FISH REPORT

FRESHWATER

Los Angeles County

CASTAIC LAKE--Largemouth bass are the main attraction, but sporadic reports at the local Mini-Mart indicate a fair bite at best. Some bluegill.

PYRAMID LAKE--Fishing is fair for most species and probably best for largemouth and smallmouth bass, which are hitting night crawlers, crankbaits and plastic worms.

Orange County

IRVINE LAKE--The lake is looking a lot better with more water and the fishing is still pretty good for trout, although it’s an early bite thanks to the recent heat wave. Santiago Flats is the hot spot.

LAGUNA NIGUEL LAKE--Top-water action for bass is good early on Pop-Rs and jitter-bugs, while plastic worms are scoring well during mid-morning hours. The trout bite is slow and the heat isn’t helping. The catfish bite is picking up.

SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--They’re telling you forget the Eastern Sierra opener and drop a line here for “bigger, more beautiful” rainbow trout. Bigger, perhaps. More beautiful, hardly. Besides, fishing amid pines instead of alongside a bustling freeway, many will agree, is worth the high price of gas for a trip to the mountains.

Ventura County

LAKE PIRU--Bass fishermen are doing well with plastic worms, night crawlers and white spinnerbaits. An 8 1/2-pounder was caught on a night crawler. Some trout.

LAKE CASITAS--Shad is the ticket for big bass. An 11 1/2 by Kip Brockmeyer, Oak View, tops the list. Martin Crouch, Simi Valley, caught a 24-pound catfish on a shad-pattern lure. Trollers are catching some trout on Needlefish at 35 feet.

Santa Barbara County

LAKE CACHUMA--A 5-pound trout was caught by Mike Hursh and Mike Hursh Jr., Camarillo, on green Power Bait at Harvey’s Bay dock. The bite is good. Red-ear perch are biting on pieces of night crawlers. Bass have gone deep.

San Bernardino County

JESS RANCH LAKES--Trout and catfish are biting well on the usual stuff. No large fish, though.

Riverside County

LAKE PERRIS--Lots of quality bass were weighed before an early-week copper-sulfate project at the east end to remove algae. The east end has reopened, however, and is clearing. The bass list is topped by a 7 1/2-pounder caught on a six-inch plastic worm. Bluegill are very active and biting primarily on crickets. Some crappie.

LAKE SKINNER--Largemouth bass are the main attraction, especially off points and at the east end. Crawdads, night crawlers and plastic worms are what’s working. Catfish action is fair. Some striped bass.

CORONA LAKE--Trout don’t respond well on hot, sunny days, but they have to eat and will probably do so only very early or late. There are some big ones to be had, though.

San Diego County

DIXON LAKE--Trout and bass are providing plenty of action and biting on the usual baits and lures. No notable catches.

LAKE POWAY--Big trout are the big raw and there were lots of 4- to 6-pounders. A 12 1/2-pound bass was caught on a blue jig.

SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--Bass action remains steady in the usual lakes, with no fish topping 10 pounds but several coming close. Crankbaits, shiners, crawdads and plastic worms are getting most. The bluegill bite is OK at Otay and San Vicente. San Vicente switches from fishing-only to water skiing-only on weekends beginning May 20.

LAKE WOHLFORD--A 16-pound largemouth bass caught on an unnamed bait highlights a decent bite.

Eastern Sierra

All waters below 7,000 feet are primed for a fantastic opener. If you get skunked, you’ll be in the minority. Flow report: The Lower Owens has been at about 300 cfs, which is a bit high for productive fishing; and the East Walker River near Bridgeport was at 152 cfs Wednesday morning (ideal) and should be a bit faster but still very fishable on Saturday.

SALTWATER

MORRO BAY (Virg’s Landing)--20 anglers (1 boat): 55 red rockcod, 45 rockcod, 100 rockfish.

AVILA BEACH (Patriot Sportfishing)--43 anglers (3 boats): 21 rockcod, 44 rockfish, 86 red rockcod, 117 bolina, 1 lingcod, 3 salmon.

SANTA BARBARA (Sea Landing)--14 anglers (1 boat): 47 calico bass, 5 sand bass, 2 sculpin, 2 barracuda.

OXNARD (Cisco’s)--77 anglers (4 boats): 2 white seabass, 29 calico bass, 2 halibut, 130 rockfish, 17 sand bass, 32 sculpin, 2 sheephead, 23 whitefish. (Captain Hook’s)--19 anglers (1 boat): 2 sand bass, 98 rockfish, 18 whitefish, 102 red snapper.

PORT HUENEME--41 anglers (2 boats): 1 white seabass, 2 calico bass, 6 barracuda, 1 halibut, 102 rockfish, 10 sand bass, 5 sculpin, 240 whitefish, 1 lingcod.

MARINA DEL REY--79 anglers (4 boats): 25 halibut, 194 sculpin, 41 sand bass, 9 calico bass, 7 sheephead, 21 sole, 1 thresher shark.

