Silverwood Lake Fishing: Tips, Spots, and License Information

Silverwood Lake is a popular fishing spot in Southern California. The lake is close to several cities, making it popular during warm weather. There are two beaches and 13 miles of hiking and biking trails. Wildlife viewing opportunities include bald eagles and great blue herons.

The fishing is good at Silverwood Lake, and there are many different spots to try. Fish species include largemouth and smallmouth bass, bluegill, catfish, crappie, and trout. Anglers can fish from the shore or hire a guide for boat fishing. Fishing licenses are required and can be purchased at the Silverwood Lake Marina. Fish are most active during dawn, dusk, and nightfall. The best fishing months are March through October. During summer, fish move to the deeper parts of the lake.

What kind of fish are in Silverwood Lake?

Largemouth Bass

The largemouth bass is a carnivorous fish that thrive in clear water. If the water is moderately stained or murky, you need to use darker lures to get the best results. Largemouth bass can be caught using finesse techniques (like drop shot fishing) or using heavier lures in calm wind conditions. The lake is stocked with Florida-strain largemouth bass, and the fishing is not as popular as other types of fishing. Many fish-attracting structures in the lake, such as channels and boulders, make it easier to find big bass.

You can do Largemouth Bass fishing with various lures, including topwater lures, buzzbaits, crankbaits, swimbaits, and soft plastic baits. Largemouth Bass are attracted to different types of baitfish, imitating natural food sources. Fishing techniques vary depending on the lure used and where the bass are targeted. Bait choice depends on water clarity. When the wind is calm, use finesse techniques with small lures. When the water is moderately stained or murky, use darker lures and thicker diameter lines to get more bites.

Striped Bass

Striped bass is a type of fish that are native to salt water but can also be found in freshwater streams. They typically grow 12-20 inches long and weigh 1-3 pounds. To catch striped bass, try bait fishing with shad near where you think they might be schooling. You can also try to use jigging spoons, which work well when the fish are deep.

The best baits to use when fishing for stripers are topwater lures, lipless crankbaits, swimbaits, spinnerbaits, jerk baits, and streamer flies. Each of these baits will work well when targeting stripers near the schools of shad. When fishing for baitfish, use minnow traps, crankbaits, or swimming spoons to catch them near the school.

Channel Catfish

Channel catfish are a type of catfish found in Silverwood Lake. They are usually found in coves and near rocks and can be caught using chicken livers, sardines, clams, or mini crawlers as bait. Channel catfish are best fished at night when they are most active but seeing one during the day is also possible.

To catch channel catfish fish in coves and around rocks during the summer. These fish can grow up to 18 pounds and are an excellent food source. Channel catfish can be eaten fried, broiled, baked, or grilled. They are good-tasting fish that is great for dining with family and friends.

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout are a popular fish to catch and can be found in Silverwood Lake. They are planted there several times per year and tend to stay near the docks for a few days after being planted. You can find Rainbow trout in different depths throughout the lake. In the summertime, they will stay near the surface to warm up. In the winter, they will go deeper to find food and shelter.

In cooler weather, the trout may stay in shallower water to feed and avoid being hunted by striped bass. You can find them in different depths throughout the lake, and they will vary their depth depending on the season. In the summertime, they will often stay near the surface to warm up, while in winter, they will go deeper to find food and shelter. To catch rainbow trout, try fishing during cooler seasons when they are spawning. You can also try jigging, trolling deeper parts of the lake, or casting spinners in shallower areas.

Crappie

Crappie is one of the most common fish in Silverwood Lake. Crappie is a type of fish you can catch around docks, rocky areas, weeds, and submerged vegetation using worms, crickets, live minnows, jigs, flies, small soft plastics, and small spinners and spinnerbaits. Crappies are best caught in the shallows.

They are usually silver and black. They can be caught year-round, but spring, summer, and fall are the best times to catch them. The average size of crappie is about ten inches. Crappies are very tasty, and they can be eaten fried or baked.

Bluegill

The Bluegill fish is a popular sportfish commonly caught using worms, dough balls, and small spinners. Trout flies are also a standard tool used to catch this fish. The Bluegill fish spawns in April and May and feeds on small fish and insects.

The redear sunfish is similar to the bluegill but has different coloring on its head and body. It has teal-blue coloring on the bottom portion of the chin and gill plate and a solid black opercula flap just behind the gill plate. The Bluegill fish is a small predator that eats a variety of prey.

The Bluegill fish has a black dorsal fin, a yellow-green ventral tint, and a red operculum. The Bluegill fish is found on the shoreline and is one of the easiest fish to catch. It is aggressive and will quickly attack anything that looks like it could eat it.

Best places to fish in Silverwood Lake

The best fishing spots at Silverwood Lake are not specific. However, the lake is known for its largemouth bass, rainbow trout, and catfish. Fishing Blueprint recommends trolling along the east side of the lake near Cedar Point or east of Twin Points for largemouth bass. For rainbow trout, try fishing near Inlet Bay or in the fly-fishing-only area northeast of Cleghorn Launch Ramp. Lastly, catfish can be found in many areas along the shoreline, especially near dam structures.

How to catch fish in Silverwood Lake?

The best way to target trophy trout in Silverwood Lake is by trolling with a downrigger or fishfinder. The lake is deep, allowing a wide range of fish to be caught. Try trolling with a downrigger, trout spoons, a small apex, small flatfish, and a worm. Rainbow trout are planted in Lake Silverwood to provide a seasonal food source for anglers. Trout are found closer to the docks on the southern part of the lake in cooler months. Trout will head deeper waters towards the spring. Brown trout have been stocked in the lake occasionally, but they are rare.

Other activities you can do at Silverwood Lake.

The other activities available at Silverwood Lake include camping, swimming, and paddle boarding. The lake is close to several cities, so it gets heavy usage during warm weather. The camp is set up so you can enjoy nature but not be too close to the city. There are plenty of restrooms around the lake, which is unusual for a lake.