Bluegill fishing good at Buena Vista in the morning and evening hours
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.
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COVID-19 UPDATES
Anglers can continue to expect restrictions at certain city, county, and state facilities as reported cases of COVID-19 are on the rise again. If at all possible, anglers should call ahead to make sure waters are open.
Lake Piru was completely closed this week because of the uptick COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. For campers who had a reservation at the facility, the United Water Conservation District will be contact you as soon as rescheduling is possible. You can also reschedule or cancel your reservation via e-mail by writing lakepirustaff@gmail.com.
Most waters remain open to fishing, parking, and boat launching but many places still have restrictions on hours and rules on social distancing and use of masks. Most recreational accommodations (campgrounds, motels, and restaurants) have also reopened for anglers who travel to Eastern Sierra, Colorado River, or other areas to fish.
JIM MATTHEWS TOP PICKS
1. The Kern River trout bite remains the top pick, with continued good to excellent action thanks to weekly DFW plants for the past six weeks plus. Most of the fish are pan-sized and showing in sections 4 and 5 above Kernville, but there are lots of holdover fish throughout the 20-miles stretch above Kernville. The action has been best on salmon eggs, small spinners, and MiceTails bounced on the bottom. It
2. Quail Lake is the hotspot in the Antelope Valley for striped bass with a good to excellent bite. The top action has been by the inlet on a variety of baits ght. Most of the fish are two to four pounds, but bigger fish are showing nightly. The word is out on this bite and it has been busy. For an update on the action, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
3. One more reminder for fly-fishermen, the dry-fly hopper bite in the Crowley Lake basin 12 or 14 hopper patterns (smaller than last year through August, and this is the last reminder. For an update, call the Troutfitter in Mammoth at 760-924-3676 (or one of the other fly shops from Bishop to Mammoth Lakes.
WESTERN SIERRA
LAKE ISABELLA: Little change here with the crappie action continuing pretty good in deeper water off Rocky Point and Camp 9 on live minnows. Some fish on jigs tipped with Crappie Nibbles vertically jigged or slow-trolled. Most fish are from a half-pound to a pound. The catfish bite remains good to excellent, mostly on frozen shad, clams, other cut baits, and a variety of stink baits with Triple S the most popular. The best bite is at night or early and late in the day. The fish are running from two to six pounds with some bigger. There is also still a fair bite on largemouth bass with the fish still in deeper water during the day and moving up early and late. Best bite has been on plastics, jigs, spinnerbaits, topwater, and swimbaits. The trout action is fair to good for trollers working Needlefish or Tasmanian Devils at the dam. Bait anglers are mostly fishing PowerBait. Carp fishing is also fair to good on any of the shallow flats on dough baits. The warning to avoid contact with algae blooms is ongoing. The warning was issued a month ago by the Kern County Public Health Department. Anglers and dog owners should exercise cautions to avoid contact or ingesting water in posted areas. Fishing is allowed, but anglers should take precautions. (Here is the direct link to the website explaining the problem and precautions: https://kernpublichealth.com/cyanobacteria-blooms-blue-green-algae/). The lake surface elevation was 2,558.42 feet on Wednesday this week, down 1.89 feet from last week. The lake is at 28 percent capacity. Information: Bob
KERN RIVER: The trout bite has continued good to excellent, with a lot of both fresh planters and holdover fish in the mix. Lots of limits reported, with many in less than an hour. The DFW has planted sections 4 and 5 in both Kern and Tulare counties for the past six weeks and those sections are on the list again this week. Section 6 is also getting fish this week. Best action on Panther Martins, Blue Fox spinners, salmon eggs, and nightcrawlers. The Kernville stretch is the best, but trout are showing throughout the upper river. Fly-fishing action fair and improving on the upper river from Kernville up to the Johnsondale Bridge and above, and there is increasing dry fly activity. In the lower river, there is pretty fair smallmouth bass action, and some catfish and carp are showing, but the flows are high enough to make fishing tougher in many areas. Flow in the upper river at Kernville was at 311 cfs on Wednesday this week. In the lower river, the flow was 1,181 cfs. Both upper and lower river flows are nearly identical to last week. Information: Kern River Fly Shop 760-376-2040 or (www.kernriverflyfishing.com) or Gateway Market 760-376-2424.
