FISH REPORT — ONS-matthews — 09 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. 1. 1. The California Aqueduct remains in the top spot with good to excellent striper fishing in both the southern San Joaquin Valley and Antelope Valley stretches. Catfish are nearly as good. The action is best at night, early morning, or late evening in both areas, but there is more and more daytime action as the weather cools. The best bite throughout for

   Stripers has been during the flurries of surface action most early mornings and evenings with topwater baits or small reaction baits getting fish. The catfish are best on lug or blood worms fished 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. While most of the stripers are small, some to 10-plus pounds have been reported in the Antelope Valley stretch. 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.

1. The striped bass bite in Quail Lake remains in the top picks with continued good early morning and evening topwater action. Anglers are hurling bigger topwater plugs as the fish chase shad are getting the better quality fish over five pounds. Smaller baits are getting a lot of small (six to 10-inch stripers) now. The fish have been boiling along both the north and south shoreline, with the south shore better this past week (while it was the other side last week). For an update on this action, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
2. The Kern River’s trout action above Lake Isabella stays in the top picks this week, with more DFW trout plants in the upper river this week. The water flows are perfect for fishing and the entire summer’s trout plants have been stockpiled in the bigger pools and riffles. Limits have been common on salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, and SuperDupers in both the upper and lower river. For an update on this bite, call Bob’s Bait Bucket at 661-833-8657.

HIGH DESERT WATERS

VICTORVILLE REGION

HESPERIA LAKE: The catfish bite remains fair to good with weekly plants. A few limits and quite a few fish to four pounds with most 1 ½ to two pounds. Top baits have been mackerel, nightcrawlers, or shrimp doused or sprayed with scent, and the best spots have been the north shore, The Finger, and Catfish Point. Big fish of the week was a four pounder reported by Andrew Schuler, Compton. Lake information: 800-521-6332 or 760-244-5951.

JESS RANCH LAKES: Little change here with very slow trout action on both lakes, but a few are being caught off the northern shore of lake 2 and the grassy point and eastern logged shore of lake 3. A few bass are being caught on the north and western shores of lake 2 and the western shore of lake 3 near the pump house, mostly early and late in the day on reaction baits, but some on plastics. Bluegill are pretty fair off the northern and western shores of lake 2 on meal worms and nightcrawlers. Catfish have been caught on the northern shore of lake 2 on shrimp and night crawlers 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: The bluegill and carp bites remain pretty much wide open here. The carp are best on dough baits fly-lined within 20 feet of shore, and the fish are running from eight inches up to 15 pounds with a lot of two to four pounders. 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. For more information or 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 four weeks ago, but a number of anglers have reported fair to good trout action this week, with even a couple of limits posted. 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: The lake level has remained low, but there are still lots of early morning boils on the stripers on both sides of the lake with the 138 side producing more fish. Early morning has remained the best bite. The bigger stripers are showing on bigger baits, especially Zara Spooks and Whopper Ploppers six to eight inches long, with fish over five pounds common. There have also been a lot of smaller stripers (six to eight inches) reported on small reaction baits. The largemouth is still fair on one to three pound fish on reaction baits or nightcrawlers. The catfish bite also remains fair to good for anglers fishing at the outlet with big chunks of mackerel fly-lined at the outlet. Night and early and late in the day have been the best times to fish for the cats. The bluegill bite has been fair with less pressure, but some are still showing along the tules (138 side of the lake) and in rocky cover on red worms, wax worms, meal worms, fished in six to 12 feet of water. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.

CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT (Hesperia to Quail Lake stretch): The striper bite has been very good with a lot of fish from three to seven pounds and some to 15 pounds reported this week. The bite is best morning and evening for anglers tossing bigger topwater baits, like Zara Spook (or Super Spooks) and Whopper Ploppers. Palmdale Road and 25th or the 35h and Anisverde area have been the hot spots, but the fish are showing through the west end of the valley. The catfish also remain good, especially in the Munns Ranch stretch and Chesboro area, on the chicken liver-nightcrawler combo doused with scent. Anglers are getting fish at most bends and road crossings, weirs and siphons, throughout the Antelope Valley. One angler reported a good catfish bite at 121st. 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, while the largemouth are just fair, mostly on plastics. Bluegill and crappie are slow. The cats are been best at the dam, around the marina, off the docks, and in Miller Canyon, with chicken liver, shrimp, and anchovies. Bill Butler, Crestline, landed a six-pound cat fishing anchovies at the dock. The stripers are fair to good for anglers fishing nightcrawlers, blood worms, anchovies, or sardines at the dam, main channel, and the marina. The average size seems to be coming up with most two pounds or better this past week. Don Masterson, Pinon Hills, have five stripers to four pounds on anchovies at the dam, while Rich Sanchez, Adelanto, landed seven striper from two to five pounds on nightcrawlers off the dock. Silverwood remains high at 92 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 fishing has been improving for both trollers and bank anglers as the weather and water continues to cool, and the plants that went in this past week for the weekend Troutfest derby have only helped things, including adding some better quality trout. There are smaller schools of trout scattered from the West Public Launch west to the Buoy Line. Shore anglers fishing the north shore with Carolina rigs and three to four-foot leaders or a sinking slip bobber rig, either baited with PowerBait or nightcrawlers from the red and east to Gray’s Landing are doing the best. The pre-dawn bank crowd is doing good from the old dam to the buoy line on Mice Tails in bubblegum and red head-chartreuse tail colors or nightcrawlers. Both the north and south shores are good, but the bite is dead by 9 a.m. Boat anglers trolling or drifting are having good luck dead center of the lake from the buoy line to Papoo0se Bay fishing 10 to 20 feet of water, either drifting a nightcrawler with a wedding ring harness or slow-trolling a Neelefish in pearl bikini or the shiny watermelon colors. The Trout Alley area has been slower. Largemouth bass are starting to move inshore and feeding more heavily on reaction baits and plastics. 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: DFW trout plant Monday this week and three 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, the DFW planted trout here this week. The action had slowed down until this stock, and the bite has been fair since on small trout jigs, Mice Tails, trout spoons, inflated nightcrawlers with garlic, and PowerBait in yellow or chartreuse 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: The stripers have still been boiling, mostly in the afternoons, and scattered around the lake. The shad are still showing on the surface some days, and the stripers and largemouth are keying on them. Other than topwater, flukes and jerk baits have also been working. Down-sizing baits seems to be doing the trick lately. The bait bite has slowed down a little with sardines, anchovies, and lug/blood worms working best. The largemouth and smallmouth have also been boiling, mainly in the morning and later in the afternoon. Drop-shot plastics are still producing fish when there is no surface action. Live shad are the best bait for stripers and largemouth, if you can dip net some. The catfish are fair, with most catches coming off of mackerel, chicken liver, or anchovies. The trout bite has slowed down as well with PowerBait still getting a few fish. The crappie and bluegill are still biting pretty fair, typically around any lay-downs or cover. Wax worms and meal worms have been producing the best. There has been good action in the lower lake, especially at night for both largemouth and catfish. The lake’s elevation is pretty stable, with Castaic 90 percent full, up about one percent from last week. For information call the marina at 661-775-6232 (www.CastaicLake.com) or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.

PYRAMID: The stripers continue to boil most mornings, especially around the marina, Chumash Island, Bear Trap, Serrano, and Yellowbar. Topwater baits, spoons, or Fluke-type baits, and Rat-L-Trap style lures are all getting fish when fished through the boils. During the day, trolled umbrella rigs with shad-like baits are working. Jigging spoons or sardines, anchovies, blood or lug worms, and even nightcrawlers are get the deep (70 feet) fish. Most stripers two to three pounds with some bigger, and limits have been pretty common. 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 mornings. 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 to good 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 remains is at 93 percent full this week, up two percent from 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: The very good catfish bite continues here, but there is 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. Lots of fish from three to six pounds and some bigger. A few crappie continue to show for the dedicated crappie anglers in Paradise Cove for anglers fishing small jigs or live minnows. The south shore in the Mesa Verde area has also been pretty good for the crappie. 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 33 percent full this week, down from 34 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, and the DFW added planted in sections 4 and 5 in the upper river. Section 4 was also planted last week and sections 4 and 5 two weeks ago. In the lower river sections 2 and 3 were planted last week and section 3 was planted two weeks ago. Plants have made for continued good trout action throughout with some limits of fresh planters and holdovers being caught on salmon eggs, nightcrawlers, Blue Fox spinners, SuperDupers. The park area in Kernville has been good. Flows in the upper river have dropped a little more this week, down to 414 cfs on Wednesday, down from 490 cfs a week ago. 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. Some bigger trout moving up out of Lake Isabella into the cooler water of the river, and the old Cemetery area has been best for these rainbows. Lower river flows came down again this week at 730 cfs, down from 980 cfs last week. These are finally very fishable flows. Lot 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: Good striper action with a lot of fish being caught on Flukes, jerks baits, minnows, and sardines, but most of the fish are under the keeper size. Many anglers are reporting 15 to 20 fish for a couple of hours of fishing. 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: Few anglers, but 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: Light fishing pressure continues. The carp and bluegill bites are fair to good 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: 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: Few anglers, but there is continued good carp action on Powder Bait and other dough baits, especially Wussy Bait. The bluegill are fair to good early and late in the day on meal, wax, or red worms. The bass are fair on topwater early and then on live minnows and reaction baits, small cranks, and Senkos.

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: Dropping water levels have scattered the fish or moved the bass out to suspend. The bass action remains fair 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 getting, falling to just 14 percent of capacity, down from 22 percent a month ago. 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 to sit at just eight percent full. This is about as low as it gets. The bite is improving as the water level stabilizes, with pretty fair bass action on surface baits, reaction baits, and small swimbaits early mornings on or near the surface. A few bluegill and catfish also staring to show in better numbers. 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. In Inyo County, Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Intake II and lower Bishop Creek, Goodale Creek, Lake Sabrina, Lone Pine Creek, the Owens River below Tinnemaha and in the Big Pine stretch, Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Rock Creek Lake, South Lake, Taboose Creek, and Tinnemaha are all slated to get trout. In San Bernardno County, Cucamonga-Guasti Park lakes, Green Valley Lake, Gregory Lake, and Mojave Narrows Regional Park lakes are on the stocking list.

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.