Silverwood Lake Fishing

Silverwood Lake is a small man-made reservoir that sits 80 miles away from downtown Los Angeles, or 130 miles away from San Diego.
Overall it’s a popular weekend getaway lake and in this post you’re going to be given the blueprint to fish this lake.
So what are the best tips for Silverwood Lake fishing? There are three important factors you must know if you want to know how to fish Silverwood Lake successfully. First, you need to know what kind of fish is in Silverwood Lake. Second, it’s important for you to know which part of the lake each species can be found. Lastly, knowing what are the best baits that work on Silverwood Lake is vital. However, tactics, baits, and locations will be different for each type of fish that you target. So let’s talk about the steps you need to take in order to give you the best chance of catching a fish on Silverwood Lake.
Key Takeaways
This lake gives locals and visitors the opportunity to test their luck in catching one of the many game species this lake has to offer, such as Trout, Striped Bass, Largemouth Bass, Crappie, Catfish, Bluegill, and much, much more!
Here’s the most recent and updated Silverwood Lake Fishing Report – it gives you a quick and easy list of some really good fishing spots. If you’re looking for more detail on how to fish each spot scroll down into the article.
- Cleghorn Cove
- Miller Cove
- Rocking Chair Point
- The Narrows
- Chamise Bay
- Inlet Area
- Quarry Cove & Sycamore Landing
Here are some additional fast and helpful tips just for you:
- The easiest way to fish this lake is by boat, but there are areas to fish from the bank, or by kayak or float tube.
- There are multiple public boat ramps to use.
- Camping and RV parking is available.
- You can buy tackle and groceries at the lake or at one of the tackle shops in Crestline or San Bernadino.
About Silverwood Lake

Photo: inkknife_2000
Silverwood Lake is a shallow body of water with the average depth being 60 feet and a maximum depth of 166 feet when the lake is completely full. Being over three miles long, fishing at Silverwood Lake can be amazing when you have 13 miles of shoreline to fish. Silverwood Lake gives locals and visitors the opportunity to test their luck in catching one of the many game species this lake has to offer.
Important Lake Warnings
Algae blooms may be present which may affect fishing, swimming, and water contact in general.
According to parks.ca.gov, “every one of California’s new laws requires boat operators to have a California Boating Card. The card is required for anyone under the age of 41 to operate a boat in California’s waters.”
If you are fishing and camping, fire bans may be in effect due to the ongoing drought conditions.
What Kind Of Fish Are In Silverwood Lake
- Rainbow Trout
- Largemouth Bass
- Striped Bass
- White and Black Crappie
- Bluegill and Sunfish
- Catfish
Silverwood Lake Fishing Tips & General Strategies
It can be a challenge to break down Silverwood Lake and decide to get started.
Most of the fish such as bass, bluegill, crappie, and catfish will spawn in the spring. Bass will spawn in 1’-15’-feet of water notably on rocky structure, gravel flats, humps, and small creek inlets and cuts.
When the summer heat sets in, the bass, bluegill, and crappie will move to deeper water to approximately 15’-30’-feet of water. Focus on drops offs, channels, points, submerged humps. Deeper area with chunk rock ranging from baseball to basketball size will attract predatory fish like bass, crappie and catfish because it provides a safe area the prey (crayfish, bream, and minnows) can hide.
If you can find the ideal spot at the ideal depth then it will most likely assist you in catching fish.
But Where Are The Best Places To Fish At Silverwood Lake?
And in no particular order here is that list of the best fishing spots at Silverwood Lake.
DISCLAIMER: The material provided is for general information purposes only. It’s important to understand that any information provided in this article can change at any time. Any maps or graphics featured are not to be used as navigational aids. Fishing Blueprint will not be responsible for any personal injury or property damage from any misuse of the maps or graphics provided. It’s completely impossible to give you every single spot where you can potentially catch a fish. But, what this list does do is to give you a helping hand and narrow down to the most productive fishing spots.
Cleghorn Cove

This is a long cove located in the southwest part of the lake.
It’s phenomenal for largemouth, crappie, and sunfish fishing.
