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There no longer are any biologists working for the Department of Fish and Game.
That’s not a surprise to the sportsmen (who fund these jobs) who haven’t seen much biology being done over the last decade or more. the state budget managers continue to pretend their money crunch also affects the Fish and Game Preservation Fund (hunting and fishing license, tag and stamp dollars) and have continued robbing from this program and inappropriately allocating money to fund environmental work that only obliquely has anything to do with game species.
The reality is that fund has continued to grow through increases in license fees (in spite of dramatically declining numbers of hunters and fishermen).
Now, in a step that will make the transition of the state agency supposedly managing game and fish – those species hunted and caught by license- buying residents and nonresidents – into another do-nothing state agency, all “biologists” have been reclassified as “environmental scientists.”
There will be 230 of them statewide getting salary increases from 2.3-5 percent to have a dubious title and no real work plans to make things better for game species or sportsmen in this state. the title sort of assures this. is an environmental scientist going to get dirty digging out a guzzler, or slimy marking bass for a survey?
The state has been moving away from managing game species for decades, doing away with the regional wildlife and fishery biologist classifications a number of years ago. Those people once were funded out of our license dollars and mostly did work on the ground for sportsmen in the regions they worked. They did annual deer surveys and brood counts on quail and chukar, making recommendations on fall hunting seasons.
They surveyed wild trout populations and bass numbers and made recommendations for species regulations or planting programs, if needed. They would coordinate habitat improvement projects, intervene when federal agencies or private developers wanted to do something that would negatively impact sportsmen or wildlife, and administer surveys of sportsmen.
They answered their phone when hunters and fishermen called and checked on problems reported or answered questions about the resource. They worked for sportsmen and once upon a time did a splendid job.
This past year, as far as I can tell, no on-the-ground surveys of quail and chukar were conducted. I reckon only one or two deer zones were surveyed, but I’m really not sure anything was done with deer in Southern California – and I mean anything other than water work conducted by volunteers. I can’t tell you the last time I heard about a trout survey being done in one of our local streams with wild trout populations.
I’ve been doing this for 30 years, and I honestly don’t remember when there was a deer check station set up opening weekend or even a mailed request for teeth to do some basic age work on the deer taken, work the biologists once did to gauge the health of our herds.
Oh, there’s been a splendid litany of work done at Diamond Valley Lake, but a full-time DFG person was assigned there because the position was paid with mitigation money and he had a stout budget, but it’s a great example of how excellent all of our local lakes could be with a little effort and follow-through from a field biologist.
Wait, never mind. we don’t have those anymore.
I remember when annual surveys of deer in the southern Sierra led to two late-season hunts in X10 as the deer came onto winter range south of Lone Pine in the steep eastern slopes of the range. I don’t reckon there’s been a winter survey there in more than 15 years, and those hunts don’t exist any more, for that reason. we could still have those hunts, but that annual work was done by a excellent field biologist.
Wait, never mind. we don’t have those anymore.
And quite frankly, I’m not sure we’ve had any excellent field biologists for many years. I can name several from days gone by, but they’re all either dead or retired. I’m not saying there’s a cause-effect relationship, but I know a lot of longtime, mostly worthless DFG administrators who are glad those old field biologists are gone. Those ancient-timers knew what they were supposed to be doing.
MATTHEWS’ PICKS OF THE WEEK
1. Castaic Lake again gets the top spot because the bite has pretty much wide open this past week with a very excellent topwater bite and very consistent bait action. the lake is also producing a nice average size fish (two to four pounds) and enough larger fish into the six to eight pound range and occasionally larger to make things fascinating.
2. the Diamond Valley Lake striper bite is also very excellent and many anglers are still getting limits of stripers every trip to the lake. Most of the action is for bait fishermen or trollers, but there have also been some surface boils. the bulk of the action is under schools of shad which have been clumped up along the south shoreline and around the inlet-outlet tower. Most are six pounds and under.
