FISH REPORT — 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 entire California Aqueduct remains the top pick for its catfish action, with a decent number of stripers also in the mix. This applies to both the Antelope Valley and the southern San Joaquin valley stretches. The best bite throughout and for both species has been on lug or blood worms fish alone or mixed with chicken liver or other cut bait and drifted along the bottom, especially in areas where the flow is constricted, interrupted, or bends. Adding a scent also increases the number of bites. For updates on this bite, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824 for the Palmdale to Hesperia stretch and Bob’s Bait Bucket at 661-833-8657 for the Taft region.
2. The striped bass bite has been good most mornings at Pyramid Lake with good surface action on smaller fish under two pounds and some bigger fish to five pounds on lures trolled under the breaking fish in the 15 to 25 feet range. Rat-L-Trap-type lures have been hot. The key has been to imitate the shad with 3 1/2- to four-inch baits. For an update on this bite, call the Emigrant Landing entrance booth at 661-295-7155 or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.
3. For fly-anglers, the grasshopper bite on the Upper Owens River above Lake Crowley has been exceptional. Guide Fred Rowe reports his clients have been have 15 to 30 fish mornings on surface hopper patterns with brown trout to 20 inches. For an update on this bite check with The Trout Fly (www.thetroutfly.com) in Mammoth Lakes or contact Rowe at www.sierrabrightdot.com for a guided trip.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

VICTORVILLE REGION

HESPERIA LAKE: The catfish bite has continued good, especially on the marshmallow-meal worm combo, mackerel with added scent, and garlic nightcrawlers. Stockings have been weekly on Thursdays with most of the catfish from 1-8 to 2-8, but some bigger are planted each week. Lake information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.

JESS RANCH LAKES: The bass action has been slow to fair on Senkos, nightcrawlers, and swimbaits from the northern and eastern shores of lake 2. Largemouth up to five-pounds reported. Trout remain very slow with only a few fish in the two-pound range showing on PowerBait, nightcrawlers, Mice Tails, or small jigs. The bluegill remain pretty good on crickets, meal worms, wax worms, and red worms. For more information call (760)240-1107 or go to www.jessranchlakesnews.com.

MOJAVE NARROWS: There continues to be a good catfish bite here thanks to weekly plants. Most of the fish are in the two to three-pound range, but some to eight pounds. Best bite on chicken liver with Triple X Blood Bait scent and either a nightcrawler or blood worm added for wiggle. Fish are also showing on frozen sardines, anchovies, or shad. The carp are also fair to good on dough baits. Bluegill are good, but most of the fish are hand-sized of smaller. The bite is best on wax worms, meal worms, or crickets. Information, call 760-245-2226.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

ANTELOPE VALLEY REGION

APOLLO PARK LAKE: The bluegill and warmouth bite is excellent, and a great place to keep kids entertained. The fish aren’t big, but the action is almost non-stop when fishing a worm under a bobber. The carp bite on remains fair to good on fish to five pounds and better on a wide variety of dough baits. An occasional catfish to five-plus pounds have been reported in the past week. For more information or updates on plant, contact Apollo Park at 661-940-7701 or Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

JACKSON LAKE (NEAR WRIGHTWOOD): The trout bite has almost completely died since the last plant. There is, however, still a very good bite on small bluegill on any small bait suspended under a bobber fished near the weeds. Keep the hook size 14 or smaller. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

LAKE PALMDALE: Weeds remain a major problem, but the bites all remain good for anglers who know how to fish around the weeds. The catfish bite has been very good with a lot of fish to 10 pounds or over.

