AQUEDUCT (NEAR BAKERSFIELD) – Nightcrawlers and lugworms continue to outpace anchovies and artificials, but that’s not to say the latter two are not getting bit. Striped bass to over 10 pounds were recently reported. Catfish are eating cut baits and dip baits, while largemouth bass are showing up around obstructions for anglers using hard and soft jerkbaits and plastics.
BARRETT LAKE – Water temp is still in the high 70s, and bass fishing is good on jigs crawled over structure, poppers and jerkbaits, swimjigs and stickbaits. Some anglers are mixing it up and chasing big bluegill to finish off the day and finding good action on small jigs, underspins and even small crankbaits. Access to Barrett Reservoir is by reservation only. Patrons are limited to two vehicles per reservation. Photo identification of reservation holder required, the entire group must enter the area at the same time and be escorted to the reservoir. Fishing days are Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday and the season runs May through September. The lake is closed on the first Wednesday of each month. Lake Barrett is at 90 percent of capacity.
BIG BEAR LAKE – Per Scott Eberhard of Cantrell’s Guide Service: With fall-like temperatures of late, the water temps have dropped over 4 degrees in to the 67-degree rage at the surface. This moved trout up in the water column, so anglers should work the top down to about 10 feet. Shore fishing is slow other than early and late. Bass fishing should pick up soon, and slab crappie can currently be caught outside weedlines off main-lake structure. Conditions will be outstanding following that big winter for WON Big Bear Troutfest in October. Visit WONews.com/product/troutfest2023/.
BUENA VISTA LAKES – Solid summer fishing continues with good action on bass, panfish and catfish. Bass are buried in flooded vegetation but will move out after plastic craws, creatures, tubes and worms. Catfish are showing up on dip baits and cut mackerel fished on with light weight, and crappie are leading the panfish charge by picking up jigs, small worms and minnows.
CACHUMA LAKE – The bass fishing is tough here, but anglers getting a guide are getting 2 to 3 fish a day. The panfish (bluegill and redear) has remained outstanding. With the lake at 96% capacity, there is plenty of water for them to spawn. Small mealworms and redworms will get them to bite.
CAHUILLA LAKE – Received its once-a-month catfish plant this past Friday. Nightcrawlers and shrimp are still the best baits. No big fish reported, but the numbers of stringer fillers are decent. Some bass are being caught around the jetties on finesse worms.
CASITAS LAKE – Rich Tauber, of RichTauberFishing.com fame, continues to promote the outstanding bluegill fishing. His clients are using a split-shot with a small piece of nightcrawler and they’re bringing in 50 to 60 fish each time. The bass fishing remains awful. The bass fishing scene has been a ghost town pretty much since the winter rains. Panfish action is red hot, and he’s put clients on numbers along the lines of mixed bluegill and redear. The lake is in great shape, and when the largemouth finally settle in and return to form, it’s going to an outstanding place to target them.
CASTAIC LAKE – Smaller bass are hitting drop shots in the 10- to 20-foot zone, but the larger fish are feeding on very small baitfish, so they are harder to come by. Stripers are chasing these shad as well, and are much more catchable than the largemouth. The key is being on the water for the first few hours of daylight. Bluegill can be caught in the backs of coves on mealworms and minijigs.
CUYAMACA LAKE – There is still a good trout bite going here, and they just received a stock of 2,100 pounds of trout on August 7. Limits are being had by those who are willing to deal with the warm temperatures. The bite has been best in the early mornings. A fishing derby is slated for Sept. 23. Visit lakecuyamaca.net/kids-fishing-derby for details.
DIXON LAKE – The catfish bite has been good along the Buoy Line, Whisker Bay, Boat Dock Cove and Trout Cove. Fly-lining mackerel is the way to go here, as too much weight will dig too deep into the heavy grass. Bass can be caught mid-lake, but it’s tough as they are chasing micro bait. Small trout/crappie style minijigs can hook one or two if you come across a feeding school. Night fishing kicked off on July 14 and runs until August 25 every Thursday and Friday night from 8 p.m. to 11:45 p.m.
DIAMOND VALLEY LAKE – Small bass are up on the bank, and will respond to thin Senkos or drop-shots. Bigger fish have been out deeper, and are hitting jigs or Texas rigs. There is also an occasional swimbait fish for those who have tried. The lake is offering 30% off deluxe pontoon rentals, as well as half off parking and launching fees Wednesday through Friday until October 1.
EL CAPITAN RESERVOIR – Jerkbaits are working early for anglers that are covering water. The best fishing has been from the bank to about 15 feet, with topwater, worms, and jigs producing. The bluegill are in full spawn, which means they can be caught using mealworms, nightcrawlers, and minijigs. Also, if you find the bluegill spawning, there’s a good chance there’s a big largemouth lurking nearby.
ELSINORE LAKE – Not a lot of fishing pressure, but it sounds like catfish remain the best bite. The best baits for that are chicken livers, dip baits and shrimp. The area around Launch Pointe has been best for that, and the better fishing has been at night.
