02-05-2004, 05:17 PM
PICKS OF THE WEEK
1. For parents, a great opportunity to take the kids fishing -- and actually catch something -- will be this Saturday at Lake Poway during the annual free youth fishing derby. The lake will be closed Friday for a bonus stocking of fish just for the event, and the action has been very good before this plant so the kids should really see good action. Registration will begin at 6 a.m., and all participating youths get a free barbequed lunch. Awards will be handed out at 1 p.m. for the biggest fish. There will also be a raffle and prizes will be awared in the Huck Finn and Becky Thatcher look-alike costume contest. For more fishing information, call the snack bar at (858) 486-1234.
2. Largemouth bass fishing at Lake Castaic was picking up dramatically before the storm and cold weather hampered the bite. Most bass were being landed from 20 to 50 feet deep on pig-n-jigs, drop-shotted or split-shotted plastics, and spoons. However, the biggest largemouth of the week was a 10-15 landed on a Zara Spook. Some big stripers to 15-8 continue to show on big trout swimbaits and smaller stripers to 5-0 have started to hit cut anchovies from 10 to 50 feet deep.
3. Lake Isabella has three solid bites going right now -- crappie, catfish, and bass. The crappie and catfish bite has been going for over a week, and the bass added to the sizzle this week. The crappie bite is in the North Fork by Camp Nine on live minnows. Fish to 2-0 are hanging in 40 feet of water. Catfish have been on the bite for a couple of weeks now in deeper water by the dam. Frozen shad have been the number one bait, with some impressive catches being made. The lake has no limit on catfish, so 20- to 30-fish stringers of 1-0 to 5-0 cats are being landed. Most anglers are only keeping a few better fish for the pan and releasing the rest. Bass fishing has really picked up with some fish from 5-0 to 10-0 showing. The bite isn't wide open yet, but action is improving on pig-n-jigs and plastic worms.
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1. For parents, a great opportunity to take the kids fishing -- and actually catch something -- will be this Saturday at Lake Poway during the annual free youth fishing derby. The lake will be closed Friday for a bonus stocking of fish just for the event, and the action has been very good before this plant so the kids should really see good action. Registration will begin at 6 a.m., and all participating youths get a free barbequed lunch. Awards will be handed out at 1 p.m. for the biggest fish. There will also be a raffle and prizes will be awared in the Huck Finn and Becky Thatcher look-alike costume contest. For more fishing information, call the snack bar at (858) 486-1234.
2. Largemouth bass fishing at Lake Castaic was picking up dramatically before the storm and cold weather hampered the bite. Most bass were being landed from 20 to 50 feet deep on pig-n-jigs, drop-shotted or split-shotted plastics, and spoons. However, the biggest largemouth of the week was a 10-15 landed on a Zara Spook. Some big stripers to 15-8 continue to show on big trout swimbaits and smaller stripers to 5-0 have started to hit cut anchovies from 10 to 50 feet deep.
3. Lake Isabella has three solid bites going right now -- crappie, catfish, and bass. The crappie and catfish bite has been going for over a week, and the bass added to the sizzle this week. The crappie bite is in the North Fork by Camp Nine on live minnows. Fish to 2-0 are hanging in 40 feet of water. Catfish have been on the bite for a couple of weeks now in deeper water by the dam. Frozen shad have been the number one bait, with some impressive catches being made. The lake has no limit on catfish, so 20- to 30-fish stringers of 1-0 to 5-0 cats are being landed. Most anglers are only keeping a few better fish for the pan and releasing the rest. Bass fishing has really picked up with some fish from 5-0 to 10-0 showing. The bite isn't wide open yet, but action is improving on pig-n-jigs and plastic worms.
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