FRESHWATER
Barrett: Closed.
Chollas: Stocked last week with rainbow trout from the DFG. Fishing has been fair. Star Pal Fishing Derby is set for Feb. 10. Open daily to youngsters 15 and under. San Diego Fly Fishers sponsors a Lend-A-Rod program on Sundays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and it includes free bait and tackle and fishing tips.
Cuyamaca: Few anglers because of cold and wind, but those who braved the conditions did OK. John Wantanabe, Santa Ysabel, 4-9 trout, inflated night crawler. Three tagged Alpers trout remain in the lake, with each one worth a one-night stay in a Cuyamaca cabin. One of the tagged trout also is worth a rod and reel combo from Lakeside Bait and Tackle. Closed Wednesdays all day and until noon Sundays to allow for the lake's waterfowl hunting program.
Diamond Valley Lake: Cold and windy, and even some snow fell on Friday. Bass fishing has been fair, with a few 4-pounders reported. Trout action was better last week, with a 6.15-pounder weighed in. Mike Palhegyi, Upland, caught the lunker on a Kastmaster in the marina area. Couple of big striped bass in the 6-and 8-pound class also reported.
Dixon: Good trout fishing in the west end of the lake. Jack Creek Pier and the shoreline east of it producing well. Bass fishing showing some signs as bass begin to move into their pre-spawn mode. Open daily.
El Capitan: The 123 anglers checked (of 164 with permits) reported 18 bass kept (158 bass released), 60 crappie, 44 blue catfish, 4 channel catfish and 2 bluegill. Cody Newton, Santee, 12.55-pound blue catfish (released), mackerel. Open Thursdays and Saturdays for fishing only, Fridays and Sundays for fishing, boating and water contact (skiing, wake-boarding and Jet Skis, etc.). The North Arm is open to water contact Fridays and Sundays.
Henshaw: Open daily.
Hodges: Closed. Re-opens Feb. 7.
Jennings: Eagle Point producing some trout limits. Lake is a chilly 55 degrees and rising. Supervising ranger Hugh Marx said the water rose 20 inches since Wednesday and will continue to rise until the lake is full. Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Loveland: The 47 anglers checked reported 3 bass kept (7 bass released). Open daily.
Miramar: Open Saturdays through Tuesdays.
Morena: Stocked recently by the DFG with trout. Open daily.
Murray: Open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, but open daily for shoreline fishing.
Otay, Lower: Closed. Re-opens Feb. 7 stocked with rainbow trout from the Department of Fish and Game.
Otay, Upper: Closed. Re-opens Feb. 7.
Poway: Wind kept anglers away, but shoreline anglers had good action at Jump Off Point. Sheltered coves and bays also fishable, especially Boulder Bay. Youth Fishing Derby is Feb. 3 with co-hosts Capt. Ron Baker and Mike Long. Derby is open to kids 15 and under. There will be prizes for biggest fish in each age bracket, including a prize for the smallest fish and for the best fish stories. Lake will be stocked with 2,500 pounds of trout before the derby, with 25 percent of the plant being trophy-sized rainbows. Open Wednesday through Sunday.
Santee Lakes: Open daily.
San Vicente: Open Saturday and Sunday for fishing and boating only. Launch ramp is open for private boaters.
Sutherland: Closed.
Sweetwater: The 8 anglers checked reported 1 bass (released). Open Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Wohlford: Big trout the story here, with good fishing reported in Oakvale Cove, the Senior Shoreline and east of Willow Cove. Carmel Caruana, Oceanside, 9-3 trout, rainbow Power Bait, Boat Dock Cove. Open daily.
STOCKING SCHEDULE
Trout: Dixon, Jennings, Poway, Wohlford, 1,200 pounds.
OCEAN FISHING
Pt. Loma Sportfishing, H&M Landing, Fisherman's Landing: 10 anglers, one three-quarter-day boat: 57 grouper, 10 red rockfish, 2 ling cod, 1 sheephead, 1 sand bass, 20 whitefish. 42 anglers, three half-day boats: 14 sand bass, 6 calico bass, 1 barracuda, 145 sculpin. 47 anglers, two twilight boats: 297 giant squid.
Seaforth: 85 anglers, two twilight boats: 605 giant squid. 6 anglers, one half-day boat: 12 calico bass, 24 sand bass, 3 sculpin.
Islandia: 25 anglers, two half-day boats: 13 calico bass, 100 mackerel, 13 sand bass, 10 sculpin. 31 anglers, one twilight boat: 165 giant squid.
Oceanside: 16 anglers, one half-day boat, 14 sand bass and 3 calico bass.