The back of the cove is particularly good in the spring and summer.
It has a primary creek channel that runs down the middle and has several smaller creek ditches that drain into multiple larger creek channels.
This bay has many different structures you can target and fish.
The northern side of the Cleghorn Cove is lined with artificial fish habitats in depths of 10-40 feet of water. It’s also steeper than the south side which makes it a prime area for summer and winter fishing.
The south side slope is more tapered and also has a ton of artificial fish habitat
Moving further out into the mouth of the cove sits the old former diversion dam. The dam will hold bass and stripers in the summer which makes it great for trolling.
Effective baits for this area include: topwater lures, flutter spoons, buzzbaits, crankbaits, soft plastic swimbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, jerkbaits, swim jigs, hair jigs, and underspin jigs when the bass are aggressive.
If the bass are timid, then drop shot, tubes, Ned rig, Neko rig, Mojo rig, Carolina rig and football jigs all work really well.
Located: southwest side of the lake
Structural features: vegetation, steep banks (northern), artificial habitat throughout.
Best species to target: largemouth bass, striped bass, crappie, sunfish
Most effective way to fish this spot: boat, kayak, float tube, shoreline fishing.
Miller Cove

This is another long cove, this time located on the southeast part of the lake.
It’s also phenomenal for largemouth, crappie, and sunfish fishing.
The back of the cove is particularly good in the spring and summer.
It has a primary creek channel that runs down the middle and has several smaller creek ditches that drain into multiple larger creek channels.
This bay has many different structures you can target and fish.
Both sides of Miller Cove are lined with artificial fish habitats in depths of 10-40 feet of water.
Moving further out into the mouth of the cove sits the old former diversion dam. The dam will hold bass and stripers in the summer which makes it great for trolling.
Effective baits for this area include: topwater lures, flutter spoons, buzzbaits, crankbaits, soft plastic swimbaits, spinnerbaits, chatterbaits, jerkbaits, swim jigs, hair jigs, and underspin jigs when the bass are aggressive.
If the bass are timid, then drop shot, tubes, Ned rig, Neko rig, Mojo rig, Carolina rig and football jigs all work really well.
Located: southeast side of the lake
Structural features: vegetation, steep banks (northern), artificial habitat throughout.
Best species to target: largemouth bass, striped bass, crappie, sunfish
Most effective way to fish this spot: boat, kayak, float tube
Rocking Chair Point

This spot is defined by a deep water point that is close to the primary river channel.
The point has multiple ledges, shelves, drop offs, and humps.
During the summer, topwater baits work really well one hour before and after the sunrise/ or sunset. A great midday strategy is to come back to this spot and scan this area with a fish finder and locate the thermocline. Chances are the bass will hold just a few feet above the thermocline. Once identified, target the point with a lure that can be used at that specific depth.
Effective baits for this area include: topwater lures, buzzbaits, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, umbrella rigs, chatterbaits, jerkbaits, underspin jigs, swim jigs, hair jigs, and soft plastic swimbaits perform well here in breezy conditions.
In contrast, slower moving baits such as drop shot, football jigs, tubes, wacky rig, Texas rig, Neko rigs, and Carolina rigs can be phenomenal when the conditions are calm or the bass are holding close to the rocks.
Flutter spoons work great in the deepest part of the bank or over any secondary structures directly related to the bank.
Located: southern section of the lake
Structural features: deep rocky point that is close to the primary river channel
Best species to target: largemouth bass, striped bass, crappie, sunfish
Most effective way to fish this spot: boat, kayak, float tube
The Narrows

The Narrows give the anglers a long single deep channel to fish, and is an excellent place to troll for striped bass, especially in the summer.
Schools of striped bass will suspend around the river channel ledge and multiple points this area offers.
That’s why we love Silverlake Lake fishing! We fished this lake multiple times and this always came in handy!
Downriggers and drift socks aid in catching these trout that are suspended over deep water 80-150-feet deep during the late springtime all the way through late summertime.
