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. 1. The Pyramid Lake bite for all three bass (stripers, largemouth and smallmouth) has been very consistent over the past week, and a DFW trout plant this week is likely to bring up a few bigger stripers for the swimbait hurlers. The largemouth and smallmouth bass are moving into the early stages of the spawn and showing on plastics and nightcrawlers. The stripers are good with both boat and shore anglers getting fish in the one to two pound range on lug worms, chicken liver, sardines, and nightcrawlers For an update on the bite, call the Emigrant Landing entrance booth at 661-295-7155 or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.
2. 2. Apollo Park stays in the top picks, but instead of for the trout bite (which remains pretty fair), it’s for the hot carp bite that has broken wide open in the past week. The best bite is on homemade or factory dough baits. Lots of fish to eight pounds and one fish at 21 pounds was reported. If you prefer trout, a good number of rainbows to three pounds continue to show on small trout plastis. For an update on this bite, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
3. 3. Quality crappie bite alert! The crappie bite at Silverwood Lake appears to be coming on strong with fish to three pounds reported this week off the marina docks. The fish have been reported on small jigs with an without Crappie Nibbles or other small baits on the hook. The fish are still in deeper water, but this is the first time in several seasons some quality fish have been reported. For an update on this action, call the marina at 760-389-2299 or the Silverwood Country store at 760-389-2423.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

VICTORVILLE REGION

HESPERIA LAKE: The trout action has been fair to good with weekly plants from Jess Ranch. The best bite has been on inflated nightcrawlers with garlic scent or salmon peach or rainbow garlic PowerBait. Most of the fish are in the two-pound class with some bigger. Lake information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.

JESS RANCH LAKES: Trout bite was fair to good on both lakes, with anglers using PowerBait (especially salmon peach, garlic and rainbow), nightcrawlers, jigs, and lures. Most trout are around two pounds. Best spots include the northern and eastern shores of lake 2 and the grassy point and western shore near the drain of lake 3. Bass are starting to bite senkos and nightcrawlers from the northern and eastern shores of lake 2 with the warmer temperatures. The bluegill and catfish bites are still slow. For more information call (760)240-1107 or go to www.jessranchlakesnews.com.

MOJAVE NARROWS: The trout bite has continued good with weekly plants by the county, and a lot of the bigger trout planted for last weekend’s derby are still being caught. Top fish reported this week were a pair of 3-8 rainbows, one landed by Joshua Talasco, Barstow, and one by Brody Sworts, Hesperia. Both were caught on PowerBait from Pelican Lake. The best bite has been on garlic-flavored nightcrawlers, PowerBait, small trout jigs, or Mice Tails. Top spots continue to be the north and south shores of Pelican Lake and the back side of Horseshoe Lake near the spillway. The park is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Information, call 760-245-2226.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

ANTELOPE VALLEY REGION

APOLLO PARK LAKE: The carp bite exploded in the last week. Lots of fish to eight or nine pounds with fish to 21 pounds reported. Most are being caught on a variety of homemade and commercial dough baits fished on hair rigs. Many anglers are adding raison on hooks or sliding them on the line above the hook. This bite joins the fair to good trout action that continues to perk along even with no plant in two weeks, including some bigger fish left over from the derby a month ago. Most of the trout are showing on Drew’s custom worms, Power Worms, or Mice Tails fished drop-shot style on the north side of the lake with long leaders. Stocks are twice a month this season with about 900 pounds per stock. Fish could go in this week, but no later than next week. The panfish and catfish bites are mostly slow, but a few bass are showing. 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): Still very cold at night and little activity yet. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

LAKE PALMDALE: The bite is breaking wide open on all species, especially bass, trout, and crappie. The crappie bite has taken off in the past week with fish to nearly two pounds reported on black jigs. The trout action has remained good. The best action has been on rainbow PowerBait, Power Worms, Drew’s Custom Bait worms (both in white), small Rapalas, and Jakes lures in white with red dots. There is also a pretty good largemouth bass bite on plastics, Senko, or fly-lined nightcrawlers near structure and weeds. Lots of two-pound class bass. Most trout are one to 1-8, with some in the three to five pound range. 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: The largemouth bass bite broke open here in the past week with the warm weather. The fish are running up to two pounds and showing in very good numbers on white or yellow spinnerbaits and plastics fished along the edges of the weeds. The catfish bite also came back on with a pretty good bite on chicken liver-nightcrawler combos with the best bite at dawn and dusk. Still slow for bluegill and only a few stripers are being reported. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT (Little Rock to Quail Lake stretch): Butterflies continue to fill the stomachs of stripers and catfish in the aqueduct, stimulating the bite on both species. While fish are showing throughout this whole stretch, the Muns Ranch stretch is still producing the most fish with catfish to eight pounds and stripers to five pounds reported this week. The smorgasbord approach to catfish bait has been the hot ticket with a combination of chicken liver, mackerel, and nightcrawlers getting the most fish. Best bite has been in the evening from six to 11 p.m. Fish are showing throughout the Antelope Valley at all road crossings and where the current is broken or bent. Stripers also continue to show on small swimbaits or cut baits. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CENTRAL PARK LAKE (CALIFORNIA CITY): The catfish bite has started to turn on with most of the fish in the one to two –pound range. Also some bluegill starting to bite. The best action has been on nightcrawlers.

