FISH REPORT — ONS-matthews – 22 January 2020 Compiled by Jim Matthews www.OutdoorNewsService.com

he 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 pick is a toss-up between Hesperia Lake and Mojave Narrows Park Lake. Both waters have been producing a lot of trout over the last week to 10 days, and some bigger fish are showing at Hesperia Lake. The trout are showing on the usual color array of PowerBaits, but as many fish are being caught on small trout jigs and plastics. For an update on the Hesperia bite, call 760-244-5951. For the latest on Mojave Narrows, call 760-245-2226.

2.This one canít leave the top picks. The winter bite on bigger class crappie has just continued to perk along at Lake Isabella with fish up into the two-pound class being caught. The action is all in deep water around the trees or marina, with the fish being caught in 30 to 50-plus feet of water almost exclusively on live minnows. For an update on this action and top spots, check with Bobís Bait at 661-833-8657.

3.The Kern River stays in the top picks for its consistent rainbow trout action on holdover planted fish, and the DFW added trout to the river this week in three sections. Cold weather and water temperatures mandate a patient approach, and the best action has been on salmon eggs or garlic nightcrawlers. The lower river continues to produce a few bigger fish. For an update on this bite, call Bobís Bait Bucket at 661-833-8657.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

VICTORVILLE REGION

HESPERIA LAKE: This weekís Jess Ranch trout plant was 700 pounds (with 500 pounds last week). Most of the fish are one to two pounds with a few bigger fish planted each week. Fish are showing on a wide variety of PowerBait colors and flavors along with small jigs and plastics of a number of makes and colors. Big fish this past week were a pair of seven-pounders. One was landed by Jeff Cottini, Crestline, on a Mountain Top Minnow plastic, while the other was landed by Joel Lambert, Hesperia, on a Berkley Black Minnow. Shane Melkonian, Hesperia, caught a four-pound rainbow on salmon peach PowerBait, and Craig Castellanos, Victorville, had four rainbows on Jigman Tadpoles and Minnows. The best action has been in Finger Cove. Lake information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.

JESS RANCH LAKES: Trout bite is still slow to fair. Top action has been on PowerBait in salmon peach, fluorescent orange, 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 to good over the past week with the bite really starting to take off. There are weekly 609-pound plants on Thursdays, and most anglers reported at least two or three fish in recent days. Best action has been on PowerBait and small trout plastics or jigs. Rachel and son Austin Laible, Victorville, had three rainbows to two pounds on PowerBait. Steven Andrew, Victorville, landed a three-pound rainbow, and Larry Smith, Lucerne Valley, landed a two-pounder. DFW trout plant slated for this week, in addition to the county plant. 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: Very slow trout fishing over the past week with no recent plants again. No word on when the county will be planting again. A few carp have been reported, but almost no anglers have been fishing without plants. No bluegill or catfish reports either. 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): Almost no fishing pressure again this past week. No reports of trout, bluegill or carp. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

LAKE PALMDALE:The lake closed to fishing until Feb. 1. The lake has been very heavily planted with trout — lots of 1-8 to two pounder with a good number from five to eight pounds. More details as the opening date gets closer. 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: Generally very slow fishing with only the occasional angler. Only one catfish report in the past week. In previous weeks, the best striper and catfish action has been on the chicken liver and nightcrawler combo at the outlet. No reports of largemouth or bluegill. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT (Hesperia to Quail Lake stretch): Improving striper and catfish action along both the east and west portions of the aqueduct. At 110th, there was a five-pound catfish and a 17-pound striper reported Thursday this week. A number of four to five pound cats have been reports at the Muns Ranch area, and on the east side some stripers and catfish to four pounds have been reported at 121st toward the siphon. Chicken liver with Triple X Blood attractant has been a top bet for both species. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CENTRAL PARK LAKE (CALIFORNIA CITY): No reports again 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 remained very consistent with the odd limit still being caught. A DFW trout plant was scheduled for this week and the last plant was two weeks ago. The best bite is in Cleghorn, Miller, around the marina, and up into the channel on PowerBait in chartreuse and garlic, Trout Magnet jigs, or inflated nightcrawlers with garlic. The bite on stripers has also continued fair, but the drop in water level tamed the bite over the past week. The action has been best at the marina and at the dam on most cut baits (anchovies and sardines are the best and adding garlic scent helps) and blood worms. The fish are running up to five pounds, but most in the 1-8 range. Other species have been mostly slow, but a few largemouth are starting to show. John Detroit, Hesperia, had a five-pound largemouth on a worm off the dock. Lake elevation is 3335.50, down 4.24 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. Hereís 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: Still cold with freezing nights. The lake is iced over pretty solidly most days now, but not thick enough to be safe for ice fishing. There is some open water in exposed areas in the afternoons, and the best shore fishing has been near the dam. No fishing reports. For information on fishing, call Big Bear Sporting Goods at 909-866-3222 or visit the storeís Facebook page.

GREGORY LAKE:No report available. Cold with lots of morning ice. 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 parkís Facebook page or website.

GREEN VALLEY LAKE: Lake mostly iced over. No fishing reports. Ice fishing is not allowed or safe. The website is www.gvlfishing.com and the Facebook page is Green Valley Lake Fishing.