The secret to effective striper fishing is using high-quality fish sonar to find where the bass are holding. Often it’s easier to find the school of baitfish first, then you’ll often see striped bass nearby
Below, I included a primer-blueprint to help you quickly and easily get started with striped bass fishing even if you did it before. Ready? Here we go…
If it’s windy, stormy, or if the stripers are actively feeding:
- Consider casting or trolling white or silver lipless crankbaits, silver spoons, big inline spinners, hard plastic minnow-style jointed swimbaits, and umbrella rigs that work really well.
- When the stripers are busting shad on the surface, try walking a topwater walking bait, whopper plopper, or an umbrella rig.
Don’t forget – in windy conditions you can slow your drift using a drift sock for slowing your boat down without having to drain your battery.
In calm conditions, or if the bass are not active you have a few options to target:
- Consider dropping cut frozen anchovies down to where the bass are holding in open water
- Jig a flutter spoon over the school to get them activated
- Swim or jig a bucktail hair jig over or through the school
- Swim or jig a finesse 4″ soft plastic swimbait through or over the school
Have a bright-colored crankbait ready if the striped bass dive when the boat approaches the boil; one of these tactics should deliver at least a couple of good fish.
Lastly, do you want to escape the heat? In the evenings, anchor off of points and fish deep with cut frozen or fresh anchovies. Works best when you use a green light to attract the baitfish!
Located: Southwest corner of the lake
Structural features: Steep rocky banks, deep channels and drop offs.
Best species to target: striped bass, largemouth bass
Most effective way to fish this spot: Boat, kayak, or float tube by either trolling with a downrigger,or trolling without a down rigger
Chamise Bay

This is a large open bay that is best described by having several smaller creek ditches that drain into multiple larger creek channels, all of whom are submerged. This bay has many different structures you can target and fish.
The main creek channels that drain from the bay to the main lake create underwater main lake points. Scan these areas because they will often have rocky high spots, ridges, humps, and ledges associated with them.
Moving further into the bay, make sure to scan the ditch and channel interactions. This area also has rocky high spots, ridges, humps, and ledges, along with channel swings that can hold fish.
Effective baits for this area include: topwater lures, buzzbaits, crankbaits, soft plastic swimbaits, spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, chatterbaits, swim jigs, hair jigs, and underspin jigs when the bass are aggressive. Flutter spoons work great in the deeper channel sections as well.
If the bass are timid, then drop shot, tubes, Ned rig, Neko rig, Mojo rig, Carolina rig, and football jigs all work really well.
Located: northwestern section of the lake
Structural features: deep water creek channels, rocky high spots, ridges, humps, and ledges.
Best species to target: largemouth bass, striped bass
Most effective way to fish this spot: boat, kayak
Inlet Area

This area is a water inlet flowing into the lake.
Anytime you observe an area with a constant supply of current it should be checked for fish. The flowing water into the area brings nutrients and food for the local baitfish to eat. Naturally, the bass will follow the baitfish and pick off the sick or injured in this area.
Another important feature of this area is since it provides a constant flow of current and swirling water, it subsequently provides a constant source of oxygen. If there is a constant source of oxygen, it means the area is less likely to be affected by severe weather or seasonal changes (ex: the fall turnover) and it will attract fish all year long.
You’ll notice the locals lining the boats up along the boat boundary buoys and casting large swimbaits and umbrella rigs upstream.
Here is a list of lures that can work great in this area: topwater lures, buzzbaits, spinnerbaits, crankbaits, frog lures, umbrella rigs, jerkbaits, swim jigs, soft plastic swimbaits, chatterbaits, hair jigs, and underspin jigs.
Flutter spoons work great when used over any deep channels, points, structure, or vertical timber.
In contrast, slower-moving baits such as drop shot, football jigs, tubes, wacky rig, Texas rig, Neko rigs, and Carolina rigs can be phenomenal when the conditions are calm or the bass are not as active.
Located: northside near the dam end.
Structural features: inlet of flowing water.
