South Freshwater Fish Report
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Updated August 13, 2026
HESPERIA LAKE – Catzilla(s) have arrived, in the form of one 30-pound class fish and one fish that’s upwards of 50 pounds. The 30-pound fish was caught, but the larger fish remains. Shrimp is still the best bait for the catfish here, but they’ll hit mackerel too. The more important aspect is to fish under the cover of darkness. Night fishing is available until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and a special band is needed to fish from 2 p.m. until 10 p.m. on those days.
HODGES LAKE – Still fun fishing for the few anglers that are braving the heat. The dawn shadow line on the west side of the peninsula has some good topwater fishing early, particularly on a buzzbait. Then a squarebill or a deeper crankbait like a 6XD will do the trick. The lake is open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday, but closed the 3rd Wednesday of every month.
IRVINE LAKE – There’s been a lot of chatter about a grassroots survey that went out urging people to sign it online so we could be presented to the powers that be, and show them how many people would like to see boating return to Irvine lake. But there’s also chatter about drawing the lake way down if not completely to do some repairs on the dam, so any hope of iruvine returning to its former glory within the next few years is pretty much nil. Still, it’s good to keep the heat on them, and it is open for shore fishing so there’s that.
ISABELLA LAKE – Guide Rusty Brown (RustyBassHook.com) Connected with Western Outdoor News after he caught a an 8-pound largemouth bass on one of his own Mr. Rusty’s Big Worms in Purple Magic. That fish was caught in the early morning and 12 feet of water off a rock pile in 80-degree water with 4 feet of visibility. He said there’s lots of shad and bluegill moving around, and that’s been resulting in a respectable reaction bait bite, lake Isabella is about 45% full and slowly dropping.
JENNINGS LAKE – 1,000 pounds of catfish were planted the weekend of July 28, and the next batch will be the weekend of August 17. Chicken liver, mackerel, or shrimp are getting them, particularly during the nighttime fishing hours. Bass are biting too, mostly during low light hours. Jigs, t-rigged plastics, and swimbaits are doing the job. The lake is open at 6 a.m., and stays open until 12 a.m. on Friday and Saturdays, but closes at 7 p.m. on Sundays.