3. the action has been simply spectacular on Humboldt squid to eight pounds at ocean spots from San Diego to Santa Monica with some boats returned with over 2,000 squid in the past week. There seemed to be signs this bite was waning at mid-week, but if the squid stay up and active off the local coast, it will continue to be a top pick. this is a hot bite, but definitely one you will want to call ahead to check on before heading out.
FRESHWATER HOT SPOTS
Trout: best action in Southern California has been at Jenks Lake, Green Valley Lake, and big Bear Lake. Limits are pretty simple at Lake Hemet for experienced trollers, but shore anglers near the dam are also getting fish. Green Valley and big Bear can be tougher, but both are still producing a lot of fish. There are also occasional holdover fish being landed by deep trollers or bait anglers at Cachuma and Silverwood, and Casitas is even tougher. the bite remains fair to excellent at Cuyamaca. Trout action in the Sierra Nevada remains fair to excellent overall, with the June Lake loop (especially Silver), Virginia Lakes, and Bridgeport Reservoir all top bets.
Black Bass: Most of the lakes in the region are still seeing excellent topwater and reaction bait action early and late in the day. During the day, the fish generally sound to deeper structure where they can be caught on dark plastics, but that bite is much tougher. Top bets are still Diamond Valley and Lake Perris surged on even more this week. Other decent are Sutherland, Otay, El Capitan, Skinner, Silverwood, Casitas, Castaic, Piru, and Cachuma. on the Central Coast, Santa Margarita, Nacimiento, San Antonio, and Lopez are all still pretty fair for bass.
Striped Bass: Striper bites continued excellent this past week with Castaic, Pyramid and Diamond Valley still the top bets for topwater action and getting nice stringers of fish. Silverwood and Skinner are both fair to excellent. San Antonio on the Central Coast remains a top bet with excellent quality (six to 12 pounds). on the Colorado River, there have been a lot of quality fish to 20 pounds or better at Willow Beach.
Panfish: There’s very excellent bluegill and redear action at Diamond Valley Lake, Perris, and Skinner. the redear bite is also still fair in Havasu and Topoc Gorge area on the Colorado River. Piru, Castaic and Casitas are fair to excellent on the bluegill and/or redear, too. the Henshaw crappie bite has been very excellent this past week with fish to three pounds. Other crappie bites of note include those at Cachuma and Piru.
Catfish: the Colorado River is fair to excellent for catfish with flatheads and channels showing in excellent numbers. the action has been excellent on flatheads to 35 pounds and channels to eight pounds most weeks, but there is still light fishing in this region and reports are fleeting. Southern California lakes are all fair to excellent. Catfish planting season is winding most places. Top picks are Hesperia Lake, Corona Lake, and Santa Ana River Lakes, which are all still being planted with cats each week. a big load of trophy cats this week at SARL and Corona.
SAN BERNARDINO MOUNTAIN WATERS
Silverwood: the catfish bite has been excellent, especially in Cleghorn and Miller canyons, but with fish showing at the dam, the main channel, and Outhouse Canyons. best baits have been chicken liver, shrimp and mackerel fished in 20 to 40 feet of water. Phillip Gregson, Barstow, landed a five-pound cat in Miller on chicken liver. the stripers are fair to excellent and have been getting better this past week. best bite has been in Quarry Cove and at the dam on anchovies with flurries of action on shad-like swimbaits. John Deagan, Riverside, had three stripers to seven pounds on anchovies at the dam, while Linda Wade, Victorville, had four stripers to six pounds on anchovies and nightcrawlers in Quarry Cove. There has been a excellent largemouth bite in Twin Cove and Live Oak on Power Worms and jerkbaits. the bluegill remain hot in the marina area.
Huge Bear Lake: the trout bite had been fair to excellent this past week, especially for trollers fishing in 12 to 20 feet of water. the best action is still from the west ramp to the dam and into Papoose Bay. Most trollers are using a variety of spoons fished behind just two to four colors of lead core. Bait anglers are using a slip bobber in 12 to 20 feet of water and floating dough baits. the trout are two distinct sizes, either fresh DFG pan-sized at eight to 10 inches or nicer holdover trout often topping two pounds. the bass action is fair around the observatory and north shore toward Grout Bay. TroutFest, a tagged trout tournament, will be this weekend with 1,000 anglers expected to attend.