The best action has been on sardine or beef liver doused with Triple X Blood Bait scent with a nightcrawler added for wiggle. The best way to get fish is to either suspend the bait under a bobber so it sits on top of the weeds or fly-line out with the same result. Even if you fish with weight, the trick is to use extra scent so the fish can find the bait in the weeds and don’t move it around. The hot spot has been some of the open holes in the weeds near the dam or other areas where the weeds are gone or light. The crappie, bluegill, and redear bites have been pretty decent in shady areas on small jigs or jigs tipped with bait. The carp are excellent at the back end of the lake with a lot of 10-plus pounders reported. The best bite has been on dough baits. The largemouth bass are showing early in the morning on plastics and reaction baits in rocky areas and in the deeper holes in the weed beds. 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: Shad continue to run the shorelines, and the largemouth bass are on them. That means the bass bite has been very good on topwater early and then on small cranks and Senkos later. Also fish showing on plastics. Most of the fish are one to three pounds. The catfish bite also remains pretty good for anglers are drifting frozen shad under a slip bobber set so the bait runs eight to 15 feet. Night and early and late in the day have been the best times to fish for the cats. The bluegill bite remains pretty fair along the south shore tules on red worms, wax worms, meal worms, crickets, and nightcrawler pieces. Few stripers reported, but those fishing the north shore near the inlet with ghost shrimp or shad the best baits. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT (Hesperia to Quail Lake stretch): The catfish action remains pretty much wide open with only a slight lull from last week. The bite is good along the whole length of the aqueduct from Quail Lake to Silverwood. The hot bait has been chicken liver doused with Triple X Blood Bait and then enhanced with a wigging nightcrawler or blood worm. But other cut baits are also getting fish. Lots of fish from two to five pounds, and enough bigger to make it interesting. And it’s not just the cats that are hot, the striped and largemouth bass are also being caught. Best bite is before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m., but heat is keeping most anglers away during the day. Top spots continue to be where the flows change and slow, especially road crossings, weirs, siphons, and where the canal curves. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CENTRAL PARK LAKE (CALIFORNIA CITY): Agood good bluegill bite, and the catfish bite is fair to good at night. The bluegill are being caught on the usual array of small baits with red worms perhaps the best. The cats are showing on chunks of mackerel and running from two to five pounds. Carp are also pretty decent on dough baits, and a few bass are showing on cranks, plastics, swimbaits, and nightcrawlers.

LITTLE ROCK RESERVOIR: No reports this week, but recent reports were for a good largemouth bass bite on the far side of the lake in the coves there. The best action was on dark plastics. No other species reports. 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: There is a algea bloom and the potential of toxicity for humans if they make body contact with the way or eat fish caught in the lake. This has not affected the fishing, and there continues to be a pretty good striper and catfish bite. The stripers are from one to two pounds and showing at the dam, the main lake points, Chemise, and around the marina and up into both Miller and Cleghorn. Top baits continue to be sardines, nightcrawlers, frozen shad, and blood or lug worms. Trollers are using umbrella rigs with shad-like swimbaits. Todd Oakland, Rancho Cucamonga, landed 10 stripers from Quarry Cove on white jigs and spinner flies. The catfish bite has picked up in most of the coves, especially for walk-in anglers (or campers) fishing at night. Best bite on cut baits (chicken liver and blood or lug worm combos have been very good). Victor Chavez, Rancho Cucamonga, had a seven-pound cat off the dock on an anchovy. Few crappie or bluegill reports this week, and the trout bite has also slowed way down. Silverwood is 91 percent full. 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 bite is pretty fair overall, with some limits reported, especially for trollers, but also for bait anglers fishing near the dam. Most of the fish are solid one to three-pound fish. The west end of the lake (toward the dam) has been the best area to fish, mostly from Old Grays Landing to the sandy beach. The best bite has been early in the morning and then again in the evening 14 to 22 feet of water. Bait anglers are mostly using PowerBait in bright colors in the corn, cheese, and garlic flavors or inflated nightcrawlers fished on Carolina rigs with two to three-foot or longer leaders. The weeds have become a problem, so most anglers are using filling Cast-a-bubbles full water that sink very slowly. These “weights” sit on top of the weeds and allow the bait to float up about the weeds where the trout can see them. Trollers are dragging three to four colors of leadcore (or at 12 to 18 feet on downriggers) along the south shore, Trout Alley, the west end from the west public launch to the dam. A wide variety of small spoons and Rapala-like lures in gold with red or orange highlights are the best baits to troll. The bass and crappie bites are good, on cranks and small jigs tipped with meal or wax worms, respectively. The carp bowfishing is also excellent in all shallow areas of the lake. All the lakes’ public and private launch ramps are open. For information on fishing, call Big Bear Sporting Goods at 909-866-3222 or visit the store’s Facebook page.