AQUEDUCT NEAR TAFT: Much lighter fishing pressure with the heat, but the striper and catfish action has remained fair to good, especially for anglers working at it and dealing with the moss and vegetation. Early and late in the day or at night are the best times to fish. While there are still a lot of small, undersize stripers, a lot of the fish are over the 18-inch minimum keeper size, including some bigger fish. A few fish are showing on jerk baits or other artificial baits, but most of the action is on blood worms, lug worms, sand worms, and sardines. The catfish bite is also good on sardines, mackerel, crickets, and other cut baits and paste baits like 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
MILL CREEK PARK AND CANAL: The carp bite is good on dough baits. Bluegill are also good on wax worms. A few catfish and bass are also showing for anglers fishing nightcrawlers.
RIVER WALK PARK LAKE: The carp and bluegill bites are both good. The bluegill are best on wax worms or other small baits. Carp are best on dough baits. The bass action is fair to good on plastics, Flukes, and Brush Hawg-type lures early and late in the day. Some bass and catfish showing early and late in the day. Information Bob
HART PARK LAKE: Good to excellent carp and bluegill bites, and the bass are still decent early and late in the day. The bass are best on plastic worms and Brush Hawgs. The bluegill bite is best on wax worms, red worms, or meal worms. Carp to eight pounds are reported on homemade dough baits, Triple S, or Wussy Bait.
TRUXTUN LAKE: The bluegill action is good on wax worms, meal worms, or red worms, especially near lily pads. The carp bite is also good on dough baits, especially Wussy Bait, and a few more catfish are showing. The bass action is fair to good on plastics, Senko-type baits, and topwater, mostly early and late in the day.
MING LAKE: Continued good bluegill and carp action early and late in the day. The bluegill are showing on wax worms or meal worms, and while the carp are best on Wussy Bait or homemade dough baits. The bass action is fair to good early and late in the day on plastic worms, Senkos, Brush Hawgs, and live minnows. A few catfish are also being landed on cut baits or dough baits.
BRITE LAKE: Still a pretty good trout bite, even though there has not been a reported trout plant since early June. Quite a few limits in the past week. The best action is along the rocks on PowerBait. Also a decent crappie bite on small fish, mostly on jigs tipped wth meal worms or Crappie Nibbles. Also a few bass, bluegill, and catfish.
BUENA VISTA LAKES: Heat has made morning and evening the best times to fish. The carp and bluegill bite are the best bets here, with some quality carp showing on dough baits, especially Triple S. The bluegill are along most brushy, grassy shoreline and hitting wax worms, meal worms, and red worms. A few, emphasis on few, crappie continue to show on small minnows. Bass are pretty good early in the morning on nightcrawlers or topwater fished near cover with some frog action in the tules. There have been a lot of catfish in the past week or two, mostly small fish, but some bigger fish on Wussy Bait. Fishing information: Bob
WOOLLOMES LAKE: No reports.
SUCCESS LAKE: As the water level starts to drop more rapidly, this fishing is starting to suffer. The largemouth bass action is still fair on plastics pitched in and around heavy brush cover in deeper water. Some fish on topwater and reaction baits early and late in the day, especially chatter baits (Whopper Ploppers). Also some catfish showing for cut bait anglers or those fishing dip baits, especially Triple S. Some crappie continue to show on small jigs or minnows but this bite has really slowed down. The bluegill have also slowed to just fair with some still being caught on wax worms. The lake elevation was 623.64 feet on Wednesday this week, falling a dramatic 6.42 feet from last week. The lake capacity feel 10 percent to just 40 percent of full pool. Information: Cope
KAWEAH LAKE: Fishing remains extremely difficult with only a few suspended largemouth bass showing on reaction baits early and jigging spoons or plastics in deep water. A few catfish continue to show, but the other bites are really slow. The rapidly falling water level has just hammered the bite (data below). Very few bluegill, catfish, or crappie reported in recent days. The lake elevation was 615.44 feet on Wednesday this week, down another 14.66 feet from last week, dropping to just 17 percent capacity. The lake level has fallen over 70 vertical feet in the past six weeks. To reserve a rental boat, call the marina at 559-597-2526. Additional fishing information: Sierra Sporting Goods at 559-592-5212.
