Oct. 29 fish report
| Thursday, Oct 29 2009 05:38 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Oct 29 2009 08:03 PM
Loading Stories
Advertisement
Images:
John Hahn of Bakersfield holds up a 32.4-pound halibut, caught off of Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa islands, using live squid for bait. John Ulman is in the background.
Cecil Zimmerman of Bakersfield took an hour on Oct. 11 to bring in his first striped marlin (over 7 feet, approximately 150 pounds) on 20-pound test line a few miles off the east end of Catalina Island. The marlin bit a marlin jig 15 feet off the stern of the 40-foot boat as they were swapping the lure for a live bait. The marlin was released after photos were taken.
LAKE ISABELLA: There continues to be good catfish action, mostly on frozen shad and cut baits. There is still a pretty decent crappie bite on live minnows in the French Gulch area. The bass action has been decent on cranks, plastics, jigs and live bait. Slow to fair trout action at the auxiliary dam in deep water. Carp fair to good in shallows.
KERN RIVER: Flows in the upper Kern are back down to around 370 cfs and the river is fishing fair to good in the 20-mile roadside stretch above Kernville with a dry fly bite most morning, predominately on smaller fish. Some nice fish showing in the Johnsondale Bridge stretch. The lower river is fair to good for smallmouth bass in the Richbar, Hobo areas off on spinners, crawlers and plastics. Most fish are small. Improved catfish action with quite a few cats in the pools on nightcrawlers and cut baits. The South Fork of the Kern from Isabella upstream is back down but still fishing just so-so.
TULE RIVER: Very slow. All of the usual stocking areas, including the lakes at Balch Park, have not been planted for over a month.
AQUEDUCT NEAR TAFT: Striper bite improving a little bit, with more and more topwater early and late in the day on Gitzits and cranks. Most of the action is still on blood worms and sand worms. The catfish remains pretty good on cut baits.
HART PARK LAKE: Good trout action with another DFG plant this week. Best action on Power Bait and Gulp trout baits. The bluegill bite remains good on wax worms, meal worms, or red worms. The carp action is also still fair to good on Powder Bait. Slow bass action.
TRUXTUN LAKE: Fair to good trout action with another DFG plant this week. Best action on floating baits. Bluegill are good on wax worms or crickets. The carp action remains fair to good on dough baits and Powder Bait. Slow bass action on nightcrawlers and plastics.
RIVER WALK PARK: DFG trout plant this week and good trout action on garlic Power Bait, with corn Power Bait and chunky cheese Gulp also decent bets. Green, garlic nightcrawlers have also been good. The bluegill bite is good on crickets, wax worms and meal worms. Bass are very slow with a few on plastics, nightcrawlers and small swim baits.
MING LAKE: DFG trout plants this week and two weeks ago and there has been fair to good action since on floating dough baits. Bluegill are good on wax worms, crickets, meal worms and red worms. Good carp action on fish on Powder Bait, but other dough baits are also working. The bass and crappie bites are very slow.
BRITE LAKE: DFG trout plants this week and last week.
BUENA VISTA LAKES: The Taft Trout Derby is schedule for Nov. 14 and the lake will be planted with more than a ton of trout prior to this event, including the usual assortment of huge rainbows topping 10 pounds. The lake levels are down, but the bluegill bite remains good on wax worms, meal worms and nightcrawler pieces. Fair catfish action on frozen shad and Sonny's Dip Bait. Good carp action on Powder Bait. Bass, stripers and crappie all slow, but the odd crappie still being caught on live minnows and a few more largemouth are showing on plastics and cranks.
WOOLLOMES LAKE: Fair trout action after the DFG's first trout plant of the season two weeks ago. Best action has been on floating dough baits. The bluegill bite remains good on wax worms, crickets, red worms or meal worms.
SUCCESS LAKE: Fair to good bluegill bite, fair bass action on cranks and plastics, but other species were mostly slow.
KAWEAH LAKE: Fair to good bass bite on live bait and plastics and quite a few bluegill are showing.
