FISH REPORT — ONS-matthews – 23 oct 2019 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 California Aqueduct stays the top pick this week. It continues to have good striper action in both the southern San Joaquin Valley and Antelope Valley stretches. Catfish are nearly as good. The action is still best at night during or early and late in the morning. The best bite has been on shad-like lures or lug or blood worms. The catfish are best on lug or blood worms fished alone or mixed with chicken liver, sardines, 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. The overall size of the stripers has been increasing in the Bakersfield region (many over the 18-inch mimimum, now), and fish to eight pounds have been reported in the Antelope Valley stretch this week. Most of the cats are two to six pounds in both areas. 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 in Quail Lake has continued to rival the aqueduct bite for the top spot. The bite has continued even as the moon wanes, and the best action has been in the evenings and around dawn. There are some surface boils and anglers hurling shad-like baits into the boils are getting fish, but the bait bite has been more consistent. The best bait has been blood or luge worms in combination with shad or sardines. The best bite has been at the outlet and along the north shore this week. For an update on this action, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
3. The Kern River’s trout action both above and below Lake Isabella stays in the top picks, with more DFW trout plants in the upper river this week and the lower river was planted last week. Lots of limits in both areas being reported, and the river flows are perfect for fishing. A decent number of bigger holdover trout and wild fish are showing in this bite. Salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, and SuperDupers in both the upper and lower river are the best baits. For an update on this bite, call Bob’s Bait Bucket at 661-833-8657.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

VICTORVILLE REGION

HESPERIA LAKE: The catfish action continues pretty good with weekly Thursday plants continuing. Most of the fish are 1-8 to 2-8 with some bigger fish in each plant. Top cat this past week was a 15-pounder landed by Aaleya Ahmed, Victorville, on a shrimp and nightcrawler combo off the north shore. Charles Casler, Riverside, landed a 12-pounder, and Dennis Mitchell, Apple Valley, landed an 11-4. Lorenzo Alonzo, Hesperia, caught an eight-pounder. The top spots on the lake have been the finger, along the north shore, and off Sandy Point. Lake information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.

JESS RANCH LAKES: The trout bite remains very slow on both lakes here with only a few coming from the northern shore of lake 2 and the grassy point and eastern logged shore of lake 3. A few largemouth bass are being caught on the north and western shores of lake 2 and the western shore of lake 3 near the pump house. Bluegill are pretty fair off the northern and western shores of lake 2 on meal worms and nightcrawlers, but this bite has slowed, too. Catfish have been caught on the northern shore of lake 2 on shrimp and nightcrawlers in a slow to fair bite. For more information call (760)240-1107 or go to www.jessranchlakesnews.com.

MOJAVE NARROWS: No reports. The park is only open Thursday through Monday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Information, call 760-245-2226.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

ANTELOPE VALLEY REGION

APOLLO PARK LAKE: Is closed to fishing this week in the lead up to the kickoff of trout season and the 2019 Winter Adult Classic Fishing Derby on Nov. 2. Entry fee is $20 and trout will be planted heavily before the event this coming week. There is a $1,000 first prize. Overall, the bluegill/warmouth and carp bites have remained good. The carp are best on dough baits fly-lined within 20 feet of shore, and the fish are running from eight inches up into double digit poundage, but nothing like the 28 pounder caught two weeks ago. The bluegill and warmouth are showing on any small bait fished under a bobber, but especially red worms and meal worms. They are small, but a lot of fun to catch. Few catfish reported this past week. The For more information on the derby, fishing updates on plants, contact Apollo Park at 661-940-7701 or Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

JACKSON LAKE (NEAR WRIGHTWOOD): The most recent DFW trout plant was over a month ago, and the bite has finally slowed down after being pretty decent for a month after the plant. PowerBait and nightcrawlers have been the top trout baits. There continues to be a good bite on small bluegill on any small bait suspended under a bobber fished near the weeds, and some carp to three pounds have been reported. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