Best species to target: striped bass, largemouth bass, crappie
Most effective way to fish this spot: boat
Quarry Cove & Sycamore Landing

Quarry Cove is a steep rocky bank created during the construction of the Cedar Springs Dam. The bank is characteristically very steep and made from large chunk-rock to boulder-sized substrate.
Given this embankment’s large area, it’s best to focus your efforts on cuts, points, boulder piles, and transition areas from larger rocks to smaller rock size.
Sycamore Landing is a long point made up of rocky rip rap. The point is covered in thick chunk rock, which the size can range from small boulders to basketball-sized rock (also known as “rip rap”).
Naturally, crawfish, bluegill, minnows, and shad seek shelter in these types of fishing spots, which in turn attract bass and other predatory fish.
Both of these spots are phenomenal for fishing during the summer and winter.
Effective baits for this area include: topwater lures, buzzbaits, crankbaits, spinnerbaits, umbrella rigs, chatterbaits, jerkbaits, underspin jigs, swim jigs, hair jigs, and soft plastic swimbaits perform well here in breezy conditions.
In contrast, slower-moving baits such as drop shot, football jigs, tubes, wacky rig, Texas rig, Neko rigs, and Carolina rigs can be phenomenal when the conditions are calm or the bass are holding close to the rocks.
Flutter spoons work great in the deepest part of the bank or over any secondary structures directly related to the bank.
Located: northwest section of the lake.
Structural features: steep rocky cove, long and deep chunk rock point
Best species to target: striped bass, largemouth bass, crappie
Most effective way to fish this spot: boat
How To Catch Fish In Silverwood Lake?
Rainbow Trout
California Department of Fish and Wildlife grows and stocks local lakes and reservoirs like this lake with Rainbow Trout.
Due to this lake being relatively unpressured, deep, and colder, and most other desert reservoirs, the stocked trout do very well.
Most trout caught are here are between 1-2 pounds. Additionally, talking to members of our community they continue to agree with the Silverwood Lake Fishing Report.
Furthermore, trout are produced in local fisheries, they are healthy and have no limit on the amount of trout that can be consumed.
Typically trout are stocked frequently, however, it can vary.
Sometimes you’ll read this lake has steelhead trout, but no rainbow trout, or visa versa…
This can be confusing for a lot of people. Are rainbow trout and steelhead trout the same?
Short answer, they are nearly the same species.
But, if you have ever wondered, what is the real difference between a rainbow trout and a steelhead trout? We wrote a definitive report called, “What’s the Difference Between A Rainbow Trout Vs Steelhead”. Click here to read it, so you can end the confusion once and for all.
General Trout Details
Spawn: March-May
Food: insects and crustaceans.
California State Record: 27 lbs 0 oz. Caught 10/02/2005 in Lake Natoma.
Table Quality: Depending on the fishes diet, the meat can be white to orange-red in color. The meat is firm, flaky, and is considered excellent eating.
Angling techniques:
- Trolling with or without downriggers
- Fish attractor: 6in Shasta Tackle UV sling blade or a Jensen Trout & Kokanee Dodger in blue, silver in clear water, or chartreuse, bright pink in stained water.
- Trolling spoons such as a Krocodile spoon, Super Duper, Crippled Herring, Cast Champ, or Hus-Lure – simple, easy to use, can be trolled or cast-retrieved at any speed.
- Inline spinners such as the Bang-Tail and Shyster – gets a ton of bites.
- Minnow style baits such as the Luhr-Jensen Quick Fish and the Rapala BX minnow – known to hook up giant fish.
- Real or artificial corn – great because it will never spoil or mold over.
- Natural salmon eggs – it’s hard to beat natural salmon eggs when trout are eating salmon eggs, they’ll eat up jars of this stuff!
- Artificial salmon eggs – great because they float off the bottom – ideal in rocky or grassy conditions.
- Real worms – such as meal worms or nightcrawlers.
- Artificial worms – great for trolling and will never die.
- Dry flies (floating flies) – The insects that land, float, or live on top of the water, which are represented by dry flies.Investing in a kit gives you a wide assortment of flies and a good selection of types and sizes allow you to quickly adjust to any situation.