Bay Fishing: Lobsters continue to crawl as Bruce Chaplin and Bobby Arms scored another limit hoop-netting Saturday night. It's been an incredible season for lobsters in the bay. Overall fishing was fair, with the wind and cold making for tough conditions. Few bigger sand bass and halibut biting.
Surf Fishing: Jeff Kuntz, Oceanside, weighed in a 27-pound, 15-ounce halibut that he caught from the beach in south Carlsbad. Kuntz weighed the big flattie in at Hugh Cobb's Pacific Coast Bait and Tackle shop in Oceanside. Kuntz said he used a plastic swimbaits to fool the big halibut.
Offshore: Giant Humboldt squid continue to be the main ticket for the fleet. Mark Larson of Seaforth Sportfishing said this batch's squirters appear not only to weigh more, but includes more numbers than the schools that showed two years ago around the same time. Larson said he wouldn't be surprised to see a 100-pounder show. Twilight trips leave nightly from Seaforth, Islandia, H&M Landing and Point Loma Sportfishing.
Cabo San Lucas: Billfish still cooperating, with boats reporting an average of two striped marlin per trip. The Fish Cabo was out four days and reported 12 releases on striped marlin (including one 5 release trip). Few dorado showing, but that's about it. Been cool here, too, with nights to 54 degrees and daytime highs in the upper 70s.
NOTEWORTHY
Lower Owens: Tom Loe of Sierra Drifters Guide Service said those low, fishable flows on the Lower Owens River didn't last very long. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power increased the flow to 350 cfs after it had dropped to about 125 cfs the previous week. Loe said DWP said the flows will return to 100 cfs next week. If you want to learn more about Loe's guide operation, he's going to deliver a Power Point seminar at the San Diego Fly Fishers' monthly meeting Feb. 5 at Sequoia Elementary School, 4690 Limerick Ave., in Clairemont Mesa on the corner of Triana Street and Limerick Avenue, south of Clairemont Mesa Boulevard and east of I-805. Meetings start at 7 p.m.
Special Trip: The San Diego Rod and Reel Club is sponsoring a “Children of the Troops” fishing charter Feb. 25 out of Seaforth Sportfishing. The club is using money raised from its Big Fish Tournament to fund the trip through “Friends of Rollo-United Anglers.” The plan is to take kids of active military families out for an afternoon of fishing.
IN THE FIELD
Local Waterfowl: Barrett, 51 hunters, 117 ducks with four limits shot. Mostly ruddys, gadwall and ring-necked taken. George Hanson, San Diego, 3 gadwalls, 2 greenwing teal, 1 canvasback and 1 shoveler, No. 1 Pig Point. Harley Crace, Cardiff, 7 ruddys, No. 6 Pine Creek Arm. George Sawaya, El Cajon, and Neal Middleswart, Poway, 4 gadwalls, 3 shovelers, 2 buffleheads, 3 greenwing teal and 2 ring-necked, No. 8 Pine Creek Arm.
Cuyamaca Junior Hunt: Lake Cuyamaca is sponsoring a Junior Waterfowl Hunt Feb. 3. It's open to junior hunters 12 to 15 years old. Send a postcard with the name, age, license number of the junior hunter to: Lake Cuyamaca Junior Waterfowl Hunt, 15027 Highway 79, Julian, CA 92036.
Huge Hog: They don't keep official weight records on wild hogs in Georgia, but hunter William Coursey of Fayetteville, Ga., believes his 1,100-pound hog is the biggest ever shot in the state and beats out the famed “Hogzilla,” an estimated 800-pound pig that was shot in 2004. “Nobody keeps official records, but it's one heck of a hog,” Georgia Outdoor News editor Daryl Kirby told the Associated Press.
Hunter Safety: Jeff Simonides offers hunter safety classes Jan. 23, 25 and 27. Students must complete all three classes to be eligible to take the hunter safety certification test. Call Simonides at (619) 200-5236 for reservations and times.
Survival Class: The Department of Fish and Game is sponsoring a wilderness survival clinic Feb. 3-4 at Tejon Ranch, south of Bakersfield. Cost is $60, and space is limited. The clinic will focus on preparing for trips into the wilderness, with participants learning about different survival kits for various terrains, wilderness first aid, and techniques for collecting water. The DFG will provide all necessary class equipment. Meals are not included. Registration forms are available online at www.dfg.ca.gov/huntclinics. Camping is available. For information, call Susan Herrgesell (530) 347-3980.
Ed Zieralski: (619) 293-1342; ed.zieralski@uniontrib.com