LITTLE ROCK RESERVOIR: No reports this week. Water level is high and spilling at spillway, but no reports from walk-in anglers 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 striper and trout bites remain pretty fair, but it has been the report of a few crappie to three pounds showing off the marina docks that has anglers buzzing here. Matt Kestler, Hesperia, landed five crappie and his best was a three-pounds, all caught on jigs off the docks. The stripers continue to show from the docks and around the marina and at the dam on cut baits (anchovies and sardines) and blood worms. Most are one to two pounds, but some are bigger. Mike Roberts, Adelanto, had three stripers to two pounds on anchovies at the dam. Justin Hayes, Ontario, landed three stripers to three pounds and one two-pound trout on anchovies off the docks. The trout are still best around the marina, up into Cleghorn and Miller canyons, and through the main channel on chartreuse PowerBait, PowerWorms, or Mice Tails with garlic scent added. Trout were scheduled to be planted by the DFW this week. A few more largemouth bass are showing with each warm day on on swimbaits and plastics, but this bite is just starting. No panfish reports, yet. 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 really taking off with the warm weather of the past week. The rainbows are cruising the shorelines and feeding heavily, congregating at the stream mouths for the spawn. Weather plays a significant role in the bite. Cloudy days tend to keep the trout closer to the shoreline, while windy days stir up silt along with sunny, warms days, both push the trout away from shore and deeper water. Peak bites are early morning and evening. Top action has been on Power Baits in bright colors with garlic scent or nightcrawlers fished on a Carolina-rig with a two to three-foot leader. Rapalas, Kastmasters, Thomas Bouyants, Jake’s lures all work well in the smallest sizes. Some bigger fish are showing along the rocks and boulders found at the west end of the lake near the dam and inlets. Trout to four pounds have been reported this week. A reminder that the small streams themselves are closed from March 1 through the Friday before Memorial Day. The lakes public and private launch ramps are tentatively slated to open April 1, including the east ramp near Stanfield Cutoff this season. Once open, the hot trolling pattern is to use one to three colors of leadcore (about four to 12 fish if you use downriggers) running the circuits along the south shore and Trout Alley or running west from the BBMWD’s west public launch to the Buoy Line near the dam. For information on fishing, call Big Bear Sporting Goods at 909-866-3222 or visit the store’s Facebook page.

GREGORY LAKE: The first DFW trout plant of the spring is set for the week of April 7. A few holdover rainbows are showing for die-hard trout anglers. The Spring Trout Derby will be Saturday, May 18. 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 are closed and won’t open until late April or early May. The website is www.gvlfishing.com and the Facebook page is Green Valley Lake Fishing.

INTERSTATE 5 LAKES

CASTAIC: The bites for stripers and the largemouth and smallmouth bass continue to be fair to good and getting better with each warm day. The black bass are moving into the spawn, with both the smallmouth and largemouth up in shallower water making beds. The bite is best on plastics worms and Senko-like baits is four to 12 feet of water, but other reaction baits are getting fishing now. Most of the fish from 1-8 to three pounds, but Jeremy Duncan, San Fernando Valley, landed an 11-13 largemouth on a drop-shot plastic in the upper Fish Arm. The stripers are best on lug worms or frozen sardines or anchovies in deep water off the main lake points and at the dam. Fish to four pounds reported. For boat anglers, trolling cranks or vertical jigging has produced fish at Necktie Canyon, the buoy line, Kong Island, and Sharon’s Rest. Kimstrong Leing, Norwalk, had six stripers to four pounds fishing cut sardines and anchovies in the Ski Arm. Trout were slated to be planted this week, and the last plant was five weeks ago. The crappie, bluegill, and catfish bites are all very slow in both the upper lake, but some bluegill are starting to be caught in the lower lake. The top fish of the week was a 28-2 carp caught by Jim Dutzl, Castaic, on a nightcrawler from shore at the dam. For information call the marina at 661-775-6232 (www.CastaicLake.com) or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.