Other regional lakes
CACHUMA: The largemouth and smallmouth bites are both fair to good after a wind-driven lull through the middle part of the week. Fair catfish action on mackerel and nightcrawlers in 10 to 20 feet of water. Trout are still in deep water at the dam and off Johnson?226-130?s Cliffs. Trollers are scoring fishing eight to 10 colors of leadcore and Needlefish or Rapalas. Just a few crappie at the narrows and the odd redear and bluegill showing in the east end and Stork Flats on nightcrawler pieces.
CASITAS: Windy at mid-week, but there continues to be a pretty good bass bite. The fish have been off points in 20 to 30 feet of water on plastics and live bait. Lots of smaller bass, but some quality fish from 6 to 10 pounds are landed each week. The catfish have been fair on cut baits. Bluegill and redear remain fair to good in most coves on nightcrawlers or red worms in 10 to 15 feet of water. Trout still very slow. Private boats are being allowed at Casitas, but boats will be inspected and face a 10-day dry dock requirement because of fears of quagga mussel infestation. The lake is open every day, including all holidays from dusk to dawn.
CASTAIC: Striped bass and largemouth bass action has been excellent on live shad or anything shad-like. Lots of 2-pound largemouth reported over the weekend with some bigger. The striper action was also good there was again some topwater action this past week, especially around Old SS with many boils in the early morning. The occasional big striper is also showing for anglers throwing big plugs in the morning hours. Catfish action is fair with most of the fish being caught by anglers using nightcrawlers or mackerel. The trout are slow with only a few holdover fish showing for diligent trollers. The bluegill and crappie action is also still fair to good on wax worms and meal worms at the lower lake. There is also a good carp bite.
LOPEZ: Fair to good action on bluegill and redear, the bass bite is fair and only a few catfish have been reported this week.
NACIMIENTO: Fair spotted bass action with cranks, plastics and swim baits all producing fish. Catfish fair on cut baits, mostly early and late in the day. Carp remain pretty fair in the marina area on dough baits.
PIRU: Few reports with a fair to good bass bite on plastics and nightcrawlers and a few trout showing for trollers. The crappie bite is still fair on small jigs in 12 to 18 feet of water. The bluegill and redear are also part of this mix with a pretty good bite on these panfish, along with some fish at half-pound or better. Catfish slow.
PYRAMID: The striper bite had been fair to good over the past week until winds and cooler weather blew in and this lulled things. Warmer weather should turn this bite action on for both bait and swimbait anglers. The fish have scattered all over the lake with cooling water temperatures. The largemouth and smallmouth bass are a better bet with pretty fair to good action on suspended cranks and swim baits. Also a fair to good bite on bluegill and redear on live bait fished in 12 to 20 feet. Some of the redear are in the pound range. Channel catfish are fair, mostly in the channel and off the marina rocks on anchovies.
SAN ANTONIO: Catfish the best bet on cut baits. Few reports.
SANTA MARGARITA: Improving bluegill and bass action with cooling conditions. A few catfish are also coming out. Light pressure. The marina store is open Wednesday through Sunday.
Eastern Sierra
COLEVILLE-TOPAZ REGION: West Walker River has continued good for planted and wild trout with a lot of fish nymphs under and indicator. Little Walker River is good for brookies and rainbows. Kirman Lake is excellent on brookies to 18 inches but few cutts this past week. Best action on nymphs, scud and streamer patterns for float-tubing fly anglers. Roosevelt, Lane and Poore all good, too.
BRIDGEPORT REGION: Flows on the East Walker have climbed back up into the 200 cfs range (from 90 cfs early last week) and should stay at this level for a while. Lots of brown trout on beds, so careful wading is recommended to not ruin spawn. Overall pretty good streamer and midge fishing. Bridgeport Reservoir has been good for shore, float tube and boat anglers fishing the East Walker River channel and other creek channels. Yellow Power bait and gulp eggs as well as ?206-140?crawlers are all producing for the bait fishermen. For fly anglers, it's been the best with soft hackles, streamers and midging under an indicator. Twin Lakes have been just fair with a tougher bite for bait, lure and fly anglers on pan-sized fish. Mike Bennett, Chino, caught and released a 9-2 brown from Lower Twin this week. The Virginia Lakes -- Big Virginia, Little Virginia and Trumbel -- all still good.
