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. Apollo Park has been a hot spot for rainbow trout after a plant last week. A lot of anglers continue to report limits of one to 1 ½-pound rainbows with some to four pounds or a little better. The best bite has been in the back lake in recent days with the fish spreading around the lake. Small trout jigs, Mice Tails, and PowerBait are all getting the fish. For an update on this bite call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
2. The striped bass bite at Castaic Lake stays in the top picks yet another week, in spite of the rotten weather. The bite has been fair to good for both boat and shore anglers. Most anglers are getting from three to five stripers up to five pounds or more. The best bite has been on from three to five pounders with some smaller and some to 17 pounds. The best bite has been on sardines or lug/blood worms, but shad-like swimbaits have been getting bigger fish anglers. The hotspot has been the right side (mountain side) shoreline off the main ramp. For an update on this bite, check with the marina staff at 661-775-6232 or call Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.
3. Sleeper pick of the week is Silverwood Lake (if access roads are open) because of the brown trout plant last week. The lake also has a pretty decent number of holdover browns from plants last year, but these fish are getting little attention. The browns are best on shad-like jigs and lures or fly-lined nightcrawlers fished off the points around the marina. For update on this bite and access, call the marina or 760-389-2299 or the Silverwood Country store at 760-389-2423.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

VICTORVILLE REGION

HESPERIA LAKE: There continues to be a good trout bite with stocks each Thursday. Most of the rainbows are from 1-8 to 2-8, and they are showing on garlic nightcrawlers and PowerBait in cheese, salmon peach, and rainbow garlic. Lake information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.

JESS RANCH LAKES: Another week of variable weather and slow to fair trout action in both lakes. A few fish continue to show on PowerBait in chartreuse, garlic, and salmon peach, garlic nightcrawlers, and small trout lures (jigs, Power Worms, and Mice Tails). The rainbows being caught are mostly two-pound class fishing and the best spots continue to be the northern and western shores of lake 2 and the eastern logged shore and western shore near the drain of lake 3. Very slow action on bass, bluegill, and catfish. For more information call (760)240-1107 or go to www.jessranchlakesnews.com.

MOJAVE NARROWS: Weather hasn’t slowed the action here, with a very steady trout bite thanks to weekly county trout plants. No bluegill or bass reports this week. The park is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Information, call 760-245-2226.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

ANTELOPE VALLEY REGION

APOLLO PARK LAKE: There was a trout plant last Thursday night and the action has remained good since with a lot of anglers getting limits of fish to three or four pounds. The best bite has been in the back lake on mini jigs, pink and white Mice Tails, and rainbow PowerBait. Stocks are twice a month this season with about 900 pounds per stock. The panfish, carp, and catfish bites are mostly slow. The trout derby will be from 7 to 11 a.m., Saturday, March 2. Entry fee is $20 in advance (reservations.lacounty.gov). There will be 6,500 pounds of trout planted for this event, and this includes 2,000 pounds of trophy fish. 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): Very cold at night and the lake is mostly frozen over. No reports. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

LAKE PALMDALE: Steady bite on both trout and largemouth bass. The trout are best bouncing jigs off bottom or vertical jigging for boat anglers (and tipping the jigs with red worms is a good idea), while shore anglers are getting fish on green pumpkin PowerBait or green Mice Tails still fished on the outside edges of the weeds. Most are one to 1-8, with some in the three to five pound range. The largemouth are also showing on the outside edges of the wees in 10 to 20 feet of water on fly-lined nightcrawlers, Senkos, and plastic worms. A total of 27,000 pounds of trout were planted for the opener three weekends ago, and another plant went in late last week. 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 weather has really cut down fishing pressure, but a few stripers continue to show at the outlet with most of the fish better quality, running from three to seven pounds, and showing on the white swimbaits. The bite has been best during the rain. No catfish, largemouth, or bluegill reports this week. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT (Little Rock to Quail Lake stretch): The catfish bite has been pretty decent this past week for the diligent braving the cold weather. Stripers have been the best with fish at 12 and 15 pounds reported on white Zombie swimbaits at 195th Avenue at the gate. The best action is still on white swimbaits bounced off the opposite bank and then worked slowly along the bottom. The catfish are showing on chicken liver and mackerel heads. The best action for both has been in the west end of the valley from 110th back to Sierra Highway. The curves, road crossings, and siphons hold the most fish. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CENTRAL PARK LAKE (CALIFORNIA CITY): Very little pressure this past week. A few carp had been showing on dough baits, but there have been no reports of carp, bluegill, or catfish in the past week.

LITTLE ROCK RESERVOIR: Water level is high and spilling at spillway, but walk-in anglers have been turned away at the gate this past week. Prior to the recent stoppage of anglers going in, there had been a very good bite on crappie bite at the launch ramp or creek inlet on small jigs. Most of the fish are up to a pound with most hand-sized. Also some largemouth up to two pounds in this bite. 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 lake was closed for a number of days over the past week because of severe weather and road flooding. Anglers should call ahead to the marina or Country Store before going. Big news is that there was a 1,000-pound plant of brown trout Valentine’s Day, but few reports since the plant. A few stripers have been caught off the marina docks when the lake is open, but few other reports. 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 lake is still frozen over with no fishing pressure. For information on fishing, call Big Bear Sporting Goods at 909-866-3222 or visit the store’s Facebook page.

GREGORY LAKE: No recent trout plants and very little fishing pressure with icy conditions and cold weather. 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 report. The lake is frozen. The lake facilities closed Oct. 31 and plants won’t begin again until next April. The website is www.gvlfishing.com and the Facebook page is Green Valley Lake Fishing.

