Compiled by Dave Hurley and edited by Roger George, a central San Joaquin Valley native and local fishing expert.

BEST BETS

Monterey squid are swarming, Todd Arcaleo said. New Melones trout bite continues and big bass are crushing swim baits, Melanie Lewis said. Millerton and Pine Flat bass are on a roll, James Mize said. Pine Flat and Kings River trout are still hitting, Doyals Store reported. Don Pedro rainbows are available for the catching, Monte Smith said.

ROGER'S REMARKS

Over the years, many anglers have asked me about certain fishing places and why we don't include them -- while others have begged us not to talk about "their secret holes." So I thought I might just open it up and list a couple of these "lost" fishing hot spots.

No 1: Los Banos reservoir is nestled in the foothills not far from the San Luis reservoir and has been a prolific lake for big bass, crappie and trout for a long time. This is probably the one lake I'm asked to keep quiet about more than any other, due to the terrific fishing and minimal traffic. I've heard plenty about terrific catches of big bass from 8 pounds to as much as 12 pounds, and I think the lake record is more than 13 pounds now.

No. 2: The Kings River below Lemoore has been a real sleeper for big bass for decades, with most locals taking advantage of the slough-like backwaters filled with stumps and trees. I grew up in this area and fished it back in the '70s with my grandfather in his aluminum boat for some nice fish. I have had friends show me pictures of bass in the 4- to over 8-pound range taken in the past few years. Lots of anglers fish out of their bass boats in this water, but shore anglers do well also -- especially with live bait.

No. 3: The San Joaquin River runs right through the middle of Fresno, and the gravel pits as well as the main river are havens for lots of fish species -- even some small stripers. Obviously, access to the river is a sore topic with most anglers, but there are still places where a small aluminum boat can be launched. Also, the lack of wardens has led to lots of poaching. Another sore spot on the river is the heavy pressure anglers are exerting in the Milburn wildlife area -- taking advantage of the levy break to float into the closed area. Besides these issues, there can be some surprisingly good trout fishing in addition to the many lunker bass that anglers quietly hook in the backwaters.

No. 4: The Delta Mendota area is actually well known, but most anglers think of it as a place to just soak bait for a catfish or striper. I consider it a nursery for all of the species of fish that swim in it, with tons of little fish always showing up in the murky waters. I think this is due to the constant supply of water in the ponding areas, as well as the seasonal inflows that create vital currents. This not only promotes the spawning patterns of some fish species, it also brings in huge amounts of nutrient-rich food -- which is why I think the fishery has continually kicked out huge numbers of crappie, catfish, bass and stripers. You'll just about always catch something here, especially on bait.

I heard there were several big stripers taken out on 152, so I decided to try it out, and as luck would have it, I hooked into a fish that thought she was a runaway freight train for 15 minutes! The 40-inch, 26-pounder was a beautiful fish and a great way to start the year. Better yet, it was Chong Yang -- who broke my Millerton striper record -- who landed the fish. Chong responded a few days later with a nice 15-pounder.