Green Valley Lake: the trout action was fair to excellent with quite limits still showing with some quality fish in the mix. Floating dough baits, small jigs and trout plastics fished in the morning and evening are still the best bet. Joel Adams, San Bernardino, had a 6.3-pound rainbow on a motor oil jig, while Jimmy Bon, Green Valley Lake, landed a 6.1-pounder (and released a trio of three-pounders) using sparkle jigs.
Jenks Lake Region: Trout action has been fair to excellent with a lot of limits reported over the past week for float tube anglers. Shore-bound anglers are having a tougher go due to weeds along the shore. Top action on floating baits and small jigs and lures. the DFG planted trout this week and two weeks ago. Most of the trout are pan-sized, but some to 2-8. the Santa Ana River in the Seven Oaks area and the South Fork were both planted two and four weeks ago.
HIGH DESERT LAKES
Hesperia Lake: the catfish bite has been excellent early and late in the day and at night with a lot of limits and some quality brood stock reported. There are weekly stocks of catfish, including trophy brood stock fish in each planting on Monday. these plants will continue until mid-October. the best action has been on cut mackerel or shrimp, but the marshmallow-meal worm combo is excellent.
Jess Ranch: the trout bite stayed hot again this past week with excellent action on fish averaging about two pounds. the bite is still best morning or later in the afternoon, but the excellent-bite window is expanding. best bite has been on Power Bait, nightcrawlers, jigs, and a wide variety of small trout lures. Ricardo Muniz landed an 8.1-pound rainbow. the bass bite also improved with Senkos and drop-shotted plastics, and quite a few catfish have been reported again on cut baits with fish to five pounds on stringers.
INLAND VALLEY LAKES
Prado: the catfish bite has been fair, even with no plants for three weeks. the best bite has been near Parking Lot no. 7 on nightcrawlers. the largemouth bass are slow but a few are showing on the south side across from the boat dock. Bluegill remain fair along most shorelines on meal worms or nightcrawlers pieces.
Yucaipa: Last county catfish plant of the season was August 31, and there has been a fair catfish bite since, mostly on nightcrawlers and cut baits. Also fair action on carp and bluegill along with an occasional bass being caught. Trout plants scheduled to start in November.
Mount Baldy Trout Pools: the heavily stocked pools are open every Saturday and Sunday. no fishing license is needed. Information: 909-982-4246.
Puddingstone: slow to fair overall action. There has been a pretty decent bluegill and redear bite off and around the southeast pier (nearest the trailer park), but the bass have been spotty with only a few fish on topwater and crankbaits. DFG catfish plants this week and two weeks ago.
Seccombe Lake: Few reports. a carp continue to show on bread dough or corn under a bobber. Most are smaller fish to two pounds. a few small bass and bluegill are also showing, and the odd catfish is being landed.
SELECTED AREA LAKES
Diamond Valley: Not much change here with excellent striper action, including some early morning boils. Bait anglers fishing cut bait or spoons below schools of shad along the south shoreline or at the inlet-outlet towers continue to report limits. Lots of four to six pound stripers with quite a few larger fish to 10 pounds. the largemouth bass bite is very excellent with some surface action early and then a very steady bite in 18 to 40 feet of water on worms, jigs, spoons, jerkbaits, and deep-running cranks, with the best bite on the dam and along the south shoreline. Also excellent catfish action on cut baits and nightcrawlers in 20 to 30 feet of water in most coves. Bluegill are fair to excellent in 10 to 15 foot depths.
Perris: the bass and panfish bites remain excellent here but the fishing pressure is very light. the bass have been best off the points with topwater in the mornings and plastics later in the day. Lots of two to three-pound fish and some better.
Skinner: the stripers have been boiling at the inlet, east end, and south bay areas and the action remains pretty excellent on jerkbaits, anchovies, or chicken liver. Most are small, under three pounds, but some larger. Pat Sio landed three stripers to six pounds at the dam on anchovies. the catfish action is even better than the stripers with quite a few quality fish and some nice stringers reported. the bluegill bite is still excellent all along the south shoreline. the largemouth bass action is fair early and late in the day with the best bite along the south shore and into the east end. drop-shot plastics. no carp reports.
