In winter and spring, a few hundred Alpers between 2 and 8 pounds will be planted at Cuyamaca. April and May are good months here. Trout are up on the surface and can be caught from the bank or boat.

Pushing north, Big Bear’s trout population remains intact and will provide SoCal anglers with a rare opportunity to catch trout in the spring and summer months.

The lake is loaded with trophy trout that were planted for derbies last year and have yet to be caught. There are also the standard loads of state-planted rainbows.

Still, the region’s top trout fishery remains Diamond Valley Reservoir. Last year, state biologist Mike Giusti was proud to announce that browns were planted here. Unfortunately, those fish won’t yet be of catchable size. But healthy populations of holdover trout will provide anglers with deepwater trolling gear a wonderful trophy-trout fishery.