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 Lake Isabella crappie bite continues to be very good to excellent. It just requires a little more technique and finesse to get 25-fish limits now. The average fish are still about a pound, but there are enough two to three-pound fish to make the action interesting. It seems like the bigger fish are holding off in a little deeper water. Minnows and jigs with Crappie Nibbles and/or other scents are still the top baits, and the South Fork Arm of the lake is still the best. For an update on this bite, check with Bob’s Bait Bucket at 661-833-8657.
2. The crowds are gone from the Eastern Sierra Nevada, but the bite is still excellent at many waters throughout the region, with perhaps a slight edge going to Bridgeport Reservoir which has just been cranking out the 1 1/2 to four-pound trout – mostly rainbows but also quite a few nice browns, including one at 6-8. Trolling has been the best bet, but bait and shore-bound lure anglers are also getting plenty of fish. For an update on the bite, check with Ken’s Sporting Goods in Bridgeport at 760-932-07707.
3. Apollo Park stays in the top picks because of another big trout plant this week in preparation for the Saturday youth derby. The lake complex has been closed to fishing this week and will reopen to kid’s 6 a.m. Saturday and then adults in the afternoon. The action has been very good for trout with most rainbows in the one to two-pound class, but some bigger. For an update on this action, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

VICTORVILLE REGION

HESPERIA LAKE: The trout action continues fair to good with weekly Thursday plants. Most of the fish are from 1-8 to 2-8, but some bigger fish are being caught, with salmon peach PowerBait and inflated nightcrawlers with garlic the best baits. Hot spots have been Finger Cove, the inlet, and along the grassy bank. Lake information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.

JESS RANCH LAKES: Slow to fair trout bite on both lakes, but fair to good bass action and improving bluegill action. The trout are best for anglers using PowerBait in spring green, chartreuse, and rainbow, garlic nightcrawlers, small jigs and trout plastics, and a few on small spoons or spinners. Most of the rainbows are around two pounds. The bass have been best on Senko-type baits, plastics worms, and nightcrawlers. Also some on blades and cranks. Top spots have been the northern and eastern shores of lake 2 with anglers reporting fish up to five pounds. The bluegill are finally starting to show in decent numbers on meal worms, wax worms, and nightcrawler pieces. Still few catfish (or few anglers fishing for them). For more information call (760)240-1107 or go to www.jessranchlakesnews.com.

MOJAVE NARROWS: No report available. The park is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Information, call 760-245-2226.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

ANTELOPE VALLEY REGION

APOLLO PARK LAKE: The lake has been closed to fishing since the big trout plant this week because of the Youth Trout Derby starting 6 a.m. Saturday. The fish were planted in Lake 1. Adults will be able to fish after the kid’s event end. There was another big trout plant two weeks ago for the adult derby, and the action has been good since with a lot of two to three pound rainbows and some bigger fish. The bite is best on PowerBait in a variety of colors and flavors, Drew’s plastic worms with XXX Fish Attractant, and some on Kastmasters early in the day. The carp action remains fair to good on half-inch dough baits fished on treble hooks or hair rigs. The bluegill are now showing in pretty good numbers on micro jigs or meal and wax worms. Trout plants are twice a month this season with about 900 pounds per stock. 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): The first trout plant of the season went in last week, and the bite has been pretty good, with a few fish in the two-pound class. Also quite a few small bluegill and carp being caught. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

LAKE PALMDALE: The Lightning trout are still showing in good numbers, especially in deeper water off Dock 45 and at the inlet. Black is the color, whether fishing small jigs, trout plastics or lures, that seems to be the hot color. Jakes, Drew’s crappie jigs, and Roostertails all getting fish. PowerBait and Mice Tails are also working, and the bite is mostly in deeper water. The largemouth bass are tight to the tules with fish hanging on isolated tules stick ups and patches. The bite is good to excellent on nightcrawlers or plastic worms with fish to five pounds reported. The crappie are also pretty good around the tules on small jigs or nightcrawlers with a lot of two-pound class slabs, and the bluegill are just starting to show in decent numbers. 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 bite broke pretty much wide open on most species over the past week, with good striper action all along the north shore, but especially the inlet. Lots of fish to three or four pounds. The catfish bite is cut on cut baits all around the lake. Cats to eight pounds reported in the past week. The largemouth bite is very good on plastics and reaction baits, and the bluegill are now showing in very good numbers, mostly on wax worms and nightcrawler pieces. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT (Little Rock to Quail Lake stretch): The bite is getting better by the day throughout the aqueduct, east to west, with both stripers and catfish showing in good numbers. Top spots have been the Munn’s Ranch stretch and the East Barrel Spring (Pearblossom) areas. The stripers are best on 1 1/2 to two-ounce shad-like swimbaits in the faster moving water or on the current breaks and changes (curves and road crossings). The catfish are mostly showing on cut baits doused with scent and adding nightcrawlers gives the bait wads movement. The baits need to be right on the bottom. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CENTRAL PARK LAKE (CALIFORNIA CITY): The bluegill bite has surged on nightcrawlers, wax worms, and meal worms. Also a fair number of catfish and carp. The cats are in the one to two–pound range and showing on nightcrawlers, while the carp are showing on dough baits. The bass are also fair on plastics and nightcrawlers.