Elsinore: the catfish bite has finally started to slow down, but the bite is still fair to excellent and fishing pressure is very light. the fish showing are still nice quality cats to eight pounds with an occasional larger fish. the bluegill are still very excellent.
Corona Lake: the lake’s trophy catfish population swelled last week after a huge plant of fish to 20 pounds, and the parade of big fish coming out of the lake has been steady ever since. Top fish reported so far has been a 15 1/2-pounder that topped off a whopping seven-fish, 57-pound stringer landed by Derick Tran and Tuan and Hoang Mai on fresh mackerel from a boat. Duval Thomas, Ontario, landed seven cats for 40 1/2 pounds, including one at 10 pounds, also fishing shrimp off J.D.’s Point. Eric Hyde, Rancho Cucamonga, had 12 cats for 33 1/2 pounds. Tom and Janice Tongdee, both Redlands, had five cats for 31 pounds, including a nine-pounder. the catfish plants are twice a week at Corona Lake.
Evans Lake: Mostly tough action with just a few bass and a few panfish for the bank walkers. the bass are best on small reaction baits and topwater early and late, while the bluegill are still best on wax worms or meal worms fished near structure. Also some carp showing on dough baits.
Rancho Jurupa: Final catfish plant of the season went in two weeks ago, but a few cats to a couple pounds are still showing.
Lake Hemet: Excellent to brilliant trout action continues with many anglers getting limits or near limits. the most recent DFG trout plant was two weeks ago. Trolling or bait fishing in 25 to 40 feet of water in the Triangle is the best bet. Most of the rainbows are eight to 14 inches long wit a few larger holdover fish.
Santa Ana River Lakes: Last week’s plant of trophy-sized catfish weighed down the scales the past few days with many anglers’ stringers having one or more fish topping eight pounds. the largest catfish reported was an 18-pounder that topped off a 56 1/2-pound six-catfish stringer landed by Pablo Gomez.
Irvine Lake: Continued excellent catfish action. the cats are mostly in 15 feet or deeper water and showing on mackerel or shrimp in the evening. Boat Dock Cove and Santiago Flats have been the top spots and the evening bite has been the best. Brandon Woodward, Chino, landed a 15-7 blue cat and an 8-12 channel fishing mackerel on the flats.
Cachuma: Catfish are going strong with a lot of limits or near limits reported this past week in all the shallow coves and creek channels, with Cachuma, Santa Cruz, and Harvey’s bays all excellent bets on glide-lined mackerel.
Sweetwater Bay was the top spot, however, and fish to eight pounds reported.
Casitas: very light fishing pressure, but those few anglers fishing this past week have found pretty excellent catfish action and a decent bite on smaller bass. the cats are mostly showing on mackerel and nightcrawlers pieces in 15 to 20 feet of water off the Sunken Island and Dead Horse Canyon.
Castaic: the striper action has been brilliant this past week going into the new moon on Tuesday. the topwater bite has been happening throughout the day over much of the lake with the fish moving and working the shad. Most of this bite is on topwater lures with few anglers fishing the bait, and the fish are averaging two to four pounds.
Piru: Continued fair to excellent bass action in most coves on plastics and nightcrawlers. Some fish on cranks or surface baits early and late in the day with fish to 2-8, but nothing larger this past week. the crappie action has been fair to excellent on small jigs in Cow Cove and Reasoner Cove.
Pyramid: the striped bass topwater action remains fair to excellent with boils early and late. Most of the fish are one to three pounders, with the action best on topwater, jerk baits, and drifted baits. the bait action is still best at the dam and off the islands in 10 to 40 feet of water on anchovies glide-lined down to the fish. Excellent catfish action in the coves on cut baits.