HIGH DESERT WATERS
VICTORVILLE REGION
HESPERIA LAKE: Catfish plant last week and there has been fair to good action early and late in the day on garlic nightcrawlers, shrimp, and mackerel with scent. Most recent plant was last Thursday and the next plant was slated for this week. Most of the cats are from 1 he north shore on mackerel, while a five-pound cat was landed by Tristen Lopez, Victorville, on nightcrawlers off Sandy Point. Plants are normally every two weeks this season. For more information go to the park
JESS RANCH LAKES: There is a pretty fair bass bite on Senko-type plastics or nightcrawlers. The bluegill action has been pretty fair on mealworms, wax worms, red worms, or small jigs tipped with bait. A few catfish have been caught on shrimp from the northern shore of Lake 2 and the grassy point of Lake 3. Very slow trout fishing. For an update, call 760-240-1107 or go to www.jessranchlakesnews.com. The site also has COVID-19 protocols.
MOJAVE NARROWS: The catfish bite is good with plants every Thursday. Weekly plants continue through Sept. 3. Plants will be 740 pounds per week. Limits have not been uncommon. The action is best on a variety of cut baits, nightcrawlers, and dough baits. There is also a good bite on carp and small bluegill. Everyone is asked to continue to wear face masks and practice social distancing in line with Coronavirus safety precautions. The lake is closed Tuesday and Wednesday each week. Information, call 760-245-2226.
HIGH DESERT WATERS
ANTELOPE VALLEY REGION
APOLLO PARK LAKE: The carp and panfish bites continue to remain very good. The carp can range from six-inches long up to four or five pounds, and the best bite has been on Amazing Dough Bait (just add water), but other dough baits and dough balls are also working. The bluegill and warmouth are mostly less than six-inches long, the bite is excellent on wax worms or meal worms fished under a bobber close to shore or any structure. For more information on plants and events, contact Apollo Park at 661-940-7701 or Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
LAKE PALMDALE: Continued good catfish action on stink baits fished in sponge rigs, dough baits, or cut baits. The weeds are getting pretty thick, so flying the baits has been the best bet so the bait settles on the top layer of the weeds where the catfish can root it out. Top spots have been the north side of the Blacktop or Pier One — the deep water parts of the lake — but the fish are showing all around the lake now, cruising the weed beds. The largemouth bass are fair to good and showing early and late in the day all around lake and at all the docks and aggressively chasing baitfish. Spinnerbaits and chatter baits with the skirts doused with scent and nightcrawlers or plastics have been the best baits fishing over the tops of the weeds. The bluegill bite is fair to good off any of the docks on fly-lined nightcrawlers with a lot of hand-sized and bigger fish. The trout bite is surprising still decent with some good catches again this week. The fish are mostly in the deep water at the inlets, with both rainbow or Lightning Trout showing on small jigs, PowerBait, and the salmon egg-nightcrawler combo. For more information on membership, call 661-947-2884 or e-mail palmdalefinandfeatherclub@gmail.com. The club
QUAIL LAKE: Excellent action on stripers, but the lake is very busy because the word is out. While the fish are showing all around the lake, the best bite has been at the inlet, with good flurries at the outlet right at the parking area. Top baits have been lug worms, frozen shad, and the chicken liver and nightcrawler combo. Stripers up to eight pounds reported in the past couple of day, with most two to four pounds. The catfish bite is also fair on cut baits with most from three to six pounds. The largemouth bass are fair on plastics and topwater early, and the bluegill action is pretty good. Both of those species are best along the south shore tules. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
CALIFORNIA AQUEDUCT (Hesperia to Quail Lake stretch): While the grass is getting thick, there continues to be a lot of stripers and largemouth being caught on topwater baits, mostly Rapalas and Zara Spooks. The catfish are also pretty good on cut baits, especially frozen shad and lug worms, fished in the deep water along the weed lines or in the pools at weirs, bridges, and bends. But those are the best places to fish for all species. Fish are showing throughout the aqueduct across the whole Antelope Valley, with better fishing from Pearblossom to the west. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
CENTRAL PARK LAKE (CALIFORNIA CITY): Little change here, with the bluegill and carp bites are both good and some small largemouth bass being caught. While the bluegill are small, the bite on nightcrawler pieces fly-lined or fished under a bobber is good. The carp bite is also pretty good on dough baits. Most or small fish under three pounds, but they are showing in good numbers. Bass best on small topwater or jerk baits early and late in the day.
