THE OUTDOORS : Fresh Fish : Silverwood Produces a Giant Bass

Lee Johnson of Crestline caught a 40-pound 7-ounce striped bass at Lake Silverwood last Friday to highlight a vastly improved bite at the San Bernardino County reservoir.

Johnson’s catch was shy of the lake-record 41-pound 3-ounce fish caught by Greg Silks in 1987.

LAKE MEAD--Still windy but some striped bass biting in Overton Arm--despite six-foot wind waves--and at Vegas and Gypsum Wash areas. Smaller fish taken in shallows, bigger fish at 35-40 feet. Anchovies best bet.

BULLHEAD CITY--Striped bass averaging two-four pounds biting on river, with drifting anchovies from Davis Dam to pipeline best bet. Catfish averaging two to four pounds biting throughout lake and river. Largemouth bass biting on lake. Waterdogs best bet. Trout slow.

SALTON SEA--Winds slowing things at north end, but orangemouth corvina bite good from Bombay Beach to Red Hill area, fish averaging 10 pounds. Live bait working best. Croaker bite good throughout sea.

LAKE CACHUMA--Trout the best action, biting from 15 to 40 feet. Largemouth bass biting at 10 feet, with east shoreline and Cachuma bay best areas. Ron Boyce, Lompoc, eight-pound bass. Catfish good, biting at east end, averaging 10 pounds. Mackerel best bet.

LAKE CASITAS--Largemouth bass bite good despite large crowds--15,000 in park on Sunday. Fish averaging about five pounds. Gary Wolf, Oxnard, 9 1/2-pound bass. Norm Smith, Oak View, six- and eight-pound bass. Jim Azine, Santa Monica, eight-pound bass. Trout bite good at 10-15 feet throughout lake. Cheese baits working best. Catfish bite fair, to 12 pounds.

PYRAMID LAKE--Striped bass picking up, biting on surface plugs near marina. Largemouth bass biting off rocky points and drop-offs to 35 feet. Most taking surface lures. Kelly Laumbach, Frazier Park, 6, 2 1/2-pound largemouth. Catfish bite fair to good, with fish biting at 25-40 feet off points.

LAKE PIRU--Largemouth bass providing most action, biting in coves and near drop-offs. Anthony Rozario, Fountain Valley, 6 1/2-pound bass. Catfish biting at north end and near dam, averaging two pounds. Mackerel best bet. Trout slow.

CASTAIC LAKE--Largemouth bass picking up at upper lake, good in lower. Most baits working. Harold Feinstein, Chatsworth, 6 1/4-pound bass, released. Gregory Weiler, Seal Beach, 8 1/2-pound bass. Bluegills biting consistently in both lakes. Trout bite fair, with Berkley Power Bait working best. Catfish slow.

BIG BEAR--Trout bite fair throughout lake, with some limits. Power Bait and small spinners working best.

LAKE SILVERWOOD--Striped bass biting on surface lures in mornings and evenings; anchovies working best during day. Jim Lucas, Apple Valley, 18 1/4-pound striper. Steve Mahoney, Barstow, 10- 12- and 13-pound stripers. Largemouth bass biting off rocks and drop-offs and throughout channel. Bob Sabean, Ontario, 5 1/2-pound bass. Most artificials working. Catfish biting on “anything stinky.” Rainer Fruhauf, Highland, 13 1/2-pound catfish. Crappie bite good, with mini-jigs working best. Trout biting on most baits.

BISHOP AREA--Crowley: trout action picking up, with cheese and worms working best. Sacramento perch biting on yellow-feathered jigs and worms. South Lake: fishing slow, worms on backside best bet. Sabrina: Power Bait and salmo eggs working best for pan-sized rainbows. North lake: perhaps experiencing best bite for pan-sized rainbow and brook trout. Several limits taken by fishermen using worms. Pleasant Valley Reservoir: Several limits of rainbows, most biting on Power Bait.

JUNE LAKE AREA--June and Gull lakes producing several limits of rainbows. Power Bait best bet. Silver and Grant lakes: bite fair, with Power Bait and small nightcrawlers working best. Rush Creek: Salmon eggs and small spinners netting several limits. Shore fishing best.

BRIDGEPORT--Bank-fishing on Lower Twin producing eight- 14-inch rainbows. Kokanee salmon showing. Bridgeport Reservoir: Trollers catching rainbows to 1 1/4 pounds. Flashers and broken-backed fluorescent Rapalas working best. West Walker River: High water level; best fishing with small spinners in deep-water pools.

Trout Plants

LOS ANGELES--Lower Big Tujunga Creek, El Dorado Park Lake, Peck Road Park Lake, Piru Creek (Frenchman’s Flat), Puddingstone Lake, San Dimas Reservoir.

RIVERSIDE--Lake Perris.

SAN BERNARDINO--Big Bear Lake, Cucamonga Creek, Lytle Creek (Middle Fork), Lake Silverwood.

SANTA BARBARA--Lake Cachuma.

VENTURA--Lake Casitas, rose valley Lakes, Upper Sespe Creek.

SAN DIEGO--Doane Pond, San Luis Rey River.

SAN LUIS OBISPO--Atascadero Lake, Laguna Lake, Lake Lopez.

INYO--Baker Creek, Big Pine Creek (Lower, middle, South forks and Intake II), Cottonwood Creek, Georges Creek, Goodale Creek, Independence Creek, Lone Pine Creek, North Lake, Owens River (below Tinemeha and Laws Bridge downstream to Steward Lane), Pine Creek, Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Rock Creek (Rock Creek Lake to the end of the road), Rock Creek Lake, Shepherds Creek, Taboose Creek, Tinemeha Creek, Tuttle Creek.

MONO--Bridgeport Reservoir, Buckeye Creek, Convict Creek, Convict Lake, Deadman Creek, Ellery Lake, George Lake, Glass Creek, Grant Lake, Green Creek, Gull Lake, June Lake, Lake Mary, Lee Vining Creek, Lee Vining Creek (South Fork), Little Walker River, Lundy Lake, Mamie Lake, Mammoth creek, McGee Creek, Mill Creek, Pine Creek, Reverse Creek, Robinson Creek, Rock Creek (Paradise Camp to Tom’s Place, Tom’s Place upstream to Rock Creek Lake), Rush Creek, Saddlebag Creek, Saddlebag Lake, Sherwin Creek, Silver Lake, Swauger Creek, Tioga Lake, Trumble Lake, Twin Lakes Bridgeport, Twin Lakes Mammoth, Virginia Creek, Virginia Lakes, Walker River (Chris Flat Campground to town of Walker, Leavitt Meadows Campground to Sonora Bridge).