- Wet flies (sinking flies) – Wet flies imitate insects that develop and inhabit below the water level before emerging and rising to the surface. Investing in a kit gives you a wide assortment of flies and a good selection of types and sizes allow you to quickly adjust to any situation.
- Woolly bugger flies – One of the most popular fly patterns ever is the Woolly Bugger. These mimic small fish, leeches, larvae, and worms. Investing in a kit gives you a wide assortment of flies and a good selection of types and sizes allow you to quickly adjust to any situation.
Steamer flies – They can also mimic larger animals found in streams and rivers, including crawfish, larger leeches, and smaller fish. Investing in a kit gives you a wide assortment of flies and a good selection of types and sizes allow you to quickly adjust to any situation.
- **The number one key to successful trout fishing, is to use light line (2 to 6 pound) and small hooks (10-14 sizes), and small sinkers
On a Side Note: Tips For Trolling for Trout
If you have access to a boat or kayak, try to put as many lures in the water as possible (obviously, check local laws, regulations, and restrictions, as well as knowing if certain locations have limits) and as far away from the boat as feasible.
Some utilize planer boards and even down riggers to keep the lines away from the boat.
Here’s where a smart professional fishing-guide can and will hook you up with some of the biggest, toughest-fighting fish you’ll ever encounter.
Having high-quality electronics aids in establishing the depth at which fish are continuously feeding, as well as which food source is being consumed the most frequently.
If you examine the shoreline’s structure along with using your fish finder, study the underwater topography of the lake.
If you notice a cliff, it’s likely that the water at its base is deep.
If you observe a chain of islands or exposed main lake humps, there’s a good chance there’s a shallow shoal or channel between them.
Trout prefer drop-offs, channels, and ledges, so you’ll want to troll parallel to these locations rather than over them.
If you stumble upon a place and catch a trout, there’s a good chance there are more.
Luckily there is an in-depth report that you can access, called How To Troll for Trout [A Beginner’s Guide], you’ll learn all the special tips and strategies many of the fishing guides will keep to themselves. Click here to learn more, so you can extend your fishing season all year long.
Largemouth Bass
Largemouth bass is a carnivorous member of the sunfish family.
California grows some MONSTER bass. At any time you could hook into a bass that could be your all-time personal best.
In general, if the water clarity is clear to a slightly stained lake. Meaning finesse techniques (like drop shot fishing), small lures (like football jigs), and thin diameter line gets you the most bites when the wind is calm.
On the other hand, if the water is moderately stained or murky, then you need to choose darker lures. This also means you can get away with using thicker diameter line.
Since the 1980’s this lake has been stocked with Florida-strain largemouth bass. Bass fishing in this lake is not as popular as trout or salmon fishing. Luckily, you can still catch a giant bass by lobbying large swimbaits for glide baits in trout patterns.
Once your arm gets tired you can still catch a ton of fish by throwing a drop shot rig, small crankbait, or dragging a Texas rigged Senko around a fish attracting structure.
If that doesn’t catchem, you can switch to either a drop shot rig or a Neko rig and target points, boulders, or channel swings.
Read more: Beginner’s Guide To Bass Fishing Basics – Tips, Secrets & Things To Avoid
General Largemouth Bass Details
Spawn: Spring, March-May
Food: Shad, minnows, small trout, small salmon, bluegill, perch, crayfish
California State Record: 21lbs 12 oz. Caught in 1991 in Castaic Lake at the main boat ramp.
Table Quality: Decent. Firm white meat.
Angling techniques:
Striped Bass
Commonly known as “stripers”, striped bass travel into freshwater streams to reproduce, yet they are saltwater natives.
Our striper reports for Silverwood Lake fishing continue to be that most caught striped bass will grow to an average size of 12-20 inches and weigh 1-3 pounds. However, some striped bass can grow to become enormous and can weigh as much as 70+ pounds!
Because their eggs need to move in order to hatch, stripers prefer freshwater rivers and streams as spawning places.
Once a lake or river is dammed off, the area is often inundated by landlocked stripers.