LITTLE ROCK RESERVOIR: The U.S. Forest Service has been asking anglers to leave who have been walking in and fishing the lake. Anglers are encouraged to call the Angeles National Forest office (747-322-6574) and leave a message, asking for a return call to explain why the lake is closed to fishing. Most of the lake is well outside of the habitat of the endangered arroyo toad. The Palmdale Water District has an ongoing sediment removal project and access is restricted by the water district at times. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
JACKSON LAKE (NEAR WRIGHTWOOD): The bite has remained good for small bluegill mornings and evenings, and a few small bass continue to be reported. The best action on bluegill has been on wax worms. For updated information, call Amaysing Fishing Bait & Tackle at 661-429-5824.
SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAIN WATERS
SILVERWOOD: Very consistent action here, with a good striper bite over much of the lake on anchovies and nightcrawlers for bait anglers and trolled umbrella rigs or shad-like spoons and lures fished in deeper water. The fish are running up to three pounds with an occasional larger fish. A few largemouth bass are showing in Cleghorn and off points in the main channel, mostly on plastics with some jerkbait fish early. There is good bluegill and crappie action the marina docks and around most flooded brush in the main channel coves. Jigs tipped with meal worms or Crappie Nibbles have been the best bet for both. Not big ones. Catfish continue to show in Cleghorn and for shoreline anglers fishing in the coves east and west of the dam at night (requiring walks down from the road). Anglers targeting rainbow trout are still seeing action from the huge plant last month by the Department of Water Resources. Small jigs, PowerBait, and trout plastics in deeper water in the mouth of Cleghorn, Miller Canyon, and at the dam are the best bets. The water level elevation was 3,348.43 feet on Wednesday this week, up 2.09 feet from last 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. HereioskadvySilverwood.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 action is slow, with only troll anglers getting a few fish in the Trout Triangle. Only a handful of trout have been showing for shore anglers, mostly from deeper water off the north shore from the dam to Grout Bay. The trout are running from a pound to 2-8, but the fish are on the outside edges of the weed beds and tough to reach for shore anglers. The best action has been on PowerBait, inflated nightcrawlers with garlic scent fish with a water-filled fishing float that sinks slowly and settles on top of the weed beds so the floating baits stay visible to the fish. Carp are fair to good for both regular anglers fishing dough bait and bowfishermen are still sticking them in the shallows early and late in the day. The bass bite is fair on topwater baits most mornings and evenings. Nightcrawlers and plastics are also good bets, with both largemouth and smallmouth in this bite. For information on fishing, call Big Bear Sporting Goods at 909-866-3222 or visit the store
GREGORY LAKE: Dead slow fishing. Only two plants in June, both 300 pounds and nothing since. The park is open to fishing and hiking, and the parking lots are open. The restroom facilities and group recreation areas remain closed. Information at 909-338-2233 or on the website at lakegregoryrecreation.com/fish. Fishing updates are posted infrequently on the park
GREEN VALLEY LAKE: The lake is open. No reported plants since June 11, when both DFW and Mt. Lassen rainbows were planted. No reports. The website at www.gvlfishing.com has stocking updates, and the Facebook page is Green Valley Lake Fishing.