REDONDO--48 anglers (3 boats): 86 calico bass, 48 sand bass, 4 halibut, 7 sculpin, 1 sheephead, 5 rockfish.

SAN PEDRO (L.A. Harbor Sportfishing)--65 anglers (4 boats): 109 yellowtail, 54 blue perch, 21 barracuda, 21 yellowfin croaker, 23 sheephead, 3 sargo, 3 whitefish, 2 sand bass, 2 cabazon, 1 halibut. (22nd St. Landing)--101 anglers (6 boats): 68 yellowtail, 14 white seabass, 159 calico bass, 76 sand bass, 48 sheephead, 30 blue perch, 12 rockfish, 9 whitefish, 6 halibut, 3 sculpin, 2 barracuda, 1 sargo, 1 black seabass (released).

LONG BEACH (Belmont Pier)--8 anglers (1 boat): 30 barracuda, 5 calico bass, 10 sand bass, 4 sculpin. (Marina Sportfishing)--49 anglers (2 boats): 5 yellowtail, 82 barracuda, 28 calico bass, 7 sand bass, 2 whitefish, 2 sheephead, 32 blue perch, 2 sculpin, 6 rock sole, 1 sole, 45 white croaker. (Berth 55)--53 anglers (3 boats): 29 barracuda, 2 white seabass, 95 calico bass, 18 sand bass, 101 rockfish, 6 sheephead, 4 sculpin, 9 whitefish, 1 salmon grouper, 22 red snapper, 1 sole. (Pierpoint Landing)--74 anglers (3 boats): 55 yellowtail, 12 barracuda, 192 calico bass, 22 sand bass, 4 whitefish, 4 sculpin, 2 sheephead, 23 perch.

SEAL BEACH (Big Fish)--29 anglers (1 boat): 18 sand bass, 5 sculpin, 2 halibut.

NEWPORT BEACH (Newport Landing)--46 anglers (4 boats): 28 barracuda, 33 calico bass, 2 sand bass, 6 rockfish, 2 sculpin, 56 sheephead, 23 whitefish, 26 blue perch, 65 mackerel, 22 red snapper, 7 salmon grouper, 2 cowcod, 1 opaleye perch, 1 cabazon (released). (Davey’s Locker)--92 anglers (5 boats): 56 yellowtail, 29 barracuda, 130 calico bass, 13 sand bass, 5 sculpin, 15 sheephead, 2 halibut, 45 whitefish, 50 blue perch, 5 rockfish, 1 whitefish.

DANA WHARF--78 anglers (5 boats): 2 barracuda, 29 calico bass, 63 sand bass, 4 rockfish, 8 sculpin, 2 sheephead, 1 China croaker.

OCEANSIDE (Helgren’s)--51 anglers (3 boats): 21 yellowtail, 10 barracuda, 7 croaker, 135 calico bass, 1 sand bass, 5 sole, 15 sculpin, 15 sheephead, 90 whitefish, 28 red snapper, 2 sand dabs.

SAN DIEGO (H&M; Landing, Fisherman’s, Point Loma)--79 anglers (6 boats): 2 yellowtail, 89 barracuda, 69 calico bass, 3 sand bass, 80 rockfish, 15 sculpin, 2 sheephead, 16 whitefish. (Seaforth)--123 anglers (5 boats): 2 yellowtail, 102 barracuda, 48 calico bass, 7 sand bass, 20 rockfish, 5 whitefish, 9 sculpin, 20 mackerel. (Islandia)--43 anglers (4 boats): 1 black seabass (released) , 5 white seabass, 2 barracuda, 52 calico bass, 53 rockcod, 4 sculpin, 27 rockfish, 4 mackerel.

TROUT PLANTS

LOS ANGELES--Crystal Lake, Castaic Lagoon, Castaic Lake, Elizabeth Lake, Big Rock Creek, Piru Creek (Frenchman’s Flat), Bouquet Canyon Creek. ORANGE--Trabuco Creek. VENTURA--Lake Piru, Lake Casitas. SANTA BARBARA--Lake Cachuma, Davey Brown Creek, Lion Canyon Creek, Manzana River, Santa Ynez River. RIVERSIDE--Fullermill Creek, Lake Fulmor, Lake Hemet, Lake Perris, Strawberry Creek. SAN BERNARDINO--Arrowbear Lake, Lake Silverwood, Santa Ana River, Santa Ana River (South Fork). INYO--Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek (Lower, Middle, North, South forks and Intake II), Cottonwood Creek, Diaz Lake, Georges Creek, Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lone Pine Creek, Owens River (below Tinnemaha), Shepards Creek, Symms Creek, Taboose Creek, Tinnemaha Creek, Tuttle Creek. MONO--Bridgeport Reservoir, Buckeye Creek, Convict Creek, Green Creek, Lee Vining Creek, Little Walker River, Lundy Lake, Mammoth Creek, McGee Creek, Owens River (Benton Crossing), Reverse Creek, Rush Creek, Virginia Creek, Walker River (Chris Flat Campground to town of Walker and Levitt Meadows Campground to Sonora Bridge).