SPORTS WEEKEND : FISH REPORT

FRESHWATER

CASTAIC LAKE--Not a lot of action here. Mike Woernley, Canyon Country, caught a nine-pound bass on a top-water plug. Smaller bass, bluegill and catfish have been biting only sporadically.

PYRAMID LAKE--Striped bass are chasing shad in mornings and afternoons, good news for those who like to catch them with plugs at the surface. The fish are averaging about four pounds. Some catfish and largemouth bass.

LAKE PIRU--The first trout plant of the season provided a needed boost, but they quickly went deep, meaning you’re best off using lead-core line at 8-9 colors and trolling Needlefish lures near the dam. Bass are coming to the surface early, providing some top-water action, but the bite is fair at best.

CASITAS LAKE--Trout remain active and dominate the catches. The fish are holding at 40 feet and being enticed by Needlefish and night crawlers. The biggest bass was a nine-pounder.

CACHUMA LAKE--Trout fishing has improved, thanks to the first stocking of the season. Largemouth bass are being caught mostly on dark plastics. Catfish are still taking mackerel.

JESS RANCH LAKES--Soaking Power Bait or an inflated night crawler eventually should produce a trout or two--then again it might not. Fishing is fair at best for trout, and fair to good for catfish. A trout plant of 1,000 pounds this week will improve things for a float-tube derby Sunday. Details: (760) 240-1107.

IRVINE LAKE--This is the place for big catfish. Eric Neiman, Garden Grove, caught the biggest of the week, a 44-pounder on mackerel at the dam. Bass fishermen bouncing plastic worms off the bottom are getting mostly small fish.

LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--A 10-1 bass was caught by Kent Row, Orange, using a purple top-water lure. Most are fishing for catfish--and doing well for mostly small fish--but big bass are chasing bass fry and carelessly getting hooked on top-water lures, crankbaits and plastic worms.

OSO RESERVOIR--Bass are chasing shad all over the lake and the only problem is locating this phenomenon. Keith Carlson, West Los Angeles, had no such difficulties. He caught 40-plus bass in only a few hours using a six-inch green plastic worm, including an 8 1/2-pounder. Catfish also are providing fair action.

ANAHEIM/CORONA LAKES--A 31-pound catfish was caught at Anaheim on a marshmallow-mealworm combo dipped in How Wild, and a 16-pounder was pulled from Corona. The bites are hot at both lakes. A $38 24-hour pass this Friday-Saturday or next will net anglers a free rod and reel. Details: https://www.fishinglakes.com.

BIG BEAR LAKE--Some are having little trouble filling stringers with five-fish limits, but some also are getting skunked. Trollers using Rapalas and Needlefish are doing best, as they can cover more territory. All of the fish were pan-sized.

LAKE PERRIS--Crappie fishing is good for those using chartreuse or silver-flaked mini-jigs in the marina and from the docks. Some fish are topping a pound. Bass fishing is fair for small fish on crankbaits and night crawlers.

GREEN VALLEY LAKE--Pan-sized trout are the rule, but a lunker on the hook is not out of the question. A 6-1 was bagged by Bill Rupprecht, Yucaipa, using green Power Bait.

SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--Lower Otay yielded an 11-5 bass to highlight decent bites at most lakes, with the nod going to San Vicente. Otay also has a fair bluegill bite, but the bite is waning. Scattered catfish catches at all lakes.

LAKE CUYAMACA--Shore and boat fishermen are doing great for mostly small trout. Trolling brightly colored lures and soaking night crawlers or Power Bait are good methods. A free kids’ derby is scheduled Saturday at 9 a.m. Details: (619) 447-8123.

BISHOP--All the high lakes are good, with North and South the best bets for big fish. Bubble-and-fly rigs have been getting Alpers rainbows at North. Bishop Creek is producing mostly small rainbows (on salmon eggs and spinners) and browns (crickets), but casting a bright spinner in deep pools beneath the branches might produce a big Alpers.

MAMMOTH LAKES AREA--Jimmy Greenleaf, Crowley Lake, caught an 8-11 rainbow on a Blue Fox at Convict Lake, which is always a good choice for those after big fish. Crowley Lake has been good on streamer flies and a variety of single-hook barbless spinners. Rock Creek Lake has been great for fly-fishermen using matukas. There has been some blustery weather in the higher elevations.

JUNE LAKE LOOP--The fall bite is on cue, with surface activity prevalent in mornings and evenings. Jeff Ross, June Lake, 6-12 rainbow on a green Sierra Special at Gull Lake. Ralph Rogers, Woodside, 5-8 rainbow on an olive matuka fly at June Lake. Jayme Fairfield, Dana Point, 3-3 rainbow on an orange Kastmaster at Rush Creek.