LITTLE ROCK RESERVOIR: No reports this week. Water level is high and spilling at spillway, but no reports from walk-in anglers again 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: Overall very good action with a lot of stripers, crappie, catfish, largemouth, and bluegill beng caught. The stripers have been best for trollers through the main channel and off the face of the dam with fish to 10 pounds reported on Rat-L-Traps or similar, shad-like lures. Also still a lot of smaller fish showing on anchovies and blood worms. The crappie have been best off the docks with most just under a pound, but some bigger. Crappie jigs with Nibbles have been the best bet. Catfish are now showing in better numbers, mostly on anchovies and sardines. Catfish to five pounds reported this week. The largemouth are in the spawn, and the bluegill are just moving shallower and showing in good numbers. The trout continue to show in fair numbers on PowerBait and Mice Tails in both Miller and Cleghorn, and both the lake and Miller Canyon Creek are slated to get planted this 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: Winds continue to hamper the trout bite, but the action is still fair to good. The best bite is at the dam and any areas where water is entering the lake or there are gravelly shorelines. 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 for the trollers with fish to four pounds reported. A reminder: the small streams themselves are closed to fishing from March 1 through the Friday before Memorial Day to protect the spawning trout. The crappie and bass bites have been getting better by the day with some nice quality crappie to nearly two pounds reported on small jigs with Crappie Nibbles. The bass bite, especially the smallmouth action, has really heated up with fish to four pounds on small plastics and reaction baits around rocky structure. 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: The action has been fair to good since the plant three weeks ago, and DFW fish were slated to be planted this week. The action is best on small jigs, trout plastics, and PowerBait. The fish are cruising the shorelines. Fish to 1-8 reported. The Spring Trout Derby will be Saturday, May 18, with private plants planned before this event. The boat house is still closed due to storm damage this winter, but work is ongoing to get it open soon. 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: First DFW trout plant of the season is slated for this week. The lake facilities are closed and won’t open until Memorial Day weekend in May, when private trout plants will begin. The website is www.gvlfishing.com and the Facebook page is Green Valley Lake Fishing.

INTERSTATE 5 LAKES

CASTAIC: The action has been very good over the past week with rising water temperatures. The bite for stripers has been good with a lot of fish showing on cut baits and lug or blood worms, and more catfish are starting to be caught in this bite. The stripers are mostly in 50 to 60 feet of water and showing for both shore anglers or boat anglers. Also some stripers showing for trollers. Joe Cali, Sylmar, landed a nine-pound striper on a nightcrawler. The largemouth and smallmouth bass also continued to be fair to good as the fish move shallow for the spawn. The bite is best on plastics worms, nightcrawlers, Senko-like baits, or just about any reaction bait. The fish are mostly in four to 12 feet of water. Most of the bass are from 1-8 to three pounds. Trout were planted this week and five weeks ago, and fish are being reported around the marina and in the back of Elizabeth Canyon or the back of the Fish Arm (where water is flowing in) on Kastmasters or small trout jigs. The crappie are improving with more and more being reported on small jigs. Bluegill are also improving, and the bite is pretty good in the lower lake. 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 good with the fish mostly in less than 15 feet of water, and many in two to six feet of water on beds. 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 been good with both boat and shore anglers getting fish in the one to two pound range and some bigger. Lug worms, blood worms 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 for stripers 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. Catfish have been best on the sandy banks and coves. Some trout have been landed in front of the boat shop and to the right side of the marina on PowerBait and inflated garlic nightcrawlers. 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 excellent crappie bite has continued this week, but the bite is not as hot as it was two weeks ago. Limits are still the rule for anglers who work at it, and slabs up to three pounds or better are still showng. Most are from three-quarter pound to 1 ½-pounds. The fish are showing on crappie jigs in all colors with white, yellow and black tops, and tipping the jig with Crappie Nibbles and garlic scent is a good bet. Small minnows are a sure thing. The bite has been good in all the coves in the South Fork area, but fish have been caught all around the lake. The key has been to fish the flooded trees and brush in four to 12 feet of water, with the bigger fish on the deeper side of things. The lake level continues to come up (at over 42 percent full now), and the catfish and bass bites are also pretty good. The cats are showing on a wide variety of cut baits, especially in the French Gulch area. The best action has been on dip baits and clams. The bass have been best on jerkbaits, cranks, and underspins, but also a lot of fish on plastics. Most of the fish are in 15 feet of water or less. The trout bite is also pretty good for trollers, but also for bait anglers fishing MiceTails or PowerBait. There is also a very good carp bite on the newly flooded flats, especially in the North Fork arm for fly anglers. 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 continue to come up with the warm weather this past week hitting the snowpack. The upper river has been flowing around 5,000 cfs or more, and the lower river has backed off to about 2,400. DFW trout were planted in sections 2 through 6 last week, and they are slated to go into sections 4 through 6 this week. Flows are making the trout fishing challenging, but the bite is pretty fair. 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, but flows are way up. 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 stripers blood worms, lug worms and minnows, with some on Rat-L-Traps and Flukes. More and more fish are above the keeper size. The catfish bite is also starting to take off, mostly on cut sardines, chicken liver, and Wussy Bait. The flows are up 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: Quite a few bass are being reported on plastics and reaction baits, and the carp bite is very good on Wussy Bait and Powder Bait.