GREGORY LAKE – According to Jeff Cottini of Mountain Top Anglers, the lake was stocked with 2,100 pounds of trout early this month, and those trout are holding over and biting nicely considering it’s August. Crappie are on a hot bite, too.
HEMET LAKE – Standard summer fishing scene with some anglers are getting it done with PowerBait, Mice Tails and Trout Worms. Banks near the marina and most of the campgrounds are fishing well for this time of year. A stock got in late last month, and fish can holdover up here. Bluegill are worthy targets on worms under a bobber close to shore.
HENSHAW LAKE – Warm temperatures have been good for catfish. Custom stinkbaits the best choice. Night catfishing allowed on Friday and Saturday from shore. Daily lake permit required. Bluegill with small pieces of worm on treble hooks in the shallows, and a few bigger bass are biting. Archer carp fishing in shallow water from a boat has been excellent.
HESPERIA LAKE – The lake is stocked with catfish every Friday, and 1,500 more pounds were stocked on Friday August 4, which kept the bite going strong. Mackerel and shrimp were the best bets. Most of the stockers are 2-3lbs, but they do put some monsters in there so be ready. Night fishing runs through Sept. 9 from 2 to 11 p.m.
HODGES LAKE – According to Laina Ruiz who manages the store, there are some very nice fish to be caught, but the heat has kept many anglers off the water. Two 7-pound and one 8-pound largemouth were caught last weekend. Bluegill are still biting on small jigs or worms. Some swimbait fish are showing up around the air pump. Crappie fishing is excellent for boaters and kayakers
IRVINE LAKE – There has been no indication that catfish will be stocked this summer. Holdover cats, panfish and bass are available, but there has not been a whole lot of activity since the trout season came to an end.
ISABELLA LAKE – Shad imitations have been the best bet for both largemouth bass and crappie as the summer pattern continues. Bass have been harder to locate over the last week or so, and crappie are hanging out over offshore structure spots and eating small shiners and a variety of jigs. Boaters trolling minnow-style baits and spoons are getting the best of the trout bite which is only fair overall. Catfish have been dependable targets for anglers using dip baits, shrimp and canned salmon. The lake is down a little as water gets let out into the lower Kern River, but it’s still around 90 percent of capacity following that solid winter.
JENNINGS LAKE – The lake has received 4,500 pounds of catfish so far this season, and the bite has been excellent along the shoreline on shrimp and mackerel. The season runs until the middle of October. Bluegill have been hitting mealworms and wax worms. The bass are biting in Siesta Cove, mostly for boaters. Night fishing runs on Fridays and Saturdays until midnight.
JESS RANCH LAKES – The lake’s website now says “the lakes are closed.” WON will keep an eye on the status of these lakes like always, but it doesn’t seem to be opening any time soon.
KAWEAH LAKE – Spotted bass on biting at a decent clip for anglers using most finesse-plastic tactics including but not limited to drop-shots, Ned rigs and soft stickbaits. Some topwater fish are showing up early and late. Catfish and crappie are cooperating for those hunting them.
KERN RIVER – Flows are back to manageable but range from around 850 CFS to as high as 1,800 over the course of a week. Stocking has returned now that the river is no longer blown out with runoff. Spin anglers are getting the best of it with eggs, crickets, worms and spinners in the easy-access spots in the 20 Mile Section.
LOPEZ LAKE – Drop-shots, Ned rigs, split-shot rigs, reapers and various other finesse baits are what’s working for bass while the reaction-bite continues to be off the radar. Some creature baits flipped around shoreline cover is turning up a few. The lake level remains very close to full at a little over 98 percent of capacity. Anglers can view a live webcam of the lake at 805webcams.com/lopez-lake-webcam.
LOWER OTAY RESERVOIR – Just about all systems go here, with the bass, bluegill, and cats all biting. Bass are hitting topwater in the morning, and with the growth of the new tules, there has been a flip bite as well. Mackerel is the best bait for cats. The bluegill are hitting waxworms and crickets. Both can be purchased at the lake store.
MIRAMAR LAKE – With the crystal clear water, finesse plastics has been the best bet for bass. With the traditional way to drop-shot is with small worms, a few anglers are having success with bigger worms (7 inch) on the drop-shot. The lake was supposed to be closed to all on-the-water (things that float) activities following July 4 with construction is expected to begin on the City of San Diego Subaqueous Pipeline project. For whatever reason, you can still rent a boat, but there’s no telling how long that will last.
MORENA LAKE – All vessels must pass a Quagga Mussel Inspection (clean, drained, and dry) prior to launch. The lake is open from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
MURRAY LAKE – Bass are scattered in open water, but fishing is only fair on suspending jerkbaits, underspins and other stuff that can probe the whole water column. Crappie are still being caught, and they’re also suspending over structure spots. The water level is just below the end of the launch ramp which remains out of commission.Kayaks and tubes are good to go.
NACIMIENTO LAKE – Decent fishing all around and now down a bit to 75 percent of capacity. Largemouth bass are jumping on drop-shots, Texas rigs, jigs and stickbaits, while spotties can be caught on grubs, Keitechs and some walking baits. White bass anglers are getting them on spoons and spinners, and crappie are inhabiting most flooded vegetation spots.