One great example of this is the striped bass that are found in the Colorado river lakes near the California-Arizona border. The river was a key spawning habitat before dams were created, and many giant stripers have come from these waters.
When targeting stripers, focus the majority of your fishing on the deepest water the lake has to offer. Stripers are typically nearby if you can find schools of shad.
It’s strongly recommended you invest in a good fish finder/ sonar unit. Bait fish will appear as a clump of tiny dots suspended in the water column. Additionally, striped bass will appear as larger arcs below or near the school of shad. If you see striped bass near the school of shad you need to fish it.
Stripers may be caught on a variety of baits such as minnow baits, jointed crankbaits, umbrella rigs, or swimming spoons at proper depths when the baitfish are suspended over the deep water.
If you notice any surface feeding action, using topwater baits such as walking baits, or surface prop baits such as whopper ploppers make fishing an absolute blast.
Jigging spoons perform insanely well when the stripers are deep.
Striped bass can often be found in medium to deep water coves and secondary lake arms. One of the first places to find striped bass is to look at your fishing map and find distinct changes in depth such as drop offs or river channel swings.
Striped bass can always be caught using live bait, cut bait (such as frozen anchovy, shad, shrimp, or squid – yep even in lakes), as well as chicken livers.
Lastly, trolling is another great approach to catch stripers. Use larger sizes of flashing lures. Stripers may be caught on a variety of baits such as minnow baits, jointed crankbaits, umbrella rigs, or swimming spoons
General Striped Bass Details
Spawn: April – mid-June in flowing water, current or rivers
Food: Shad, dead or alive.
California State Record: 67 lb 8 oz. 45.25 in. O’Neill Forebay. Hank Ferguson, Soquel 5/7/1992
Table Quality: The meat is excellent. It’s firm, flaky and white. There is a red lateral line that must be removed otherwise it gives off a strong “fishy” taste. Otherwise, these make excellent fish fry meals.
Angling techniques:
- Topwater lures
- Jointed Crankbaits
- Lipless Crankbaits
- Soft plastic swimbaits
- Spinnerbaits
- Jerkbaits
- Chatterbaits
- Swim jigs
- Hair jigs
- Underspin jigs
- Drop shot
- Tubes
- Frozen shad or anchovies as “cut bait”
- Small soft plastic swimbait
- Spoons
- Streamer flies
White and Black Crappie
If you like crappie fishing, this lake is filled with them.
The best time to fish for crappie in this lake and other lakes similar to it is in summertime while you’re night using a submerged green light. If you don’t know what a green fishing light is, or if you’re unfamiliar, then click this link to learn more.
Green light fishing at night in this lake is amazing. If you haven’t done it you are missing out. The nights are cool and the night sky is filled with stars…
Anyway, I digress…
White crappie tend to linger over submerged brush and timber and are found in schools. The white crappie are much more tolerant in warmer water than their black crappie cousins.
White crappie have a more “silvery” appearance and lack the dark vertical bars when compared to the black crappie.
Black crappie can be described as having irregular black dots and blotches on the back and have more of a “silvery-olive” background.
Average weight of a white or black crappie in this lake is probably going to be just under a pound.
General Crappie Details
Spawn: April – mid-June
Food: Larvae, small fish, and crustaceans. Threadfin shad and minnows make up their main diet.
California State Record:
- White crappie: 4 lbs 8 oz. Caught 4/26/1971 in Clear Lake using minnows.
- Black crappie: 4 lbs 8 oz. Caught 2/17/2021 in Clear Lake using minnows.
Table Quality: The meat is excellent. It’s firm, flaky and white.
Angling techniques:
- Live minnows under bobbers
- Crappie jigs
- Crappie tubes
- Silver spoons
- Spinners
Catfish
There are four species of catfish in California, the blue catfish, bullhead catfish, channel catfish, white catfish.
Catfish are predatory animals and scavengers. Some can get very big, while others remain small. They tend to spend most of their time on the bottom of the lake versus swimming higher in the water column suspended.
Catfish can have up to 8 whisker-like barbels by their mouths to help them detect food.