LAKE PALMDALE: The lake closed to fishing Sunday, Oct. 6 and will reopen to fishing on Feb. 2 for the trout season kickoff. 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: Good to excellent striper action on fish averaging three to four pounds for anglers fishing at the outlet and along the north shore. The best action has been on sardines or shad fishing in combination with lug or blood worms. Nightcrawlers as the add-on bait also are working. Still fair action on boiling fish, but fewer boils this week. Rat-L-Traps, Zara Spooks, and big spoons are the best to use when fishing boils, although a couple of fly anglers have reported good action on white streamers stripped in as fast as possible at the outlet. The catfish bite also remains fair for anglers fishing at the outlet with big chunks of mackerel fly-lined at the outlet. Night and early and late in the day continue to be the best times to fish. A few bluegill and largemouth continue to show. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT (Hesperia to Quail Lake stretch): There continues to be a good bite early and late in the day and through the night on both stripers and catfish all along the aqueduct. There have been a lot of stripers from three to seven pounds and some bigger. The catfish also remain good on the chicken liver-nightcrawler or lug worm combo doused with scent. Anglers are getting fish at most bends and road crossings, weirs and siphons, throughout the Antelope Valley. The Palmdale and 25th Avenue area has been a hot spot. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CENTRAL PARK LAKE (CALIFORNIA CITY): There continues to be a good bluegill bite with most small, but some up to hand-sized. Best action on nightcrawlers. The carp are also very good on dough baits. A few catfish reported again this week.

LITTLE ROCK RESERVOIR: No reports 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: Fair to good fishing action for stripers and catfish. The stripers are showing on cut baits around the dam and marina and in the Chemise area. Some boils early and late in the day for lure flingers, but more fish are showing on trolled shad-like bait in deeper water. Bait or lure the fish are running up to six pounds with most two to four. Ed Rister, Hesperia, had 10 stripers to four pounds. The catfish are best at the dock and into Cleghorn and Miller canyons, mostly on sardines and chicken liver with scent added. Fishing the cut baits in conjunction with a nightcrawler or blood/lug worm is also a good bet. Nathan Orabona, Redlands, landed a 10-pound cat on chicken liver at the marina, while Xin Lin, Rancho Cucamonga, had an eight-pounder on a sardine. Very few largemouth bass on swimbaits or plastics. Bluegill and crappie are slow. Silverwood remains high at around 90 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 fall trout bite is swinging into high gear with good action for both shore and boat anglers, according the staff at Big Bear Sporting Goods. There have been a lot of bigger fish in the catch, some are holdovers and some are recent plants from the Fall Classic a couple of weeks ago. Banks anglers are getting limits from the Red House to Juniper Point along the North Shore. The action is best on Carolina rigs with long leaders of two to four-pound test fluorocarbon leaders and original or yellow garlic PowerBait. Trollers are working the same areas of the North Shore, especially in front of the West Launch Ramp to the Solar Observatory. The fish are in eight to 15 feet or water and whacking a variety of lures and slow-trolled/drifted baits at this depth. Trout to 10-11 and 9-4 have been caught this past week. All the lakes’ public and private launch ramps are still open. For information on fishing, call Big Bear Sporting Goods at 909-866-3222 or visit the store’s Facebook page.

GREGORY LAKE: DFW trout Monday two and five weeks ago. No fishing report available. 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: While no private plants have gone in for a month-plus, the DFW planted trout here two weeks ago, and the action has been fair since with light pressure. PowerBait and inflated nightcrawlers are the best baits. Cooler evenings and dropping water temperatures have the fish spread around the lake again. The website is www.gvlfishing.com and the Facebook page is Green Valley Lake Fishing.