GREGORY LAKE: There was a DFW trout plant last week and the bite is fair, but the fish have already moved into deeper water. The VFW Auxiliary 9624 Trout Derby will be 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 7. Entry is $20 per ticket. For derby info, call 909-553-8200 or 909-338-5385. 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: Jess Ranch plant two weeks ago, and one is slated for this week. There was a DFW plant last week. Small trout jigs, Mice Tails, trout spoons, inflated nightcrawlers with garlic, and PowerBait in yellow or chartreuse are the best baits. The best bite is early morning for both shore and boat anglers, and the fish are congregating in the deeper water at the dam. The website is www.gvlfishing.com and the Facebook page is Green Valley Lake Fishing.

INTERSTATE 5 LAKES

CASTAIC: The stripers have remained pretty good on sand worms, lug worms, blood worms, and frozen shad, Triple X sardines or anchovies. The fish are still mostly in deeper water, but there is surface action every day now on small shad and silversides. Small Flukes and reaction baits have been best on the boils. Milton Bonilla, Van Nuys, landed four stripers to three pounds on sardines. The largemouth and smallmouth bass also continued to be fair to good. The bite is best on plastics worms, nightcrawlers, Senko-like baits, or just about any reaction bait. Most are under three pounds. The bluegill action is good along most shoreline structure in four to 20 feet of water on small baits or jigs, and crappie are also pretty decent, especially in the lower lake. Guillermo Corral, Castaic, had a limit of bluegill to a pound fishing nightcrawlers. The trout bite has slowed way down as the fish all have moved to deeper water. The best action has been for trollers working downriggers or leadcore and small spoons. Almost no pressure on the trout. The lake’s elevation is pretty stable, with Castaic 93 percent full. For information call the marina at 661-775-6232 (www.CastaicLake.com) or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.

PYRAMID: The striped bass bite remains very good on one to four-pound fish with some to seven pounds. There has been good surface boils most mornings in the coves, especially Yellowbar and Spanish Point, on jerkbaits, and trout-like swimbaits. A good number of catfish are also showing on cut baits, especially blood, lug, and sand worms, but frozen sardines, anchovies, and shad are nearly as good, especially when scent is added. The bluegill bite is very good along the shoreline structure on meal worm, wax worms, red worms, and crickets. Even a few fish bigger than hand-sized. The lake’s level is not changing much. It was 93 percent full 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: The lake level remains high but down a little from last week at 54 percent full (from 55 percent). Not much change, with continued good catfish action on dip baits, shad, and clams, especially in the Camp 9 area with some quality fish topping 10 pounds. The crappie bite is still fair to good, and the fish are mostly in 12 to 20 feet of water for boat and tube anglers using small minnows. Most are from a half- to three-quarter pound. The Camp Nine and South Fork areas are best, but the crappie are showing around much of the lake on flooded brush or trees. The largemouth bass bite is pretty good with topwater action early and then a lot of fish on swimbaits, cranks, jigs, and plastics. In a weekend bass event, it took over five-fish, 17-pound limits to win each day. The trout bite is fair for trollers, but also for bait anglers fishing MiceTails or PowerBait near the auxiliary dam and up near the old cemetery area. Few carp anglers, too, but dedicated carpers are getting fish on flooded flats and fly anglers are finding a lot of gulpers working. Bluegill good for the few anglers fishing them. 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: Flows in the upper river have dropped down to about 1,500 cfs this week, and there has been a pretty good trout bite. There were plants two weeks ago, and plants are slated for next week and the week after that. Best action in the bigger pools on crickets, salmon eggs, and small spinners. Lower river flows were down to 2,150 cfs Wednesday, and the action is still tough. Information: Kern River Fly Shop 760-376-2040 or (www.kernriverflyfishing.com) or Gateway Market 760-376-2424.