Anglers can view a live webcam of the lake at 805webcams.com.
PERRIS LAKE – After a good week, bass fishing got tough again but some largemouth bass are showing up on topwater on the north side of the lake. Walking baits are best for that. There are also a few Fluke fish showing up here and there. The water is cooling and dropping.
PIRU LAKE – No report available.
POWAY LAKE – Catfish were stocked July 7 (1,300 pounds), July 21 (1,000 pounds) and August 4 and the next deliveries arrive on August 18 and September 1. The bite has been best along the log boom, and from the shoreline off of Jump-Off point. The bass bite has been slow, but some smaller fish are feeding on fry along the shoreline. Weigh in your largest caught fish at the boat dock (dock scale must be used by city staff). Prizes will be given away each month in the following categories: bass, catfish, and trout. Prizes include two fishing permits and a full-day motorboat rental.
PUDDINGSTONE LAKE – No report available.
PYRAMID LAKE – Catfish have been tough, but they can be caught using the usual baits like mackerel or chicken liver. Stripers are chasing shad early, and anglers are connecting with them on walking baits and Keitech swimbaits. The largemouth have been responding to stickbaits and small Roboworms when the sun’s out. There is also a reaction bite in the first and last hours of the day.
SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES – Weekly catfish stocking continues, and that includes the occasional “double stock” weeks. A lot of 5 to 10 pounders are showing up. Overnight fishing and camping is available on Friday and Saturday nights. No fishing license required.
SAN ANTONIO LAKE – Bass are still scattered both across the lake and throughout the water column making them difficult to locate in any real concentrations, so coming up with a pattern is even more difficult. Suspending jerkbaits, underspins and anything else you can “search” with are the ways to go until things settle back in. Catfish action is very good on chicken livers, shrimp, dip baits and mackerel.
SANTEE LAKES – August 4 saw 1,000 pounds of catfish stocked, and the bite has been good. The “Stockzilla!” mega Catfish stock event is when 3,500 pounds of catfish will be stocked on Oct. 6 so mark your calendars, but there is plenty of good fishing to be had before then. Night fishing goes down on August 17 from 5 to 11:30 p.m.
SAN VICENTE RESERVOIR – Good fishing for bass numbers and the quality is catching up. Finesse plastics are doing the huge majority of the damage, but there are some topwater, jerkbait and frog fish showing up. Some bass are eating weighless stickbaits pitched in shady areas in the middle of the day. Summer boat traffic is a factor, but fish are biting through it for the most part.
SANTA MARGARITA LAKE – Swim jigs, bladed baits, stickbaits and topwater are all turning largemouth bass heads around flooded vegetation. The lake is at 93 percent of capacity after more water was released. A webcam of the lake is available at 805webcams.com/santa-margarita-lake-webcam-california.
SILVERWOOD LAKE – Quality largemouth—call them 7-pound class-—have been showing up on big swimbaits, with the preference appearing to be the shorter panfish imitators. Others are showing up on cranks and topwater. Catfish are biting all over the lake for anglers using chicken livers or shrimp. The Marina Dock has been a hot spot for striped bass to 16 pounds, and nightcrawlers have emerged as the top bait for that.
SKINNER LAKE – The largemouth bass bait is consistent on drop-shots. Most are smaller 1 and 2 pounders, but the numbers are decent. However, there was one report where a finesse-baiter caught multiple football-sized largies while drop-shotting. This is the best tactic by far at the moment with reaction baits falling off quite a bit. Big bluegill have perked up and are gobbling up mealworms both up around shoreline cover and over deeper rockpiles where panfish hunters are sending down worms on Carolina rigs. Catfish action has been fair with anglers getting them on cut mackerel in most coves, but some are pouncing on bass baits as well. Striped bass fishing has been slow.
SUCCESS LAKE – Daytime temps have been a little more tolerable which brought anglers back in force. The bite is decent for largemouth that are on a respectable reaction bait (cranks, blades, swimjigs and topwater) bite, and later, finesse plastics. Panfish are on a good jig or shiner bite, and catfish are also worth targeting on the typical kitty stuff.
SUTHERLAND RESERVOIR – Big schools of shad are scattered all over the lake, but fishing has been tough overall. The largemouth that are showing up are quality, though, with 3 to 5 pounders popping up on Texas-rigged worms and the occasional Fluke worked through those shad. Sutherland Reservoir is closed the third Friday of each month
WOHLFORD LAKE – The final catfish plant of the season went in on July 28, and the bite is very good in Boat Dock Cove and along the Senior Shoreline. Mackerel and chicken livers have been best. Crappie are biting in the mornings and late afternoons for anglers using small shiners or jigs. The bass fishing has been sporadic at best, but Eric Risen caught a 6 and 5.3pound models from the Senior Shoreline on a crankbait. The lake is open 7 days a week from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
https://wonews.com/fish-report/south-fr ... ish-report
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