SPORTS WEEKEND : Fish Report

FRESHWATER

CASTAIC LAKE--Nothing to write home about, but the bass and catfish bites improved some on the upper lake. The lower lake is not a bad bet for either species.

PYRAMID LAKE--Striped bass and largemouth and smallmouth bass are all biting only sporadically. There’s a short surface bite on the stripers very early.

LAKE PIRU--Trout are hitting trolled lures at 40-50 feet. Bass are biting sporadically at 35 feet on jigs and spoons.

CASITAS LAKE--Trout fishing remains very good for trollers using night crawlers (slow-trolling) and Needlefish at the dam. Power Bait or night crawlers fished at 40 feet are working too. Bass fishing has picked up some. Fly-lining night crawlers is a good method.

CACHUMA LAKE--Bass and trout are providing some action. Bass are striking mostly plastic worms at 15-20 feet. Trout are holding at 40 feet at the dam.

JESS RANCH LAKES--Trout and catfish are not especially hungry, but some are being caught on inflated night crawlers and mackerel, respectively.

LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--Catfish are biting well and you can keep as many as you want. Two local residents teamed to catch 58 using mackerel. Bass action is fair on night crawlers and dark plastics.

OSO RESERVOIR--Tom Yamamoto, San Juan Capistrano, caught a 9-4 bass on a plastic worm near the dam. The bite is good. Catfish are also feeding.

CORONA LAKE--Catfish remain active at night at the south end. Most are small, but a plant of 5- to 15-pounders, with a few closer to 30, is scheduled for Sept. 17.

ANAHEIM LAKE--Catfish limits are still common for those using standard baits and bait combos. A 9-9 tops the list.

IRVINE LAKE--A 50-pound catfish was caught by Wayne Wiemer, Paramount, on a chunk of mackerel. A catfish cash derby begins Sept. 18.

LAKE PERRIS--Largest bass was a 4-6 caught by Tom Warboxs, Riverside, on a surface plug. Lots of much smaller bass are being caught early and late. Bluegill are biting on crickets at lots 11 and 12.

GREEN VALLEY LAKE--News about the fires kept the crowds away, even though the lake was accessible and full of trout. Fishing is good on standard trout baits with fish to about four pounds.

BIG BEAR LAKE--Catfish are biting best, but trout and bass are also being caught. Top catch was a 14 1/2-pound catfish on mackerel.

SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--The best bass bite is at Hodges, where a 10-pounder caught on a crankbait tops the list. Bluegill are becoming less active but are being caught at San Vicente and Lower Otay. Lake Murray is closed until November.

LAKE CUYAMACA--The trout bite took an upswing and limits filled with standard baits and lures have been common throughout the reservoir.

BISHOP/BIG PINE--Big Pine creek is teeming with small wild brown trout, and those with small spinners and flies are most successful. Higher up, the best fishing remains in the Bishop Creek Canyon area, as all lakes and Bishop Creek are producing with most methods.

MAMMOTH LAKES AREA--Frank Jung, wife Sheri and son Steven, of Rancho Santa Margarita, caught five trout totaling 18 pounds, largest 5-0, on yellow Power Bait at Upper Twin. Fishing is good throughout the lakes basin. A dry-fly bite is in progress in the back-country just beyond Rock Creek lake. Convict Lake continues to produce lunkers. A 6-4 was caught on a black woolly bugger. Big fish are making a splash in the shallows of McGee Bay at Crowley Lake. Midge larvae with a strike indicators are producing for fly-fishermen. The San Joaquin River is producing lots of action on most flies and small spinners.

BRIDGEPORT--Bridgeport Reservoir is fair for those fishing Power Bait and worms in inlets. East Walker River flows are about 235 cfs, which is good news for fishermen using nymphs and hoppers. West Walker is good on salmon eggs and small spinners. Virginia Lakes are good for shore fishermen using standard trout baits. An 8-pounder or so was reportedly lost at a fisherman’s feet at Lower Twin.

SALTWATER

The Times accepts and publishes the catch count as a public service. Any responsibility for accuracy is that of the landing operator.

MORRO BAY (Virg’s Landing)--56 anglers (4 boats): 191 albacore, 1 lingcod, 100 red rockcod, 50 rockcod, 45 rockfish.

PORT SAN LUIS (Patriot Sportfishing)--39 anglers (2 boats): 34 rockcod, 51 rockfish, 180 bolina, 3 lingcod, 50 albacore, 5 red snapper.

SANTA BARBARA (Sea Landing)--52 anglers (3 boats): 9 whitefish, 23 lingcod, 100 red snapper, 127 rockfish, 1 sheephead, 28 albacore.