AQUEDUCT NEAR TAFT: Heat this week knocked down the angler activity, but The catfish bite has been good on mackerel, dip baits, and sardines. The cats are running from three to eight pounds. The stripers also remain pretty good on blood and sand worms for bait anglers and jerk baits and Flukes for lure anglers. Most of the fish under keeper size right now, however. The flows remain high and anglers need to be prepared to use heavier weight to get down through the heavy current. 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: The carp and bluegill bites are both pretty good. Carp best on Wussy Bait and Powder Bait, while the bluegill are showing on crickets and wax worms. Still some bass showing, mostly early and late.

RIVER WALK PARK LAKE: The carp and bluegill bites both continue pretty good, and a few bass are being caught early mornings. The carp bite is best on dough baits. The bass have been best on plastics and Senko-type baits, and the bluegill hammering the wax worms or red worms. Information Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.

HART PARK LAKE: The carp and bluegill bites are very good. The bass are still fair and they are showing on plastics, jigs, and reaction baits. The bluegill are best on wax and meal worms or red worms. The carp are best on Powder Bait or other dough baits. A few smaller catfish are being reported on cut baits or paste baits.

TRUXTUN LAKE: The carp and bluegill bites are both good, especially at night. The bass remain fair with a few on plastics or swimbaits. The carp are best on Wussy Bait, Powder Bait, or a variety of homemade dough baits. The bluegill are showing in good numbers on wax worms, red worms, crickets, and meal worms.

MING LAKE: Continued very good carp action on Powder Bait and other dough baits. The bass and bluegill are good, especially early and late n the day. The bass are best on dark plastics, but some are also showing on small swimbaits, cranks, buzz baits, or live minnows. The bluegill are showing on meal, wax, or red worms.

BRITE LAKE: There is a very good crappie bite on suspended fish in about seven feet of water. Most are half-pounders. Still some trout showing on floating dough baits or MiceTails. The bluegill are pretty good off the rocks, and a few bass are showing from all around the lake. The small crappie (most are half-pounders) are showing on small jigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles, meal worms, or wax worms. Evenings and mornings have been best. The bluegill are best on wax worms under a bobber. The bass are shall and showing on small jerkbaits, plastics, and half a nightcrawler.

BUENA VISTA LAKES: The catfish and bluegill bites both remaining good. The catfish are best on cut baits with scents added, but the Triple S baits has been the hot ticket. For the bluegill wax worms, meal worms, red worms, or nightcrawlers pieces have all be good bets, with some on tiny jigs, especially if tipped with bait. The carp action is also good with fish to eight pounds have been reported, but relatively light fishing pressure on the carp. The best bite has been on Powder Bait or other dough baits. The bass bite surged over the past week with a lot of schoolie fish up chasing shad in the afternoons with reaction baits getting the fish. A few crappie showing. 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: Dropping water levels have scattered the fish or moved the bass out to suspend. The bass action remains fair on reaction baits, with some good topwater on frogs and topwater plugs early. Few crappie reports, but the bluegill action is good on crickets, wax worms, or meal worms, but finding fish has been the challenge. Catfish are fair on cut baits. The lake level dropped from 102 percent full two weeks agto to 82 percent capacity. 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: Lake levels continue to come down with the lake at 54 percent full this week (that is down from 91 percent full three weeks ago). There is a fair bass bite on reaction baits and small swimbaits, but the falling water levels have hampered the bites. Also some topwater early. A few bluegill and catfish also showing, but much tougher fishing. 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 Inyo County include Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, the South Fork, Middle Fork, Intake II, and lower portions of Bishop Creek, Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lake Sabrina, Lone Pine Creek, North Lake, Rock Creek Lake, Shepherd Creek, South Lake, Symmes Creek, Taboose Creek Tinnemaha Creek, and Tuttle Creek. No plants in Kern, Los Angeles, or San Bernardino counties this week.

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.