LEE VINING REGION: Lower Rush Creek in the special regulation section has been good on small caddis dries or a two-fly rig with fish to 16 inches reported, but water level is getting low. Some baetis hatches. Below 395, Rush is good but the fish are very small. Tioga, Saddlebag and Ellery all slowed down with the cold weather, but Lundy remains good for bait, lure and fly anglers.
JUNE LAKE LOOP: Light fishing pressure. Just slow to fair action throughout the loop, with the best bite on holdover planted trout or brown trout. Best bite is early and late in the day. Walker and Parker lakes are both good, especially for browns and brookies in the stream mouths.
MAMMOTH AREA: Crowley Lake is good to excellent on midges under indicators in 12 to 15 feet of water, but the perch streamer bite hot. Stripping the flies along weed beds is the hot ticket for quality rainbows and browns with a lot of fish over 18-inches. The algae is completely gone and the fish are stacking up in the North Arm (Owens River) of the lake. Also quite a few browns in Whiskey Bay, McGee Bay and the mouth of Hilton Creek. The upper Owens River and Hot Creek are both very good for fly anglers. In the Mammoth Lakes, all the lakes are slowing down, but there is a good brook trout bite in the stream mouths. The Twin Lakes have a pretty good morning bite with a lot of midging fish early and late in the day. Fair action on holdover planted trout in Rock Creek and Rock Creek Lake.
BISHOP AREA: Light fishing pressure throughout the Bishop Creek drainage, but the action is fair at all the lakes, especially at the inlets for browns and brookies. Sabrina Lake has been pretty good with a lot of holdover rainbows, some to 3 pounds. South Lake is good at the dam and inlets in the upper lake, mostly on planted fish, but quite a few brookies to 13 inches are being caught in these inlets. Trollers also getting a few holdover Alpers?226-130? fish to 3 pounds. Bishop Creek is fair on holdover planted trout, with some wild fish. North Lake good for shore anglers and float tubers with a very good bite, mostly on holdover rainbows. The lower Owens River remains good for fly anglers. Pleasant Valley Reservoir has been fair for lure, jig, bait and fly anglers, especially for float tubers fishing near the inlet. Owens Gorge good for small browns on small dries.
BIG PINE TO LONE PINE AREA: Generally fair to good action in the small streams after DFG plants.
Trout plants
KERN: Brite Valley Reservoir, Hart Park Lake, Lake Truxton, Ming Lake, The Park at River Walk Lake.
TULARE: Kaweah River.
Ocean report
TUNA NEWS: In spite of winds at mid-week, the 11/2-day and two-day trips trips are still seeing pretty decent fishing on bluefin, albacore, yellowfin and dorado with absolutely no pressure on the fish. It's not wide open fishing because with so little boat coverage it's hard to pinpoint the biggest concentrations of fish, but three fish or more per rod has been common. On a weekend trip, the Liberty out of Long Beach Sportfishing had a rally typical bag for a 1 half-day trip with 23 anglers getting nine albacore, seven yellowfin, seven yellowtail, six bluefin tuna and 12 skipjack. Offshore conditions look to be settling down for the late week and weekend fishing. While the fishermen think this bite is dead, this action is still hanging on. The longer-range trips in the 10-day range are seeing spectacular action off Alijos Rocks on yellowfin, yellowtail, wahoo and dorado.
ISLAND UPDATES: San Clemente Island remains good when not getting hammered by wind and tough fishing conditions with a good bite on yellowtail and white seabass action and the calico bass and rockfish action have been very consistent. Catalina also continues to have a pretty good pick on the yellowtail and very good mixed bag action beyond that. The Coronado Islands off San Diego also continue to have a pretty good pick on the yellowtail and there are some yellows on the La Jolla kelp.
COASTAL MIXED BAG BITE: There has been a very good bite in near-shore waters for half- and three-quarter day boats all along the coast. The more northern landings are focusing on rockfish, sculpin and whitefish, while the Los Angeles and Orange county-based boats are finding very good bonito, barracuda, calico bass and sand bass action, along with a good pick on the bottom fish. Warm weather and better tides through the weekend should keep this action hot.
