California Aqueduct

Fishing has been decent for aqueduct anglers with most opting to fish early or late in the day to beat the heat. Smaller striped bass ate Carolina rigged cut sardines after check gates. Lure anglers bounced tube baits and Flukes along the bottom, and topwater took fish during low light conditions. Catfishing has been good for anglers soaking chicken liver, cut baits, and dip bait. Nighttime conditions have been perfect for cat fishing. Largemouth took weightless Senkos, topwater baits, and finesse baits anyplace with relief from the current.

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Castaic Lake

The lake level rose to 94 percent of its storage capacity, and fishing has been good. Bass anglers reported a lot of dinks up near shore with bigger fish taking baits in 10 to 15 feet of water. The go to pattern has been poppers and walking baits until about 8am followed by finesse baits and Senkos. Shad schools have been prevalent in the backs of coves with wolf packs of bass holding nearby. Striped bass made a showing recently with fish taking topwater baits, spoons, and jerkbaits. The key has been to find the zebras feeding near the surface and fire your offerings from a distance. Catfish ate dip bait, chicken liver, and cut sardines in the coves east of the marina.

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Pyramid Lake

Pyramid Lake remained closed due to the Post Fire. We will report as soon as the lake reopens.

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Isabella Lake

Isabella fell slightly to 67 percent of capacity this week. The trout fishing here continues to be excellent for both shore and boat anglers. Two-inch minnows on a jig head or drop shot in various colors have been the hot ticket for trout. Minijigs and spinners have been fooling good numbers as well. Trollers are having greater than 50 fish days with Tasmanian Devils, Needlefish and Flicker Shad. The crappie bite has settled down from the previous two months action. Anglers are still connecting with slabs around structure in 10 to 20-feet of water with live shiners and minijigs. The bass bite remains solid with an occasional 5 pounder in the mix. The reaction bite is best early and later in the day. Catfish are coming on SSS Dip Bait, chicken liver and mackerel around Camp 9.

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Kern River

In the Upper Kern, the DFWL stocked all three sections again for the 3rd week in a row. The flows are decreasing and are near 1000 CFS. Trout have been coming on salmon eggs, trout jigs and spinners. Fly fishers are using attractor nymphs, streamers, and dry flies in the late afternoon hatches. The Upper Kern River was stocked this week in Section 4, Powerhouse #3 to Riverside Park in Kernville; Section 5, Fairview Dam to Lazy River Lodge, and Section 6, Fairview Dam to Johnsondale Bridge. In the Lower Kern, the flows have increased, and the deeper pools have been holding trout. Trout continue to be caught with split-shotted salmon eggs, chartreuse garlic Powerbait and spinners. Anglers fishing the Democrat section have scored trout and bass with minijigs and spinners. The smallmouth and largemouth bass bite elsewhere is steady with jigs, worms, and small crankbaits. Catfish have been chewing cut sardines and SSS Dip Bait. At the time of reporting, the Upper Kern River is flowing at 979 CFS and the Lower Kern River is flowing at 2308 CFS.

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Lake Kaweah

The water level recently dropped rapidly to 77 percent of its storage capacity and fishing has been fair to good. Kaweah is a flood control basin, and rapid water fluctuations are a regular part of the fishing puzzle at the lake. Finesse baits and Senko style baits took bass on points and submerged humps. Green pumpkin and Ox Blood were popular color choices. Poppers and Whopper Plopper worked for bites early and late in the day. Crappie ate small live minnows and small swimbaits in 10 to 20 feet of water, and whisker fish took chicken liver on the long soak.

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Lake Success

Success Lake fell to 75 percent of its storage capacity, and bass anglers reported another good week of fishing. A lot of the bass have been smaller grade fish, but night anglers reported bigger bass near the submerged trees. Drop shot, spider jigs, and Senkos all worked for bites with Ox Blood, Aaron’s Magic, and Tequilla Sunrise colors working the best. Catfish picked up dip baits, cut sardines, and nightcrawlers in deeper coves around the lake, and crappie ate small live minnows near the marina.

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River Walk Lakes

The bluegill bite here at River Walk remains excellent with any live worm under a bobber or drop shot. The bass reaction bite during the early morning and late evening have been best. Catfish are being fooled with dip baits and cut baits. Crappie have been coming on minijigs and small spinners. Anglers fishing live worms on a drop-shot have scored both bluegill and crappie.

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Ming Lake

The bass chatter bait bite here at Ming continue to be great. One of our contacts reported scoring with black and chartreuse frogs in the tullies. Punching the big clumps of tullies with green pumpkin d bombs with 3/4oz to 1oz weights have been fooling bass. Buzz baits and whopper ploppers in white or bone fishing early and late have been connecting too. Crappie were reported with minijigs and medium live shiners. The bluegill bite is wide open on any live worm under a bobber.