RIVER WALK PARK LAKE: The carp bite is good on dough baits. The bass and bluegill bites are also fair to good. The bass have been best on plastics and Senko-type baits, and the bluegill best on wax worms or red worms. Information Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.

HART PARK LAKE: The carp, bass, and bluegill bites are all pretty good. The bass are showing on plastics, jigs, and reaction baits, while the usual array of dough baits are working for the carp. Bluegill best on wax and meal worms or red worms.

TRUXTUN LAKE: Good carp and bass bites, and more and more bluegill are showing with fair to good action now. The bass remain shallow and best on plastics or swimbaits. The carp are best on Wussy Bait, Powder Bait, or a variety of homemade dough baits. The bluegill are showing on wax worms, red worms, and meal worms.

MING LAKE: The carp and bass bites are both very good. The carp are showing all around the lake on dough baits, especially Wussy Bait and Powder Bait. The bass are best on dark plastics, but some are also showing on small swimbaits, cranks, buzz baits, or live minnows. Bluegill are also pretty good, and they are showing on meal, wax, and red worms, or micro jigs tipped with bait.

BRITE LAKE: The trout action remains fair since the derby two weeks ago, with some quality fish over two pounds. Best bite on PowerBait, MiceTails, and small trout plastics or jigs. More and more bass, bluegill, and crappie are also starting to show as the lake warms and more anglers target these species.

BUENA VISTA LAKES: The bass and crappie bite are both fair to good. The bass have been best on plastics and jerk baits, while the crappie are best on small minnows or jigs with Crappie Nibbles. Kyle Sloan, Bakersfield, landed a 6-9 bass on a Senko around tules. The carp bite is also good on a variety of dough baits, with Wussy Bait and Powder Bait the two best bets. The bluegill action is improving with pretty fair action this week on wax worms. Catfish are still 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 good crappie and largemouth action continues here. The crappie are showing on small jigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles or small minnows. The bass bite is best on drop-shot plastics and reaction baits. The bluegill are fair to good on small worms, while the catfish are finally turning on with a fair bite on cut baits. The lake is nearly 65 percent full. 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 are coming up rapidly with runoff, but the lake is 45 percent full and rising rapidly. The bass action has been good on plastics and reaction baits in less than 15 feet of water with 20 to 30 fish days common. The bluegill are starting to show in better numbers and a few catfish and crappie are being caught. 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 Kern and Tulare counties, the Kern River is being planted in sections 4 through 6. In San Bernardino County, Arrowbear Lake, Green Valley Lake, Gregory Lake, Jenks Lake, the Middle and North Forks of Lytle Creek, Miller Canyon Creek (inside the Silverwood State Recreation Area and upstream), and Silverwood Lake are all getting trout this week. In Los Angeles County, Castaic Lake is slated to get trout. In Inyo County, Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, the South Fork and Middle Fork of Bishop Creek, Intake II on Bishop Creek, Goodale Creek, Taboose Creek, and Tinnemaha Creek are being planted this week. In Mono County, there will be plants in Convict Lake, Crowley Lake, and June Lake.

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.