Blue catfish can get very big. They can weigh more than 100 pounds and grow to around 5 feet long. They have 8 whisker-like barbels by their mouths. They prefer larger cut bait and live bait
Conversely, bullhead catfish tend to be smaller and will weigh on average about 1-2-pounds, but can grow to around 4-5-pounds.
Channel catfish weight will range from 0.5-to-15-pounds in this lake, however the average weight will be between 1-4-pounds.
The smallest of all catfish in North America is the white catfish. These catfish are considered rare by anglers’ standards. They average 1-2 pounds and will grow to only about a foot.
All species prefer warmer coves, but can also be found scavenging near the marinas, or around the dam.
All can be caught with live bait, cut bait or dough bait. Some of the best baits you can use are chicken livers, hotdogs, anchovies, mackerel or sardines, catfish stink-bait/dough baits, or even night crawlers. warm coves or near the dam.
General Catfish Details
Spawn: March-June
Food: Carp, bluegill
California State Record:
Blue catfish – 72 lbs 14 oz. Caught 4/22/2003 in Colorado River (Riverside).
Bullhead catfish – 4 lbs 8 oz. Caught 10/7/1993 in Trinity Lake.
Channel catfish – 53 lbs 8 oz. Caught 9/22/2008 in San Joaquin River.
White catfish – 22 lbs 0 oz. Caught 3/21/1994 in Land Park pond (Sacramento).
Table Quality: Soft white meat. In the summer the meat will taste muddy.
Angling techniques:
- chicken liver
- hotdogs
- stink bait
- small live bluegill, sunfish, or perch
- Frozen cut bait; anchovies, mackerel or sardines.
Bluegill or Sunfish
Also known collectively as “panfish” or “bream”, these small fish are both predators and prey. They fulfill a mid-tier predator role in the ecosystem.
Panfish are highly aggressive and eat minnows, bass fry (newly hatched baby bass), and insects.
The bluegill has teal-blue coloring on the bottom portion of the chin and gill plate. It also has a solid black opercula flap just behind the gill plate.
Fun fact: The oldest reported age for a bluegill is 10 years.
With the exception of appearance and size, the redear sunfish is quite similar to the bluegill. The dorsal fin of the redear sunfish features tiny vertical bands that go downward. It has a black dorsal color and a yellow-green ventral tint. The male’s operculum has a cherry-red edge, while the female’s has an orange coloring.
These panfish are found on the shoreline and prefer nearby structures. They are incredibly aggressive and will quickly attack anything that looks like it could be eaten. Due to their aggressive behavior, they are one of the easiest fish to catch and are a great way to introduce someone to fishing.
General Bluegill/ Sunfish Details
Spawn: April and May
Food: Small fish and insects
California State Record:
Bluegill – 3 lbs 14 oz. Caught 6/22/2008 in Rancho Murieta Reservoir.
Sunfish (red ear) – 5 lbs 3 oz. 6/27/1994 in Folsom South Canal (Sacramento)
Table Quality: Firm, white meat
Angling techniques:
- Worms
- Dough balls
- Slim Jim sausages pieces on a small hook (not lying… it really works)
- Small spinners
- Trout flies
Boat Ramps and Marinas at Silverwood Lake

Silverwood Lake State Recreation Area Boat Launch
14651 Cedar Cir, Hesperia, CA 92345
(760) 389-2281
Lanes: 2
Restrooms: Yes
Showers: no
Groceries/snacks available: Yes
Gas: No
Camping nearby: Yes
Silverwood Lake Marina
14651 Sawpit Canyon Rd, Hesperia, CA 92345
(760) 389-2281
Lanes: 6
Restrooms: Yes
Showers: no
Groceries/snacks available: No
Gas: No
Camping nearby: Yes
Top Tackle Shops Near Silverwood Lake

Lake Drive ACE Hardware
23895 Lake Dr, Crestline, CA 92325
acehardware.com
(909) 338-1617
Silverwood Country Store
12077 CA-138, Hesperia, CA 92345
(760) 389-2423
Walmart
4001 Hallmark Pkwy, San Bernardino, CA 92407
(909) 880-4038
Camping Near Silverwood Lake

Silverwood Lake Campgrounds
Silverwood Lake has a total of one campground spread over three different lots Old Mesa Campground “A” (sites 1-65), Old Mesa Campground “B” (sites 66-95), and New Mesa Campground (sites 96-136)
- Sites – 136 total.