INTERSTATE 5 LAKES

CASTAIC: Santa Ana winds have blown out the fishing much of the past week with the launch closed some days. On the calmer days, the fishing has still been pretty good, but with fewer stripers boils. The best striper action has been on cut bait in deeper water. The fish are still chasing shad early and late in the day on top, but that bite is less consistent. The largemouth and smallmouth are still biting best on shad imitation baits, plastics, and nightcrawlers. Oxblood or Hologram shad Robo worms have been the top plastics. With the abundance of shad around the marinas lately, a lot of anglers have been seen dip-netting shad and anglers with this candy bait are getting a lot of both stripers and black bass. The bluegill are still biting along most shorelines and coves on small baits, and the crappie bite has remained steady in the lagoon, especially early and late in the day on small jigs. The catfish have been slowing down with the water temperature dropping, but some are still showing on mackerel or chicken liver. Some holdover trout continue to show, mostly on PowerBait. Blake Melton, Littlerock, landed four trout to an honest 2-8 on PowerBait. The lake’s elevation is pretty stable, with Castaic 89 percent full, the same as last week. For information call the marina at 661-775-6232 (www.CastaicLake.com) or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.

PYRAMID: Winds have hampered fishing over the past week, but there are still some striper boils around the marina in the afternoons, but the best action has been for trollers working throughout the lake. Some trollers are working as deep as 100 feet of water around Chumash Island, Yellowbar, and in Serrano Cove. Bait, either from boat or shore, is also still getting stripers with lugworms, nightcrawlers, or anchovies. The top bank areas have been the rip rap in front of the boat shop or along the channel by the entrance booth. Most stripers two to three pounds with some bigger. The largemouth and smallmouth bass bites have been good in most coves on soft plastic worms or drop-shot nightcrawlers during the day, with boiling fish on bait balls in the evening. Flukes and Senkos (rigged weedless) are best on the boiling fish. Most are 1-8 to 3-0. A fair 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 fish in most coves and moving shallower, and the channel along the entrance booth is still a hot spot along with the ramp. The bluegill bite is still fair along the shoreline structure on meal worm, wax worms, red worms, and crickets. A few trout continue to show from deeper water in the channel near the front of the lake. Nightcrawlers and PowerBait fished in deep water with long leaders has been the ticket, with some showing in the marina area on spinners. The lake’s level is not changing much. It is at 92 percent full this week, the same as last 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: There continues to be a fair to good catfish bite, but continued light fishing pressure. The action has been very good early in the morning and again after dark in the evening. Top baits have been the Triple S dip bait, with some fish also on clams, shad, sardines, chicken liver, all used with scent added and more and more anglers are adding nightcrawlers to their cut baits to add motion. Lots of fish from three to six pounds and some bigger. A few bigger crappie continue to show for the dedicated crappie anglers in Paradise Cove and Mesa Verde areas for anglers fishing small jigs or live minnows. Not great volume, but pretty good quality. Still fair largemouth bass action, especially early and late in the way when the fish are up chasing bait. The lake level continues to drop slowly with it down to 31 percent full this week, down from 32 percent full last week. Few trout or carp reports, but the bluegill bite has been slow to fair most coves with mostly small fish now. 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: The trout bite is very good. The DFW planted sections 2 and 3 in the lower river last week, and sections 4 and 5 in the upper river were planted this week. The action on rainbows has been pretty good with some limits of fresh planters and holdovers being caught on salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, Blue Fox spinners, SuperDupers. Flows in the upper river have stabilized at just over 300 cfs. These flows are ideal for fishermen, concentrating the fish in the big pools and riffles. Also improved fly action on the upper river from Kernville up to the Johnsondale Bridge and above. Lower river flows came down again this week. Thursday’s flows were at 593 cfs, down from 730 cfs last week and 980 cfs two weeks ago. These are excellent fishing flows. Lots of trout showing in the planted stretches now, and more and more reports of bass and catfish in the bigger pools. Information: Kern River Fly Shop 760-376-2040 or (www.kernriverflyfishing.com) or Gateway Market 760-376-2424.

AQUEDUCT NEAR TAFT: The striper bite just keeps getting better and better with a lot more keeper-sized fish from 20 to 24 inches again this week. Many anglers are getting two-fish limits of keepers and catch-and-release anglers are getting 20 to 25 stripers per trip. The best bite has been on sardines or blood worms for bait and Lucky Craft jerk baits and Flukes for artificials. The catfish bite is also pretty good when using cut baits and dip baits, especially in the Highway 166 area. More and more are showing in other areas as the weather and water cools. Lots of fish on Triple S dip bait, mackerel, blood or lug worms, or chicken liver fished along the bottom. Moss is subsiding. 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 remain pretty fair, and the catfish action is spotty. Carp have been best on best on Wussy Bait and Powder Bait, while the catfish are showing on nightcrawlers or past baits. The bluegill are showing on crickets and wax worms. Bass are improving with the cooler weather, mostly on nightcrawlers and plastics.