INTERSTATE 5 LAKES

CASTAIC: DFW trout plant was slated for this week. Even before the plant a fair number of trout were showing for anglers fishing PowerBait along the shorelines adjacent to the launch ramp with some fish moving out into deeper water off the points where boat anglers have been targeting them. Also some fish on small, trolled lures or cast jigs and trout plastics. A few more stripers are showing in deep water with spoons, ice jigs, small shad swimbaits, and cut baits (mostly bloodworms or sardines), but finding schools of fish has been problematic for many. Hoa Chuong, Rosemead, landed a pair of stripers to 3-8 on sardines. The largemouth and smallmouth action has been mostly in deeper water (20 to 40 feet) and with finesse-style baits. Catfish and bluegill bites are slow, but a few crappie have been reported on small jigs and spoons from the lower lake. The lakeís elevation is 1,471.26, down 2.92 feet from last week and down over nine feet over the past two weeks. The lake is 72 percent of full pool. 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 the best bet with pretty fair action on sardines, lugworms, chicken liver, and nightcrawlers for shore anglers at the rip-rap in front of the boat shop and on the point past the swim beach. Trollers are working the points around Chumash Island. Most are smaller class fish with some to five pounds. Trout slowed way down, but a DFW plant was slated for this week. The action has been best around the marina on PowerBait, trout plastics or jigs, and inflated garlic scented nightcrawlers. The largemouth and smallmouth bites both been improving with a few more fish reported this week on plastics and reaction baits in the mornings. Robert Fredrick, Santa Clarita, had a 1-8 smallmouth on the crank, while Harrison Noll, Canyon Country, landed a two-pounder, also on a crank. No reports of other species. As occasional catfish is still being landed from deep water on cut baits, but almost no pressure on the cats. The lakeís elevation is 2,564.59, down .74 feet from last week. This is 85 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: Light fishing pressure, but the deep-water crappie bite has continued pretty darn good for anglers fishing in 30 to 50-plus feet of water around flooded trees and near most of the marinas. The crappie are mostly quality fish, running from æ-pound up to two pounds. The bite is almost exclusively on small, live minnows. There also continues to be a fair catfish bite on fish to six pounds on Triple S dip bait, clams, shad, sardines, chicken liver, all used with scent added. But few anglers fishing cats right now. Only a few largemouth from deep water, and no bluegill, carp, or trout reports this week, although the DFW planted the lake three and five weeks ago. The lake elevation is 2,560.37 feet, down .04 feet from last week. The lake remains at 30 percent full and very stable right now. Information: Bobís 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 good in both the upper and lower river. There were plants in sections 3, 4, and 6 this week, and section 4 is also slated to get trout next week. There are good numbers of holdover fish spread throughout the plant areas. Good anglers are getting limits, and some bigger fish continue to show in the lower river. Salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, Roostertails and Blue Fox spinners, and SuperDupers are the best baits and lures. Very low flows for fishermen in both the upper (444 cfs) and lower river (435 cfs). Fly-fishing action fair on the upper river from Kernville up to the Johnsondale Bridge and above, but very cold water conditions. The bass action in the lower river has also been slow 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: With little flow right now, the action has been very slow on lures for stripers, but the bait bite has remained fair for anglers fishing blood worms or live minnows. Some of the fish showing are keeper-sized 18 to 24-inch fish showing. 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: Bobís 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: DFW trout plant last week, and the bite was pretty good into the weekend, but it has slowed to nothing since. There were also DFW plant five and six weeks ago. Best action on Mice Tails, PowerBait (with garlic oil), gold spinners, Phoebes, or Kastmasters. Other species are very slow, too. Information Bobís Bait 661-833-8657.

HART PARK LAKE: Dead for trout with no plants in two months, and the lake is not slated to get DFW trout this week or next week. No fishing pressure this past week and very slow action on all other species, too.

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

MING LAKE: There are still some trout showing after last weekís DFW plant. The bite was pretty good through the weekend, on Mice Tails, the mini jig-wax worm combo, PowerBait with garlic oil, or garlic nightcrawlers. Very slow other species.

BRITE LAKE: DFW trout plants last week and five weeks ago, and there has been fair action for anglers fishing PowerBait with garlic oil, Power Worms, or Mice Tails on light tackle. A few small crappie reported this past week. Other species are slow.

BUENA VISTA LAKES: The lake was planted Monday each of the past two weeks, and the action has been pretty good with only modest fishing pressure. Most anglers are getting a least a fish or two, with some fish to five pounds. The best bite has been on Mice Tails with a few fish on garlic nightcrawlers, PowerBait, and small trout jigs. Other bites are very slow with no bass, carp, crappie, or bluegill reported. Fishing information: Bobís 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: DFW trout plants last week and four weeks ago. Overall slow fishing with little pressure, but a few bass continued to show on structure with plastics or jigs. No crappie, bluegll, or catfish reports. The lake elevation is 599.33, up 2.08 feet from last week. The lake is at 14 percent capacity. Information: Copeís Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.

KAWEAH LAKE: DFW trout plants last week and four weeks ago. The overall bite is still slow with very little fishing pressure, but some bass are showing on plastics and jigs in deeper water. No bluegill and catfish being reported. Lake elevation is currently 598.76 feet, down 2.50 feet from last week, and down over 13 feet over the last two weeks. The lake is at 10 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 weekís trout plants: In Kern and Tulare counties, sections 3, 4, and 6 of the Kern River are slated to get trout. In Los Angeles County, Castaic Lake and Pyramid Lake are both on the list. In San Bernardino County, Mojave Narrows Park Lake and Silverwood Lake are on the plant schedule.

Next weekís trout plants (Jan. 26-Feb. 1): In Kern County, section 4 of the Kern River will get rainbows. In Inyo County, Diaz Lake, the lower Owens in section 2 and below Tinnemaha, and Pleasant Valley Reservoir are all 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.