- RV – some have full hook-ups, whereas some have partial
- Standard sites/ tent sites available
- Dump station available: Yes
- Low season: October – March
- High season: April – September
- Pets welcome: Yes
- Fire ring – Yes
- Grill – Yes
- Drinking water – Yes
- Flush toilets – Yes
- Showers – Yes
Reservations – Silverwood Lake SRA Reservations or call (800) 444-PARK (7275)
Other Activities You Can Do At Silverwood Lake

Fishing is not the only thing that brings people to the beautiful body of water. Here’s a list of other things you can do!
- Biking
- Bird watching
- Boating
- Skiing
- Kayaking
- Canoeing
- Sailing
- Swimming
- Camping
- Horseshoes
- Picnicking
- Hiking
- Gentle walking trails
- Nature photography trails
- Wildlife viewing
- Mountain biking
- Stargazing
- and most importantly… relaxing.
In Summary...
As you now can see Silverwood Lake fishing can be tough at times, but it’s not impossible and with the help of the Silverwood Lake Fishing Report… It definitely helps you get started on the right foot quickly and easily, so you can avoid wasting hours wondering where and how to get started.
But Let Me Ask You a Question…
Do you now have a better sense of where you can get started, even if you have have been here? YES, we went over all the best locations to start when you get to this lake!
Do you feel that you have a good grasp of what species are in this lake? YES, we went over using multiple helpful lists so you don’t waste your time and money going after the wrong species of fish!
Do you have a good understanding what baits are needed to catch each of the different species of fish? YES, we hammered this topic several times in the fishing report what baits and lures are needed to each and every fish!
YES! That’s right!… If you made it this far you know I truly over delivered for you… I gave away secrets about this lake that I haven’t told anyone until publishing this report.
I Need To Ask A Favor From You And It’s Not Going To Cost You A Single Dime…
If you have gotten anything out of this free report; whether its knowing where to get started, what kinds of fish are in Lake Pleasant, what baits to use, where to launch your boat, where to buy a frosty beverage, where to camp, and other things to do when you’re at this lake…
Then I need you to do something that is going to help you your fellow angler…
And that is share this report. Please share it to as many people as you can. It’s free to you and it really helps me out as a creator.
THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN HELP ME THE MOST: There’s a lot of information about this subject you have found helpful, and I’m sure you’ll be able to put some of the knowledge bombs to use. But sharing this report helps drive traffic which in turn helps me at absolutely no cost to you. I love creating reports like this for you, and you like reading these types of reports please share this with your friends, family, and fellow anglers.
Click on your favorite social media buttons to share this page now!
Other California Related Fishing Articles
- Bass Lake Fishing Report
- Clear Lake Fishing Report
- Castaic Lake Fishing Report
- California Delta Fishing Report
- Diamond Valley Lake Fishing Report
- Don Pedro Reservoir Fishing Report
- Lake Berryessa Fishing Report
- Big Bear Lake Fishing Report
- Folsom Lake Fishing Report
- Lake Almanor Fishing Report
- Lake Camanche Fishing Report
- Lake Isabella Fishing Report
- Lake Havasu Fishing Report
- Lake McClure Fishing Report
- Lake Oroville Fishing Report
- Lake Perris Fishing Report
- Lake Piru Fishing Report
- Lake Skinner Fishing Report
- Lake Tahoe Fishing Report
- Los Banos Reservoir Fishing Report
- New Hogan Lake Fishing Report
- New Melones Lake Fishing Report
- O’Neill Forebay Fishing Report
- Pardee Lake Fishing Report
- San Luis Reservoir Fishing Report
- Shasta Lake Fishing Report
- Silverwood Lake Fishing Report
- Trinity Lake Fishing Report
- Whiskeytown Lake Fishing Report
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