PYRAMID: The largemouth and smallmouth bass bites are really turning on with the fish moving up throughout the shallows in four to 18 feet of water for the spawn. The best bite has been on nightcrawlers, plastics, and jigs in the mouths of coves and around structure. Some fish are showing on reaction and jerk baits. 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. Lug worms, chicken liver, sardines, and nightcrawlers have been the best baits for both boat and shore anglers, and more and more catfish are showing in this bait bite. Top spots have been the rip rap in front of the boat shop, the shoreline and points past the swim beach, and the canal by the entrance booth. Still few bluegill and crappie reports. 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 continues to come up, and the catfish bite has really started to turn on a wide variety of cut baits, especially in the French Gulch area. A fair number of bass are showing on plastics or jigs, mostly in deeper water but some fish are starting to nose up shallower. There are also still some crappie showing around most marinas on live minnows. There will be a closure to fishing in the area around the auxiliary dam on weekdays for work. 30th Annual Trout Fishing Derby is set for April 13-15. 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: Flows have come up with the warm weather this past week hitting the snowpack. The upper river was around 1,500 cfs at mid-week and the lower river was around 400 cfs. DFW trout are slated to be planted in sections 1 through 5 next week (upper and lower river). Trout were planted in sections 4 and 5 (upper river) last week. The bite has been fair on crickets, nightcrawlers, and salmon eggs. Fly-fishing for wild fish has also been tough with the best action 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 bite has been fair and improving for bass on nightcrawlers, small reaction baits, or plastic worms. The catfish action has been improving 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 bite remains good for small stripers on Rat-L-Traps, lug worms, small minnows, and cut sardines. Most of the fish are undersize, but some keeper fish are being caught. The catfish bite is also starting to take off, mostly on cut sardines, 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: Few reports. A few more bass with warm weather, and the carp are picking up. A few catfish.

RIVER WALK PARK LAKE: Slow for trout, but the bass and carp are improving and a few bluegill are starting to be caught. Bass best on small minnows, plastics, and reaction baits. Carp best on dough baits. Information Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.

HART PARK LAKE: The carp, bass, and bluegill bites are all improving each warm day with fair to good action overall. The bass are moving shallow for the spawn and showing on plastics and reaction baits, while the usual array of dough baits are working for the carp. Bluegill best on wax and meal worms.

TRUXTUN LAKE: Fair to good bass and carp bites, and the bluegill are starting to show. The bass have been best on plastics, while the carp are best on home-made dough baits or commercial baits like Wussy Bait or Powder Bait. No crappie reports.

MING LAKE: The trout bite has slowed with the last plant three weeks ago. A few fish continue to show on PowerBait with garlic or Mice Tails. The bass are fair to good on live minnows, reaction baits, and plastics, with a major movement of fish into the shallows along the shorelines. No crappie reported. The bluegill, catfish, and carp are all also improving, especially the carp which have been pretty decent on dough baits. BRITE LAKE: The few anglers fishing are still seeing a few crappie and small bass. No other reports. There will be a big trout derby April 19 with a big plant of private trout prior to that event.

BUENA VISTA LAKES: Last trout plant of the season went in on Monday this week, and there were plants three and five weeks ago. The bite has been pretty good since the Monday plant with the most fish being reported on chartreuse PowerBait, Mice Tails, or small trout jigs, and all are better with garlic scent added. Most trout have been one to two pounds, but some to four pounds reported. The bass and carp are also fair to good, with the bass on plastics and Senkos and the carp on dough baits. The bluegill and catfish bites are still slow, but a few bluegill have been reported. 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 big news has been the good crappie action over the past 10 days, with a lot of quality fish reported, including some real trophy slabs from 4-8 to 5-0. The best bite has been on small jigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles or small minnows. The bass bite is also pretty good on drop-shot plastics and reaction baits as the fish move up shallow for the spawn. Some bluegill and catfish begining to show. 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 bass action has started to take off with more and more fish flooding into the shallows for the spawn. Best action on small jigs and plastics. A few catfish and bluegill showing. 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/. In Los Angeles County, Pyramid Lake was on the trout plant list for this week, while in San Bernardino County, Silverwood Lake, Mojave Narrows and Glen Helen park lakes were slated to get trout. In Inyo County, Cottonwood Creek, Georges Creek, the Owens River below Tinnemaha, and Pleasant Valley Reservoir were also scheduled to get trout 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.