OXNARD (C.I.S.C.O.’s)--84 anglers (6 boats): 1 yellowtail, 40 calico, 1 halibut, 6 lingcod, 359 rockfish, 55 sand bass, 24 sculpin, 12 sheephead, 31 whitefish.

PORT HUENEME--36 anglers (3 boats): 6 yellowtail, 18 calico bass, 7 sheephead, 7 barracuda, 103 rockfish, 1 sculpin, 132 whitefish, 2 cabezon, 3 lingcod, 13 red snapper.

MARINA DEL REY--11 anglers (1 boat): 3 halibut, 1 yellowtail, 12 sand bass, 2 sculpin, 1 black sea bass (released).

REDONDO--32 anglers (1 boat): 58 calico bass, 19 sand bass, 1 halibut, 3 sculpin, 11 whitefish, 40 mackerel, 1 sheephead.

SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--37 anglers (3 boats): 31 calico bass, 68 whitefish, 13 sheephead, 20 rockfish, 2 barracuda, 3 blue perch, 3 sculpin. (22nd St. Landing)--65 anglers (3 boats): 105 albacore, 55 bluefin tuna, 2 bigeye tuna, 21 sculpin, 14 whitefish, 1 sheephead, 67 rockfish, 50 mackerel.

LONG BEACH (Los Alamitos Bay, Marina Sportfishing)--45 anglers (3 boats): 1 yellowtail, 4 sand bass, 50 whitefish, 1 blue perch, 20 sculpin, 58 rockfish, 6 sole, 12 red snapper. (Berth 55)--31 anglers (2 boats): 3 red snapper, 10 calico bass, 3 sand bass, 90 rockfish, 8 blue perch, 5 sheephead, 64 sculpin, 99 whitefish, 1 lingcod, 2 halibut, 50 mackerel.

SEAL BEACH--21 anglers (2 boats): 1 calico bass, 50 sand bass, 15 sculpin, 1 mackerel, 1 cabezon.

NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--23 anglers (2 boats):2 yellowtail, 16 barracuda, 22 rockfish, 12 sculpin. (Davey’s Locker)--116 anglers (7 boats): 3 yellowtail, 24 barracuda, 46 cabezon, 7 sand bass, 14 sculpin, 1 sheephead, 7 rockfish, 2 whitefish, 2 mackerel, 1 sole.

DANA WHARF--84 anglers (7 boats): 54 calico bass, 30 sand bass, 33 mackerel, 8 yellowtail, 15 halibut, 4 rockfish, 7 sculpin, 1 sheephead, 6 whitefish.

OCEANSIDE (Helgren’s)--50 anglers (3 boats): 65 albacore, 12 bluefin tuna, 9 calico bass, 3 sand bass, 15 sculpin, 12 rockfish.

SAN DIEGO (H&M; Landing, Fisherman’s, Point Loma)--232 anglers (13 boats): 400 albacore, 50 bluefin tuna, 34 skipjack, 6 yellowtail, 1 dorado. (Seaforth)--182 anglers (9 boats): 119 albacore, 8 bluefin, 5 skip jack, 20 rockfish, 3 bonito, 6 barracuda, 40 calico bass, 22 sheephead. (Islandia)--33 anglers (2 boats): 2 barracuda, 1 calico bass, 12 sculpin, 38 rockfish.

TROUT PLANTS

SAN BERNARDINO--Big Bear Lake. INYO--Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek, (Lower, Middle, North and South forks and Intake II), Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lake Sabrina, Lone Pine Creek, North Lake, Owens River (below Tinnemaha and below Laws Bridge), Pine Creek, Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Rock Creek Lake, South Lake, Taboose Creek, Tinnemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek. MONO--Buckeye Creek, Convict Creek, Convict Lake, Deadman Creek, George Lake, Glass Creek, Grant Lake, Green Creek, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lake Mary, Lee Vining Creek, Lee Vining Creek (South Fork), Little Walker River, Lundy Lake, Lake Mamie, Mammoth Creek, McGee Creek, Owens River (Benton Crossing), Robinson Creek, Rock Creek (Paradise Camp to Tom’s Place and Tom’s Place upstream to Rock Creek Lake), Rush Creek, Saddlebag Lake, Sherwin Creek, Silver Lake, Tioga Lake, Trumble Lake, Twin Lakes Bridgeport, Twin Lakes Mammoth, Virginia Creek, Virginia Lakes, Walker River (Chris Flat Campground to town of Walker and Leavitt Meadows Campground to Sonora Bridge).