Mini Jigs, Mice Tails, garlic nightcrawlers, and PowerBait. Most are 1-8 to two pounds. The bass have also started to show in decent numbers for anglers fishing Senkos along the tules. The crappie bite also broke open here late last week and was good through the weekend on small minnows. That bite is still fair even with all the rain. Few reports of other species. Fishing information: Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657 or 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, rain or shine. The best action has been on live minnows or the Keitech 2 ½-inch swimbaits. Still a lot of nice stringers of fish, and good quality slabs continue to be caught with fish over three pounds reported daily. The fish are showing for both boat and shore anglers. DFW trout plants last week and four weeks ago. The bass bite was also starting to really take off over the weekend with fish on plastics and reaction baits, but that has lulled to just fair. Other species have been mostly slow. The lake elevation as of Thursday this week was 608.30 feet, up 1.20 feet from last week. The lake is at 22 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 this week. The largemouth bass bite was fair to good good over the weekend, but lulled a little this week. Best action has been on plastics or small swimbaits. Still few bluegill and catfish being reported. Lake elevation as of Thursday this week is 616.73 feet, up 3.02 feet from last week. The lake is at 18 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 Kern County, Lake Isabella will get trout. (Both the upper Kern River and Hart Park Lake were on the list to get fish this week, but have been removed). In Tulare County, Kaweah Reservoir is slated to get fish. In Inyo County, Cottonwood Creek, Georges Creek, Independence Creek, Owens River (section 2), Pleasant Valley Reservoir, shepherd Creek, Symmes Creek, Tuttle Creek.

Next week’s trout plants (March 15-21): In Kern County, Lake Isabella and River Walk Lake are slated to get trout. In Inyo County, Diaz Lake, Lone Pine Pond, and the Owens River below Tinnemaha 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 the information will be included in the weekly report. If you have questions or comments, please call Matthews at 909-887-3444.