Puddingstone: slow to fair overall action. There has been a pretty decent bluegill and redear bite off and around the southeast pier (nearest the trailer park), but the bass have been spotty with only a few fish on topwater and crankbaits. DFG catfish plants this week and two weeks ago.
Barrett: There were 108 anglers who landed 1,088 bass, 63 bluegill, and six crappie over the two fishing days this past week.
Hodges: There were 85 anglers who landed 118 bass, nine crappie, and one channel catfish over the three fishing days this past week. Bowfishing for carp is allowed at this lake.
Lower Otay: There were 25 anglers who caught 168 bass to 4.55 pounds and 83 bluegill to .68 pounds over the three fishing days this past week. Bowfishing for carp is now allowed here.
Upper Otay: There were 10 anglers who caught 26 bass to 3.52 pounds and four bluegill to .65 pounds over the three fishing days this past week.
Sutherland: There were 58 anglers who landed 83 bass to 3.6 pounds, 28 bluegill, 23 channel cats, and 14 crappie to two pounds over the three fishing days this past week. Bowfishing for carp is now allowed here.
Jennings: the catfish have moved out to deeper water and fish are being reported by Cloister Cove, the buoy line, and the east side of half Moon Cove, but getting light pressure. Mackerel and chicken liver fished in 30 feet of water the best bait and catches of one to two per angler has been the rule.
Cuyamaca: There continues to be a pretty fair trout bite, and the few anglers fishing for crappie are also seeing excellent results. Also a few cats landed each week. Trout have been best at the Lone Pine, T-Dock, and at the dam. DFG plant last week.
Henshaw: the crappie bite has been pretty excellent this past week and the quality of the fish has been very excellent with fish from one to three pounds reported by anglers fishing jigs tipped with meal worms and live minnows off the fishing pier or slow-trolling the south half of the lake.
Lake Mead: overall slow action with only spotty action on both stripers and catfish on cut anchovies or sardines in deep water under balls of shad. Most fish under four pounds. the largemouth and smallmouth bass are fair on plastics and reaction baits as the lake level continues to come up with some topwater action early and late. Fish the newly flooded brush. Redear and bluegill bite is fair with most fish in six to 20 feet of water.
Lake Mohave: the striper bite is slow to fair from the power lines to the dam at the south end of the lake. the fish are running from three to six pounds and have been chowing down on the shad in 30 to 50 feet of water.
Needles Area: There is a fair to excellent smallmouth action in the main river from Needles south to the I-40 bridge, mostly on small cranks, plastics, and nightcrawlers. the striper bite has also improved with a lot of fish to four pounds in the main river from the upper end of Topoc Gorge to Needles with most of the fish in the one- to three-pound range.
Havasu: Not a lot of change here. the largemouth and smallmouth bass are fair to excellent on topwater before the sun comes up on frogs and similar baits and then sound to deeper water on the outside edges of weed beds the rest of the day. Senkos, plastics, and deep-running cranks are getting fish then. the striper action has been very hit and miss. There have been daily boils as the fish push shad to the surface, usually early and late in the day.
Blythe: the flathead catfish bite has been pretty excellent with a lot of fish from eight to 30 pounds reported. best action on live goldfish and bluegill in the deep pools of the main river, but also quite a few fish in the area drain ditches. the blues and channels cats are also excellent, mostly on cut baits.
Yuma Area: Largemouth bass action is fair on plastics, nightcrawlers and reaction baits, with the best action on topwater baits early and late in the day. the channel catfish action also fair to excellent, mostly at night.
Salton Sea: very light fishing pressure and slow tilapia action. the few anglers fishing are still at the state park headquarters’ jetty and the free fishing jetty at the refurbished Salton Sea Yacht Club.
Bridgeport Region: Bridgeport Reservoir remains a excellent bet for bait, troll, and fly anglers fishing from the mouth of the East Walker all the way down to the public marina. Most of the fish are hanging along the weed lines with rainbows to four pounds and an occasional brown that’s larger. Twin Lakjes are all excellent with a lot of fish to two pounds on nightcrawlers and floating baits or trolled lures.
