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. California Aqueduct in the Taft Region and throughout the west end of the Antelope Valley remains the best overall bet to catch a few stripers. In both areas, the fish are showing on shad-like Gitzit and Fluke-type baits fished near the bottom, and most of the fish are running up to five or six pounds. For an update on this bite, call Bob’s Bait Bucket in Bakersfield at 661-833-8657 for Taft information on Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824 for the Antelope Valley.
2. Stripers in Pyramid Lake have moved into the top picks this week with a pretty good bite for both both boat and shore anglers fishing lug worms, chicken liver, sardines, and nightcrawlers. Boat anglers are fishing fish in the Yellowbar area and most points, while shore anglers are seeing the best bite in the canal by the front entrance booth. For an update on this bite, call the entrance booth at 661-295-7155 or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.
3. ollo Park Lake’s trout plant last week went in as planned and the bite has been good since. The best action has been in the front lake, but the fish are spreading out. The marshmallow-meal worm combo, Mice Tails, small jigs, PowerBait and nightcrawlers, all with garlic scent, have been the best way to trout from one to three pounds. For an update on this bite, call Apollo Park at 661-940-7701 or Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

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. The hot spots have been Finger Cove, the inlet, the drain, and all along the north shore. Paul Conrad, Hesperia, had a limit of five trout on green pumpkin PowerBait, and Isaac Ortiz, Victorville, landed his first-fish ever, a 1-8 rainbow in Stock Cove. There have also been a few quality catfish showing. The best was a 12-pounder caught by Carlos Castro and Jayden Terazas, both Rialto, on a nightcrawler at the drain. Jason Lofstedt, San Bernardino, landed cats at 10-10 and 7-0 on cheese at the inlet, and Jason Hoffman, San Bernardino, caught a five-pound cat, also on cheese at the inlet. Lake information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.

JESS RANCH LAKES: After a stormy, wet week, the trout bite has been fair with some flurries of good action with the sunny weather this week. The best bite has been on PowerBait (especially spring green, garlic and salmon peach), nightcrawlers, small trout jigs, Mice Tails, and wacky-rigged trout plastic worms. Most trout are running right around two pounds, but some bigger fish have been caught. The best spots have been 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: County trout plants are weekly. No report. 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: The trout bite has been good since last Thursday’s plant. The bite was very good in the front lake the first couple of days, but the fish are starting to spread out a little now. The best action has been on the marshmallow-meal worm combo, pink and white Mice Tails, small green frog trout jigs, and garlic nightcrawlers. Fish to three pounds reported. Previous plants went in three and four weeks ago. Stocks are twice a month this season with about 900 pounds per stock. The panfish, carp, and catfish bites are mostly slow. 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 with sheet ice on the lake. No reports. No trout plants yet, and no bass reported. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

LAKE PALMDALE: The trout opener countdown is beginning. The lake is closed to fishing until February 2, when trout season will kick off with heavy stocks of fish which have been going in since December. A total of 88,000 pounds are scheduled to be planted for the upcoming season, and fish will be going in all month in preparation for the opener. 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 is a group of striper regulars who continue to get stripers to seven pounds, mostly at the far east end of the lake on the 138 side of the lake (receached by bicycling). The best bite has been on ghost shrimp, chicken liver, and nightcrawlers. 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): Light fishing pressure, but there continues to be a decent bite on striped bass along west end of the valley with a lot of two to four-pound class fish. Most of the curves and road crossings, where the current flow is changed, have been producing fish. The bite is best on shad-like jigs bounced across the current along the bottom. A few catfish also continue to show on chicken liver or sardines with scent, especially in the Muns Ranch and 130th West spots. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CENTRAL PARK LAKE (CALIFORNIA CITY): Very little pressure this past week with the rain. Before the latest storms, 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: One angler reported several bass over five pounds on dark plastics this week, but the lake is getting very little walk-in fishing pressure. The water level has come up a little from runoff. Access remains restricted some days because of heavy equipment use. The Palmdale Water District has an ongoing sediment removal project, and the U.S. Forest Service (Angeles National Forest) may close the area in the future.

SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAIN WATERS

SILVERWOOD: Continued light fishing pressure, but things picked back up a little once the weather changed. Still mostly tough fishing, with only a few stripers and trout being caught. The stripers have been best at the dam and around the marina dock, and some bigger fish are showing in Cleghorn and Miller canyons chasing trout planted two weeks ago. Most of the stripers are small, under two pounds, and showing on sardines and blood worms. Trout are best on floating baits, Mice Tails, and small spoons in Cleghorn and Miller canyons. No reports on bass, bluegill, or catfish. A reminder: the dam is closed to angler access. 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 mostly 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 light fishing pressure even with the better 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 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: The striped bass bite has been fair to good, especially for small fish under four pounds. Some bigger stripers have been showing on trout-like swimbaits after the DFW trout plant two weeks ago. One reported fish was in the 12-pound range. The best action for boat anglers has been at the buoy line, Kong Island, and Sharon’s Rest, while shore anglers have had their best luck along the west shoreline from the dam to the main launch ramp and the last point adjacent to the west ramp. Sardines, blood or lug worms, anchovies, and nightcrawlers have all been getting fish. The trout plant two weeks ago consisted of 1,000 pounds. This was the third plant of the season, but the other two had smaller fish and far fewer fish. The bite has been pretty slow for the rainbows as the fish disperse away from the main ramp. The largemouth and smallmouth bite is fair with fish showing on drop-shot or Carolina-rigged plastics, small skirted jigs, or nightcrawlers. A few still showing on reaction baits earlier and later in the day. The lower lake has been better than the upper lake for bass, with a fair bite. The night bite in the lower lake has been good on Senkos. 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 been fair to good since the weather improved, with both boat and shore anglers getting fish – most in the two-pound range. 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 and (for shore anglers) in the canal by the front entrance booth and the rocks near the boat shop. The catfish bite has slowed way down, with only a few reported from deeper water. Yellowbar has been the best spot with a nice mixed bag of catfish and stripers. The largemouth and smallmouth bass have been slow to fair on nightcrawlers, plastics, and jigs fished in 20-plus feet of water on the points and steep drop-offs. Some smallmouth on deep-running cranks. The bluegill and crappie bites are very slow. 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 there has been a pretty decent largemouth bite for anglers jigging in deep water on structure or 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 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 planted in Sections 4, 5, and 6 (upper river)last week, and these same areasare slated to get fish next week. The trout bite remains pretty fair, but getting light fishing pressure. The best bite has been on crickets, nightcrawlers, and salmon eggs. Cold weather and water has slowed the fly bite some, but its still fair on small nymphs fished in deeper runs in the low flows, 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 slow on bass with 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: Very little fishing pressure, but the anglers hitting this spot for stripers continue to see a pretty fair bite. Most of the action is on live minnows, Lucky Craft Pointers, and Flukes. Some fish on cutbaits. Most of the fish are keeper-sized and up to six or seven 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.

RIVER WALK PARK LAKE: Water level is way down, and there has been little fishing pressure. Slow overall. No trout are slated to be planted by the DFW this fall/winter season. Information Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.

HART PARK LAKE: 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: Overall, the bite is pretty slow. There have been a few crappie on small minnows, and a few bass showing on plastics, nightcrawlers, or minnows. No trout are slated to be planted by the DFW this fall/winter season. The bluegill and carp bites are very slow.

MING LAKE: A few bass have been reported over the past week on live minnows and plastics. No crappie reported, and the trout are very slow with the most recent DFW plant five weeks ago. One more 500-pound DFW plant is supposed to go in sometime this month, but it is no on the trout plant schedule yet. The bluegill, catfish, and carp are all slow.

BRITE LAKE: A few trout continue to show at the launch ramp, especially on rainbow PowerBait. 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.

BUENA VISTA LAKES: Trout plant slated for this week, and there was a plant two weeks ago. A fair number of holdover trout were showing on Mice Tails, garlic nightcrawlers, Jake’s lures, and PowerBait. 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 very slow. A few bass continue to show 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

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/. Of note this week: In Inyo County, Diaz Lake, Owens River (section 2), and Pleasant Valley Reservoir were slated to get rainbows. In Kern and Tulare counties, the Kern River (sections 4-6) were on the schedule. In San Bernardino County, Yucaipa Park Lake was slated to get fish (it is also planted weekly by the county).

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.

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