INTERSTATE 5 LAKES

CASTAIC: Wild weather over the past week with very light fishing pretty, but between storm fronts and wind, the striper bite has been pretty good for anglers braving conditions. For shore anglers the bite has been best in the early morning with fish to six pounds caught on sardines, anchovies, and blood or lug worms. For boat anglers, trolling or vertical jigging has produced fish to 17 pounds. The buoy line, Kong Island, and Sharon’s Rest are still the best spots. Trout slow with no plants in over a month. The largemouth and smallmouth bite is fair with a few fish showing on drop-shot or Carolina-rigged plastics, small skirted jigs, or nightcrawlers. The crappie, bluegill, and catfish bites are all very slow in both the upper and lower lakes. For information call the marina at 661-775-6232 (www.CastaicLake.com) or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.

PYRAMID: The striper bite has remained fair to good with both boat and shore anglers getting fish in the one to two pound range and some bigger, in spite of the weather. Lug worms, chicken liver, sardines, and nightcrawlers have been the best baits for both boat and shore anglers. The fish are in deeper water off the points for boat anglers and in the canal by the front entrance booth and the rip-rap near the boat shop. The largemouth and smallmouth bass have been fair and improving nightcrawlers, plastics, and jigs fished in 20-plus feet of water on the points and steep drop-offs, but some fish are showing on reaction baits in the mornings. No catfish, bluegill, or crappie reports this 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: Foul weather has continued to plague the fishing, but the 62nd Annual Whiskey Flat Days drew people to the lake in spite of the weather. There has been a slow to fair largemouth bass bite for anglers fishing plastics or jigs, mostly in deeper water, with jigging spoons working on suspended fish. Silver Buddies have been the hot spoon. There are also still some crappie showing around most marinas on live minnows, and the catfish bite has been slow to fair in the French Gulch area on big chunks of mackerel, clams, shad, and dip baits. There will be a closure to fishing in the area around the auxiliary dam on weekdays for work, but the area is open on weekends and for the whole upcoming trout derby. For fishing 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: Trout were scheduled to be planted in Sections 4, 5, and 6 (upper river) this week. They also were planted in these stretches two and four weeks ago. The bite is pretty fair on crickets, nightcrawlers, and salmon eggs. Cold weather and water has kept the fly action mostly slow, but some fish are showing on small nymphs fished in deeper runs, especially in the upper reaches of the roadside water and up into the wild trout water past the Johnsondale bridge. The lower river flows are very low and the bite has been very slow on bass with a only a few on nightcrawlers or plastic worms. No DFW plants slated for the lower river this fall-winter season. The catfish action has been very slow in the pools on clams and nightcrawlers. 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 continued pretty fair. The best action continues to be on Flukes (pearl with a chartreuse tail) when the water is flowing good and live minnows or blood/lug worms when the flow is low or off. Many of the fish are keeper-sized and up to six to 10 pounds. Catfish are slow with a few on shad, sardines, anchovies, blood worms, chicken liver, and Wussy Bait. 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: Very slow, no reports of catfish or carp this week. Almost no one fishing.

RIVER WALK PARK LAKE: Trout were slated to be planted by the DFW this week. Surprise, surprise. This is after the DFW said this lake would not be planted this winter season. No other reports. The 8th Annual Bakersfield Firefighter’s Trout Fishing Derby and pancake breaking will be held here from 6 a.m. to Noon, Saturday, March 9. Entry fee is $20. Lowest numbered tagged trout will be worth $1,000, and 25 tagged fish will be planted in advance. Information Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.

HART PARK LAKE: Very slow fishing with very little fishing pressure due to weather and cold. No trout are slated to be planted by the DFW this fall/winter season. All the other species are very slow. Water level is very low.

TRUXTUN LAKE: Little change with light fishing pressure, and a fair bass bite on plastics and cranks between weather fronts. Other species slow, but a few crappie on small minnows. No trout are slated to be planted by the DFW this fall/winter season.

MING LAKE: Very light fishing pressure. A few bass have been reported on live minnows and plastics. No crappie reported. Trout are slow since the Feb. 2 trout plant. The bluegill, catfish, and carp are all slow.

BRITE LAKE: The crappie bite is slow to fair on fish up to three-quarter pound on small jigs or small minnows fishing in deeper water, mostly from float tubes. The bite on small bass has slowed, but a few trout continue to show at the launch ramp, especially on rainbow PowerBait.

BUENA VISTA LAKES: Trout plant last week and four weeks ago. The best trout bite has been on lemon twist PowerBait with garlic oil or nightcrawlers in garlic. Most have been one to two pounds. Very few crappie reports, and the bluegill, carp, and bass bites are very slow. 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 bite here has continued to be slow, but a few more bass are showing on smaller plastics fished drop-shot and split-shot style in deeper water, also some suspended fish on jigging spoons or ice jigs. Most of the bass are in the two-pound range. The crappie are getting little pressure but a few continue to be caught on small minnows. Bluegill very slow and few catfish reported. 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: The action remains slow with little fishing pressure. A few bass reported in the past week. This is mostly a deeper-water bite. No reports of other species. Information: Sierra Sporting Goods at 559-592-5212.

EASTERN SIERRA

The early season trout opener will be March 2 in streams in southern Inyo County (check regulations for open waters), and there will be a derby at Diaz Lake out of Lone Pine 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March. 2. Derby. For more information, go to lonepinechamber.org. Trout will be planted in Diaz Lake, Georges Creek, Independence Creek, Long Pine Creek, the Owens River below Tinnemaha and between Bishop and Big Pine, Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Symmes Creek, and Tuttle Creek before the early opener.

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/. Plants this week include all the upper stretches of the Kern River from Kernville upstream in Kern and Tulare counties.

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.