BRIDGEPORT--Virginia Lakes are the best bet for lake fishermen, who are catching lots of rainbows on Power Bait, night crawlers, spinners (in mornings and afternoons) and olive matuka flies (from float tubes). Some big Alpers rainbows are in these lakes. Bridgeport Reservoir is unseasonably slow and anglers are awaiting the brown trout bite that occurs every fall. The incoming channels are producing good results for those using Power Bait and worms. Twin Lakes are slow.

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)--47 anglers (3 boats): 28 albacore, 27 lingcod, 15 red snapper, 155 red rockcod, 375 rockcod, 1 goldeneye.

SANTA BARBARA (Sea Landing)--6 anglers (1 boat): 5 calico bass, 6 sculpin, 1 mackerel, 2 whitefish, 2 lingcod, 24 whitefish.

OXNARD (C.I.S.C.O.’s)--48 anglers (2 boats): 1 yellowtail, 239 whitefish, 5 sculpin, 145 rockfish, 45 red snapper.

PORT HUENEME--15 anglers (1 boat): 9 yellowtail, 12 rockfish.

REDONDO--25 anglers (2 boats): 28 calico bass, 1 sand bass, 105 rockfish, 11 red snapper, 10 sculpin, 8 whitefish, 60 mackerel.

SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--36 anglers (2 boats): 400 giant squid, 71 rockfish, 39 salmon grouper, 10 red snapper, 1 cow cod, 1 lingcod. (22nd St. Landing)--36 anglers (2 boats): 2 calico bass, 20 sand bass, 19 sculpin, 14 whitefish, 1 sheephead, 22 rockfish, 475 giant squid.

LONG BEACH (Belmont Pier)--19 anglers (1 boat): 38 rockfish, 35 sand dabs, 16 red snapper, 155 giant squid. (Los Alamitos Bay, Marina Sportfishing)--31 anglers (2 boats): 113 sculpin, 33 rockfish, 390 squid, 55 sole, 30 red snapper, 15 sand bass. (Berth 55)--65 anglers (2 boats): 1 sand bass, 197 rockfish, 2 sheephead, 3 sculpin, 45 whitefish, 1,450 squid.

NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--91 anglers (3 boats): 8 barracuda, 6 calico bass, 3 sand bass, 4 rockfish, 28 sculpin, 2 sheephead, 1 sole, 30 mackerel, 1,708 gaint squid. (Davey’s Locker)--212 anglers (7 boats): 4,734 giant squid, 9 yellowtail, 6 bonito, 4 white sea bass, 46 barracuda, 97 calico bass, 29 sand bass, 12 sculpin, 16 sheephead, 1 halibut, 6 rockfish, 12 whitefish, 68 blue perch.

DANA WHARF--124 anglers (8 boats): 1,184 giant squid, 5 yellowtail, 6 barracuda, 74 calico bass, 19 sand bass, 14 mackerel, 31 rockfish, 2 sculpin, 4 sheephead.

OCEANSIDE (Helgren’s)--29 anglers (3 boats): 50 calico bass, 1 sculpin, 3 sheephead, 115 rockfish, 20 mackerel.

SAN DIEGO (H&M; Landing, Fisherman’s, Point Loma)--156 anglers (8 boats): 780 albacore, 167 bluefin tuna. (Seaforth)--114 anglers (8 boats): 300 albacore, 46 blue fin tuna, 7 yellowtail, 125 rockfish, 25 whitefish, 17 sculpin, 50 mackerel.

TROUT PLANTS

SAN BERNARDINO--Big Bear Lake, Jenks Lake, Lake Gregory, Mojave Narrows Park Lake. RIVERSIDE--Lake Hemet. INYO--Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek (Lower, Middle, North, South forks and Intake II), Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lake Sabrina, Lone Pine Creek, North Lake, Owens River (Laws Bridge downstream to Steward Lane and below Tinnemaha), Pine Creek, Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Rock Creek (Rock Creek Lake to the end of the road), Rock Creek Lake, South Lake, Taboose Creek, Tinnemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek. MONO--Buckeye Creek, Convict Creek, Convict Lake, Deadman Creek, Ellery Lake, George Lake, Glass Creek, Grant Lake, Green Creek, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lake Mary, Lee Vining Creek (South Fork), Little Walker River, Lundy Lake, Mamie Lake, Mammoth Creek, McGee Creek, Robinson Creek, 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).

CATFISH PLANTS

LOS ANGELES--Alondra Park Lake, Belvedere Park Lake, Cerritos Park Lake, Downey Wilderness Park Lake, Echo Park Lake, El Dorado Park Lake, Hansen Dam Lake, Hollenbeck Park Lake, La Mirada Park Lake, Legg Lake, Lincoln Park Lake, Magic Johnson Park Lake, Peck Road Park Lake, Puddingstone Reservoir, Santa Fe Reservoir. RIVERSIDE--Evans Lake, Rancho Jurupa Park Lake. SAN BERNARDINO--Seccombe Lake.

--Compiled by PETE THOMAS