INTERSTATE 5 LAKES
CASTAIC: The bluegill action has been excellent in both the lower and upper lakes with a lot of hand-sized fish and some up to and better than a pounds. Most of the fish are showing on nightcrawlers, red worms, or wax worms fly-lined, fished drop-shot style, or suspended under a bobber around structure. Early and late in the day is best. The trout action has continued good with a lot of limits reported on PowerBait or garlic nightcrawlers for still fishermen. Trollers are also getting fishing on small spoons or shad-like flies. The best action is still at the West Ramp, but the fish have spread throughout the lake. Jeffrey Jenney, Sylmar, had a limit of rainbows, and his best fish was a 2-8 rainbow, all on PowerBait. Stripers have been tougher, but surface boils have been increase, especially in the late afternoon. Finding fish up and hurling shad-line lures has been a good bet. At other times, the fish are deep and some are showing on trolled umbrella rigs or jigging spoons. The largemouth and smallmouth action has been pretty good, especially if you can dip-net some live shad, but fish are also showing on drop-shot plastics around cover. Also some topwater early and late in the day. Most of the fish are in the one to two-pound class. Timoteo Turcios, Lynwood, had a mixed stringer of largemouth and stripers with his best fish a three-pounder, all caught on live shad. Thomas Foster, Simi Valley, had a mixed catch of smallmouth and largemouth to 2-8 on plastics. Catfish are fair on garlic-scented mackerel or nightcrawlers in deeper coves. There is also a good bluegill and crappie bite in the upper lake on small jigs tipped with meal worms or wax worms. The lakel. For information call the marina at 661-775-6232 (www.CastaicLake.com) or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.
PYRAMID: The trout bite has continued to be pretty good in most coves in deeper water on PowerBait and inflated nightcrawlers fished on long-leaders to keep the flowing baits out of the weeds. Some of the rainbows are up into the two-pound class. The striped bass are boiling most mornings in the marina and around Chumash Island, and there is a decent topwater or jerkbait bite when the fish are on the surface. Shore and bait anglers continue to get stripers throughout the day in the canal up from the boat entrance when the water is flowing. Bait anglers are scoring best on lug worms, nightcrawlers, and cut baits. Trollers are getting fish on umbrella rigs in 20 to 30 feet of water. The largemouth and smallmouth bass are showing on split-shot nightcrawlers, plastics, and topwater early and late in the day when the fish are up in grass and weeds on or near the surface early and late in the day. Most of the fish are focused on shad, so shad sizes and colors are best. The bluegill bite is good on nightcrawlers with a lot of hand-sized fish or bigger along most shorelines with any cover. There is also a fair to good catfish bite around the docks, but fish are showing from deep water all over the lake on sardines, anchovies, nightcrawlers, and dip baits in deeper coves. The lake elevation was 2,574.87 feet on Wednesday this week, up .05 feet from last week. The lake remains at 92 percent of full pool. 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. For updates on closures and restrictions, anglers can call: Emigrant Landing entrance booth at 661-295-7155, the boat shop at 661-294-9403, or Tackle Express at 661-251-8700.
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).
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.
TROUT PLANTS
The Department of Fish and Wildlife is again posting its trout plants again on its website at https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FishPlants/.
For the week of July 12-18, the following waters will be planted. They are listed by county.
Inyo: Lower Bishop Creek, Lone Pine Creek, Owens River below Tinnemaha and in Section 2. All of these waters were also planted last week, but no other waters in the county have received fish.
MONO: Crowley Lake, and section 3 of the upper Owens River. These two waters were also planted last week, but no other waters in the county have received fish.
Kern: The Kern River, sections 4 and 5, in the upper river. Section five has been plasted the last eight weeks. These same stretches were also planted each of the past seven weeks.
Tulare: Kern River, sections 5 and 6, in the upper river. Section 5 has been planted each of the past seven weeks. Also planted, Nobe Young Creek, lower Peppermint Creek, and Stoney Creek. These were all also planted last week.
There will be no plants in Southern California until at least late fall or winter because of a bacterial outbreak at Mojave Narrows Fish Hatchery. The disease has killed at least 75,000-plus trout of the 650,000 fish at the hatchery, and the DFW determined this week that it would have to destroy all the trout to prevent the spread of the bacteria. Two hatcheries in Inyo County, Fish Springs and Black Rock, which also have the bacteria will also have all of the trout there destroyed, for a total of 3.2 million trout. The loss will impact trout plants in Southern California and the Eastern Sierra well into 2021. Testing at the Fillmore Hatchery proved this site did not have the bacteria, so trout from this facility will be available to plant later in the year. Other hatcheries in the state are still in the process of being tested for the bacteria.
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.
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