FISH REPORT — ONS-matthews – 26 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. 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. Apollo Park Lake received a trout plant Tuesday this week, and the bite been good since, but few anglers have braved the snow and cold to fish since the plant. The few who have found very good action on fish to three pounds, and a few limits have been posted. Top baits have been PowerBait or the small Drew’s worms or Rat Tails (or similar baits). For more information on plants and events, contact Apollo Park at 661-940-7701. For fishing information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
2.Pyramid Lake has received big DFW trout plants three weeks in a row, and the bite has been very good around the marina. Snow and road closures kept everyone a way for the middle part of this week and pressure has been less than normal because of Christmas. The usual baits have been getting the fish, but the various small, scented trout plastic and jigs have been best. For an update on the bite, check with the Emigrant Landing entrance booth at 661-295-7155 or Tackle Express in Castaic at 661-251-8700.
3. The Kern River’s trout bite has stayed very good with weekly plants going into some of the river sections each week (at least until this week). Light pressure the last couple of weeks and snow this week has kept the pressure light and fish have stockpiled. Good anglers are posted limits on salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, and SuperDupers in both the upper and lower river, and some bigger fish continue to show in the lower river. For an update on this bite, call Bob’s Bait Bucket at 661-833-8657.
HIGH DESERT WATERS
VICTORVILLE REGION
HESPERIA LAKE: The bite has been pretty good with some limits each week, and relatively light fishing pressure in recent days because of the holidays and snow. Those fishing this past week caught rainbows to five pounds and most of the fish are showing on small trout plastics or PowerBait. There are weekly plants. Lake information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.
JESS RANCH LAKES: Cold, windy and snowy this week, and the trout bite is still slow to fair, but the cold weather is improving the action. 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 are getting one or two fish. 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:
APOLLO PARK LAKE: There has been good trout action since the plant on Tuesday this week before Christmas. Very light fishing pressure with snow and wind and very cold weather. But some anglers have reported limits of trout to three pounds on either PowerBait or the small Drew’s worms or Rat Tails (or similar baits). There is also still a pretty fair carp bite on the Amayzing Dough bait. 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): Access has been problematic with the snow and chains are likely to be required, but the trout bite has held up amazingly well. Some anglers are still getting a few rainbows even though the lake has been planted in some time. The bluegill and carp bites have 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, windy, and snowy weather this week and very little fishing pressure. The few anglers fishing are still getting a few catfish at the outlet on fresh sardines, and that bait is also still getting an occasional striper. 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): In spite of the snow, there has been a fair to good bite on small stripers with a few bigger fish. The west end of the valley (260th and 280th areas) have been better than the east end, but stripers are showing throughout. While most are under 12 inches, the bite on small white swimbaits has been pretty good. Also a few catfish throughout the aqueduct for anglers fishing the chicken liver and nightcrawler combination or with fresh sardines. The top action continues to be where the flow is slowed or eddys created at bends, road crossings, weirs, and siphons. 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: 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 and another DFW plant went in last week. The trout bite is best 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. Plants have been about every two weeks this season. Snow on Christmas and Thursday, but the bite on smaller stripers has continued pretty fair around the marina with some nice stringers of fish to five pounds have been reported. Charles Lin, Hacienda Heights, had a limit of stripers to five pounds fishing with sardines at the dam. The action of the docks has also been good on anchovies, garlic nightcrawlers, or blood or lug worms 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 recently. Lake elevation is 3,343.61, down just under three 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: Weather continues cold and snowy, and most of the bays have become iced over pretty solidly. Little open water the last couple of days, but before the Christmas storm the trout bite had been pretty consistent near the from the Red House to Juniper Point along the North Shore and at the dam. This bite is likely to resume after a couple of warmer days reopen the water in this area. 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. Snow the last couple of days. 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: There was another DFW trout plant last week. This time 1,000 pounds after a pair of 2,000-pound plants in a row the previous two weeks. In spite of snow the past two days, the bite has been good around the main launch ramp on PowerBait, mini jigs, and Kastmasters with the fish in the one-pound range. Other bites are much tougher, and the fishing pressure has been very light with the holidays. A few stripers are showing in deeper water with spoons, ice jigs, or small shad swimbaits. 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 a few fish. Catfish and bluegill bites are slow, and no crappie reports. The lake’s elevation is 1,483.10 feet, up 3 ½-feet from last week. For information call the marina at 661-775-6232 (www.CastaicLake.com) or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.
PYRAMID: Trout plants each of the past three weeks and the action has been very good. Snow Christmas and Thursday, and I-5 has been closed to through traffic. With better weather forecast for the weekend, the trout bite should continue to be very good. Prior to this storm there were a lot of limits of fish averaging about a pound. Small jigs, spinners, and spoons, PowerBait, or inflated garlic scented nightcrawlers are all producing. Top spots have been the marina area and the shorelines adjacent to the marina. The stripers bite has been slow with most of the action is for two to three pounders on cut baits in deeper water or for trollers or anglers spooning these deep fish. The largemouth and smallmouth bites both been fair with light pressure. Soft plastic, cranks, and small swimbaits have all been getting fish along most shorelines. No reports on other species. The lake’s elevation is 2,565.36 feet, up just 5 ½ feet from last week. 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 and snow this week. In spite of the weather, there continues to be a pretty good winter 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 week, although the DFW planted the lake last week. The lake elevation is 2,560.32, which is almost identical to last week. 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: Snow along the upper river this week. The trout bite is fair in both the upper and lower river, and there were DFW plants slated in sections 4, 5, and 6 of the upper river this week. There were plant in sections 2 and 3 of the lower river last week, but none this week. 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 over four pounds. Ideal flows for fishermen in both the upper (566 cfs) and lower river (554 cfs). 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 slow to 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: Almost no pressure in recent days with the holiday and weather, but the striper action remains pretty fair, but the biter has been almost exclusively on sardines and bloodworms in the Taft area, with a fair number of keepers in the bite. The striper bite in the Kettleman area has been better on lures, with Fluke and Gitzit-type baits getting fish there. 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 last week and two weeks ago. The bite has been fair to 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 six weeks ago, 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 species.
TRUXTUN LAKE: Almost no fishing pressure and there have not been any carp, bass, or bluegill reported
MING LAKE: DFW trout were planted last week, and there was also a plant two weeks ago. Trout have been pretty fair on Mice Tails, the mini jig-wax worm combo, and PowerBait with garlic oil or garlic nightcrawlers. Slow other species.
BRITE LAKE: DFW trout plant last week and four weeks ago. Snow Christmas and Thursday this week. Light pressure in recent days. The trout bite has been best on PowerBait with garlic oil, Power Worms, or Mice Tails. Other species are slow.
BUENA VISTA LAKES: The cold, wet weather is improving the trout action. Most recent plant was two weeks ago, but the action is fair with some fish to five pounds reported. The best action is 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: 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: There is a DFW trout plant slated this next week. The first plant of the season went in three weeks ago. Overall slow fshing with little pressure, but a few bass continued to show on structure with plastics or jigs. No crappie, bluegll, or catfish reports. The lake level stayed at eight percent full this week. The lake elevation is 589.09, up nearly two feet from last week. Information: Cope’s Tackle and Rod Shop at 661-679-6351 or www.tackleandrod.com.
KAWEAH LAKE: he lake level jumped slightly from 14 percent to 15 percent in the past week. Lake elevation is currently 611.80, up just over four feet from last week. DFW trout plant slated for this week. 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. 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/. his week’s trout plants: In Tulare county, Kaweah Lake and Success Lake are 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 the information will be included in the weekly report. If you have questions or comments, please call Matthews at 909-887-3444.
