The High Desert went from clouds and rain on Thanksgiving to clear, warm days with no breezes. The weekend was just beautiful. The Lakes hatchery crew worked overtime and stocked trout on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday this week to make sure anglers had plenty of opportunity to catch trout. But like the weather the trout bite was up and down with angler's reporting slow to good action on both lakes this week. Lures and plastics caught the most trout. Anglers also used Power Bait (especially spring green, salmon peach and white lightning) and inflated night crawlers. Lots of trout over 3 pounds were caught and most trout were near or over 2 pounds. Hot spots included the northern and eastern shores of lake 3 from the log to the pump house as well as the eastern and northern shores from the inlets to the wall of lake 2.

Catches of the Week: Evan Kaihara of Fullerton scored a limit that included 4 lbs 8 ozs and 3 lbs 11 ozs rainbows. Kaihara used a green Jake lure and fished the inlet of lake 2. Covina angler, Jim Gray reeled in a 4 lbs 8 ozs trout on spring green Power Bait while fishing the northern shore of lake 2. Armando Acevedo of Chino caught his 3 lbs 11 ozs rainbow using a Trout Teaser on the western shore of Lake 3 near the drain. West Covina angler, Joseph Jaramillo caught a 3 lbs 7 ozs trout on spring green Power Bait while fishing the eastern shore of lake 3. Arvel Castleberry of Palmdale scored 4 lbs 6 ozs and 3 lbs 15 ozs trout on a orange and silver Kastmaster while fishing the north shore of lake 2 near the bridge. His friend John Bretz of Lancaster reeled in 3 lbs 5 ozs and 3 lbs 14 ozs rainbows using a plastic cricket and a night crawler. Jason Ocull Jr. of Phelan caught his 3 lbs 2 ozs rainbow on orange Power Bait from the eastern logged shore of lake 3. Custom Rod Specialist, Steve Saitman caught a limit that included 4 lbs 8 ozs and 2 lbs 8 ozs rainbows. He used yellow power bait and fished the western shore of lake 3 near the drain. Tim Wolfinbarger of Fontana scored 4 lbs 7 ozs and 3 lbs 13 ozs trout using a yellow and white crappie jig while fishing the inlets of Lake 2. Ontario angler, Ruben Mena scored his 6 lbs 5 ozs rainbow on a jig while fishing the western shore of lake 3 with his friend Ricardo Cruz who caught a 3 lbs trout also on a jig. Mike Rodriguez of Highland caught a 4 lbs 3 ozs rainbow on yellow Power Bait from the eastern shore of lake 2. Hesperia angler, Dave Ochoa, reeled in a 5 lbs rainbow using white lightning Power Bait while fishing the eastern logged shore of lake 3. Art Perez of Los Angeles scored his 4 lbs 9 ozs trout on a Jake Lure near the drain on the western shore of lake 3. Khanh Phar scored 4 lbs 10 ozs and 4 lbs 2 ozs rainbows on an orange power worm while fishing the eastern logged shore of lake 3. Catherine Dea scored a 3 lbs 9 ozs trout on a night crawler. She also fished the eastern shore of Lake 3. Stewart Kwoh of Los Angeles reeled in a 3 lbs 12 ozs rainbow using a Bubblegum Power Worm while fishing the northeastern shore of lake 3. Apple Valley angler, Mike Hamilton, reeled in his 3 lbs 11 ozs rainbow using an orange Roostertail while fishing the eastern shore of lake 2. Brenda Roper of Pinion Hills caught her 5 lbs 5 ozs and 4 lbs 8 ozs rainbows on yellow corn Power Bait while fishing the northern shore of Lake 3. Brandon Bobchak of Spring Valley Lakes caught his 3 lbs 2 ozs trout on Salmon Peach Power Bait while fishing the eastern shore of lake 3. Ontario anglers, Tom and Brad Halford, fished the inlets of Lake 2. Tom caught 4 lbs 12 ozs and 5 lbs 3 ozs rainbows on a Meps while his brother caught a 4 lbs 2 ozs rainbow on salmon peach Power Bait. Matt Frazier of San Clemente scored a 3 lbs 7 ozs rainbow on a silver Kastmaster from the northern shore of Lake 3.

The Lakes' Hatchery stocks trout every Friday year round. This year the Lakes' hatchery is amping up the weekly trout stockings with bigger fish overall. Hours: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays--7am to 4pm. For more information call (760)240-1107 or go to www.jessranchlakesnews.com.