RIVER WALK PARK LAKE: Trout were planted Wednesday this week, and the action has been good on PowerBait with garlic oil added. A few on Mice Tails or other small trout plastics. This is the first plant of the season, nearly a month before the first plant last year. The carp and bluegill bites are fair most mornings and evenings, and a few bass are being caught early mornings on Senko-type baits, jigs, and crankbaits. The carp bite is best on dough baits, especially Wussy Bait and Powder Bait. The bluegill are best on wax worms or red worms. A few more bass reported this week. Information Bob’s Bait 661-833-8657.

HART PARK LAKE: Trout were planted Wednesday this week, and the action has been good on PowerBait with garlic oil added. A few on Mice Tails or other small trout plastics. This is the first plant of the season, nearly a month before the first plant last year. The bass bite is improving here as nights cools, but most of the action is still on carp and bluegill, which are fair to good. The bass are best on plastics, jigs, and reaction baits early and late in the day. The bluegill are best on wax and meal worms or red worms. The carp are best on Powder Bait, Wussy 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 fair to good, especially morning and evening, but darn few anglers are out. The bass remain fair with a few on plastics or swimbaits early in the morning. The carp are best on Wussy Bait, Powder Bait, or a variety of homemade dough baits. The bluegill are showing in fair numbers on wax worms, red worms, crickets, and meal worms. The odd catfish is showing on Triple S Dip Bait. A few more bass are starting to show.

MING LAKE: The first DFW trout plant of the season went in last week, and the lake was closed over the weekend for boat races. The trout action has been good since on PowerBait, with some on MiceTails. Still a few carp showing on Powder Bait and Wussy Bait. The bluegill bit is fair on meal, wax, or red worms. A few bass on topwater or reaction baits early and then on live minnows or plastics.

BRITE LAKE: There has continued to be a pretty fair bite on small bluegill and warmouth near the aerator, but the small crappie are in deeper water with pretty decent action for float tubers on small jigs. Also still a few small largemouth around the weeds. Still a few holdover trout showing from deep water, but that has slowed way, way down.

BUENA VISTA LAKES: Light fishing pressure, but there is a fair to good bluegill bite on wax worms, meal worms, or red worms. The catfish are slowish on cut baits with scents added, but the Triple S dip bait has been best. Early in the morning and late in the evening is best for the cats. The carp action is fair with fish to eight pounds, but few anglers. The best bite has been on Powder Bait or other dough baits. Some morning largemouth action and that has been improving with the cooler weather. Most of the action early and late on reacton baits or plastics. The trout season will kick off in late November with the first plants for the Nov. 23 Taft Chamber of Commerce Derby. General trout season will start after that event. 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 lake’s are mostly on structure and are showing in pretty good numbers early and late in the day on reaction baits and Senkos, with some good surface action on frogs and topwater plugs early. Few crappie reports, but the bluegill action is fair on crickets, wax worms, or meal worms, but finding fish has been the challenge. Catfish are fair on cut baits. The lake level is about as low as it can get, falling to just 12 percent of capacity, a little more down from last week. 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 lake level continues to sit at just eight percent full. This is about as low as it gets. The bite is still slow to fair, but some bass are showing early and late in surface baits on reaction baits and small swimbaits. A few bluegill and catfish being reported. 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 Kern and Tulare County, sections 4 and 5 of the upper Kern River will be planted along with Hart Park Lake and River Walk Lake in Bakersfield. In Inyo County, Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Intake II and lower Bishop Creek, Diaz Lake, Goodale Creek, Lone Pine Creek, the Owens River in the Bishop to Big Pine and below Tinnemaha stretches, Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Taboose Creek, and Tinnemaha Creek will be planted.

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.