June Lake Loop Area: the trout action remains fair to excellent throughout the loop with June, Gull, Silver and Grant all producing some limits of fish, mostly pan-sized rainbows on floating baits, small trout jigs and plastics, and flies fished on top as the fish swirl. Silver Lake has been the top spot in the loop, lots of planters and lots of holdovers. Floating baits fished in deeper water are the top bet with flies a close second.
Mammoth Area: Crowley Lake has been very excellent on quality fish with the big rainbows and browns mostly working over the small perch fry. the minnows are still small, so small streamer imitations are best. the fish are starting to concentrate in the stream and river mouths.
Bishop Area: South Lake remained excellent with the best action at all three inlets, the dam, and the slide. Light line and finesse tactics are working the best. Floating baits, flies, jigs, and small spinners and spoons all are producing trout. the South Fork of Bishop Creek has been excellent.
Lake Isabella: Continued slow action overall with only a fair bite on catfish and bluegill, and little else going on. the cats are best on shad and clams in most coves with most in the 1-8 to three-pound range, but some to six or seven pounds. the bluegill bite is fair to excellent on crickets and wax worms.
TROUT PLANTS
San Bernardino: Jenks Lake.
Riverside: Diamond Valley Lake.
Inyo: Baker Creek, big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek (Dam, Intake II, Middle Fork, South Fork, lower), Cottonwood Creek, Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lake Sabrina, Lone Pine Creek, North Lake, Owens River (Steward Lane to Laws Bridge), Rock Creek Lake, South Lake, Taboose Creek, Tinnemaha Creek.
Mono: Convict Lake, Ellery Lake, Glass Creek, Grant Lake, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lake George, Lake Mamie, Lake Mary, Lee Vining Creek (main fork, South Fork), Robinson Creek, Rock Creek (from French Camp to upper bridge at Rock Creek Lodge and Paradise Lodge to Tuff Campground), Rush Creek, Saddlebag Lake, Silver Lake, Tioga Lake, Trumbull Lake, Twin Lakes Bridgeport (upper and lower), Twin Lakes Mammoth (Upper), Virginia Creek, Virginia Lakes (lower and upper), West Walker River (section 2 and section 3).
CATFISH PLANTS
The following lakes, listed by county, will be stocked this week with one-pound catfish by private hatcheries under contract with the Department of Fish and Game.
Los Angeles: Cerritos Park Lake, Downey Wilderness Park Lake, El Dorado Park lakes, John Ford Park Lake, La Mirada Lake, Legg Lakes, Peck Road Park Lake, Puddingstone Reservoir, Sante Fe Dam.
OCEAN REPORT
Long Range: the five to seven-day boats running out of San Diego to Alijos Rocks, Guadalupe Islands, and Cedros and Benitos islands are seeing brilliant fishing. Alijos has been producing yellowfin tuna to 100 pounds and excellent action on quality yellowtail in the 20-pound class.
Tuna: the action for 1 1/2 and two-day boats has continued brilliant around 150 miles south of San Diego. this area has consistently been holding tuna for the past several weeks and that didn’t change this past week with excellent scores of bluefin, yellowfin, yellowtail and a smattering of dorado.
Overnight: the bite for the one-day boats has been very tough on tuna with a few fish still in the area near the tuna pens. but the best trips have only had about one tuna per rod and some have been one per four anglers. the pressure is off here, with most skippers opting to run to the 150-mile area and get into the fish, but the few trips to this zone have been tough.
Island Updates: San Clemente Island has been mostly closed down by the Navy much of the past week. in the open area, there has been a continued excellent calico bass bite, a excellent volume of bonito, and a few yellowtail. At Catalina Island, water temperatures are dropping and the fall bite is taking over with mostly bass and the odd yellowtail. There are still squid available at Clemente and Catalina and Santa Barbara Island.
Squid Update: since last week, the Humboldt squid have been showing in very excellent numbers for the half- and three-quarter day boats fishing at spots from San Diego up to the Santa Monica Bay. these haven’t been the huge squid of a recent years, but most are from three to eight pounds and the action has been excellent night and day with some boat counts as high as 2,000 squid this past week.
