South Freshwater Fish Report
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Updated October 7, 2026
POWAY LAKE – Bass are leading the charge right now, with fish coming from under the floating dock and near the log boom, with the latter producing the bigger from the VERY deep water. Senkos, shaky heads, and big jigs are getting them to go. Catfish are at the log boom too, and will take chunks of mackerel. Weigh in your largest caught fish at the boat dock (dock scale must be used by the city staff), and you may win two fishing permits and a full day motorboat rental. Prizes will be given away each month for bass, trout and catfish.
PYRAMID LAKE – Anchovies or sardines dropped deep, often over 90 feet, is producing stripers from 4- to 6- pounds. Catfish are also being caught this way, and anglers may want to have some chicken liver or mackerel available when they’re fishing for stripers too. The water is very green right now, so be prepared to clean those reels after a day on the water. Bass are pretty slow, but there’s a few available on Drop-shots or T-rigged worms. Anglers are still advised to call ahead when they plan to rent a boat, as there are days when they are not available for various reasons. They may also want to ask about the algae situation.
SAN ANTONIO LAKE — Local guide Doug Rice (RGSFish.com) told WON “The lake is down to 47% and the fall bite is on fire. Great fishing throughout the lake on crankbaits early/low light and neko or shaky head during the day. People are catching 20 to 30 bass up to 3 pounds all last week. Offshore breaks in 9 to 12 feet are producing and cranks like the Spro RkCrawler on lower end and sandstone walls are on fire. Fish are schooled up and can boil on shad at any time.
SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES — Plenty of full baskets here, and there’s often a combo of catfish and tilapia in them. Mackerel, chicken liver and shrimp will get the catfish to go, and there should be some hefty ones coming in as the water cools. Tilapia will take a nightcrawler. Float tubes are no longer allowed, but campers can fish overnight, and there are frequently some very large catfish taken after dark. During catfish season, the lake is open until 11p.m. on Thursdays.
SANTA MARGARITA LAKE – “Santa Margarita lake is at 83% and the water temp is 74-76 degrees and the weeds are wilting and dying back,” said guide Doug Rice (RGSFish.com). “Look for right healthy green patches with tullies behind for frog and punch action. The late afternoon shade has produced a solid neko and drop-shot bite. Find the shad near shady walls and cast directly into them. Bass will be in 2 feet one minute and then 20 feet the next. Crappie are in open water or at the end of laydowns with 20 to 25 feet on the end. The shad are starting to school up for fall and the bait birds will let you know where to start. Bluegill and redear have moved to outside of dying weeds and a bobber/mealworm is gold right now.”
SANTEE LAKES – All quiet here, as catfish season came and went very quickly, and the bass have seen just about every bait on the planet. They’ll take the occasional topwater, Senko, or Drop-shot though. Bluegill are taking small pieces of nightcrawler near any sort of shoreline structure. Trout will arrive in November, depending on water temperatures.
SAN VICENTE RESERVOIR – Great bass fishing right now, with both quality and quantity showing up for anglers. Topwater is king right now, and the bass are blowing up along the shorelines for just about the entire day. Frops, poppers, walking baits, and Flukes or other soft plastic jerkbaits are landing fish to 4 pounds.
SILVERWOOD LAKE – A fire got close and did some damage to a local campgrounds, but the lake remained open for fishing. There hasn’t been a ton of chatter out of silverwood, but there are stillcontinued reports of respectable fishing for both striped bass and largemouth bass for shore poundersthrowing jerk baits at night.
SKINNER LAKE — Bass guys are doing well fishing shallow with urchin baits Senkos worked in and around tules. In the afternoon the bite shifts into deeper water, and largemouth are being found in 15 to 20 feet of water by anglers working drop-shots and Carolina rigs off points. Catfish action remains very consistent with a good amount of quality models caught. The striped bass scene is still a ghost town.