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Buena Vista Lakes

Bass anglers reported a good bite while using a variety of baits. Texas rigs, flipping jigs, chatter baits, and Senko all took fish near the islands. The topwater bite has been decent as well. Crappie anglers targeted fish over rocky structure and near the islands. The sunfish went after minijigs and small live minnows. Smaller catfish ate dip baits, chicken liver, and garlic scented nightcrawlers.

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Hart Park Lake

Topwater bass fishing picked up, and anglers did well with weedless frogs and poppers. Nighttime topwater produced some quality largemouth. Finesse anglers threw weedless offering near the weed beds with green pumpkin, black, and brown 6-inch worms all fooling fish. The bluegill bite has been excellent, and younger anglers had a great time bobber fishing with redworms and waxworms. Catfish anglers did well with dip baits and cut anchovies.

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Lake Nacimiento

The lake continued its slow retreat to just below 80 percent of its storage capacity. Fishing remained good for spotted bass, but anglers have competition for space from the recreational crowd. The best bet has been to hit topwater early and switch to finesse baits later in the morning. A lot of anglers reported heading in before the lake got hot and busy. Late afternoons have been another good time to break out the topwater rods. White bass took small live minnows, white swimbaits, and topwater lures. Catfish anglers did well with dip baits and cut mackerel, and crappie readily took minijigs and small live minnows in 5 to 40 feet of water.

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Trout Plants

​Week of June 23rd – Hedrick Pond; Balch Park Upper; Balch Park Lower; Upper Kern River Section 4; Upper Kern River Section 5; Upper Kern River Section 6; Peppermint Creek, Lower; Peppermint Creek, Upper; Tule River Middle Fork; Tule River North Fork, Middle Fork #1; Tule River North Fork, Middle Fork #2.

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Ocean Fishing

 

San Diego

The Polaris Supreme returned Thursday morning from their 3-Day with 111 Bluefin tuna, 41 of the Bluefin were over 100lbs. The Highliner returned from a 2.5-day Wednesday morning with 28 Bluefin Tuna for their 24 anglers with 24 of the fish weighing 120 to 180lbs. The Tribute returned Thursday from a 1.5-day with 51 Bluefin Tuna. The Islander returned Thursday morning with limits (56) of Bluefin for 28 anglers on a 1.5-day. The Pacific Queen returned Thursday with 94 Bluefin Tuna and 45 Yellowtail for 29 anglers on a 2-day.

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Dana Point/San Pedro

The Pride out of 22nd Street returned Wednesday from a 1.5-day with 3 Barracuda, 1 Halibut, 1 Yellowtail, 43 Calico Bass, 27 Sheephead and 7 White Seabass for 15 anglers. The Thunderbird out of Newport Landing returned Wednesday from an overnight with 34 Yellowtail, 5 Barracuda, 8 Calico Bass, 26 Sheephead and 44 Whitefish for 26 anglers. The Blackfish out of Davey’s Locker returned Wednesday from a Full day with 8 White Seabass, 15 Calico Bass and 6 Sargo for 6 anglers.

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Channel Islands/Ventura

The Aloha Spirit out of CISCOS returned from a Full Day on Wednesday with 3 White Seabass, 3 Halibut, 180 Barracuda and 17 Calico Bass for 18 anglers. The Graylight returned from a Full day Tuesday with 11 White Seabass for 6 anglers. The New Hustler out of Hooks Landing returned Tuesday from an overnight with 68 Whitefish, 6 Sheephead, 5 Lingcod, 6 Halibut, 2 White Seabass and 180 Rockfish for 22 anglers. The Island Spirit out of Ventura Sportfishing returned Monday from a ½-day with 142 Rockfish, 9 Whitefish, 2 Calico Bass, 2 Sand Bass and 1 Sheephead for 26 anglers.

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Port San Luis/Morro Bay

The Flying Fish out of Patriot sportfishing returned Tuesday from a ½-day with 53 Rockcod, 34 Bolina, 1 Cabezon and 1 Lingcod for 23 anglers. The Fiesta out of Virg’s Landing returned from a Full day Friday with 36 Red Rockfish, 46 Rockfish, 15 Petrale Sole and 6 Lingcod for 19 anglers. The Fiesta returned from a ¾-day with 1 Lingcod, 5 Vermillion Rockfish, 256 assorted Rockfish and 5 Whitefish for 29 anglers. The Endeavor (MB) out of Morro Bay Landing returned Thursday from a Full Day with 150 Rockfish, 48 Red Rockfish and 42 Bocaccio for 24 anglers.