Excellent catfish bite continues
at Santa Ana River Lakes complex
     The catfish action has remained excellent at Santa Ana River Lakes, and anglers will see a big influx of trophy catfish next week when broodstock channels from 10 pounds up will be planted on Tuesday. The trophies could be up into the 40-pound class.
     SARL has been getting twice-weekly plants of catfish with tilapia also added at least once each week. The channels have been best on shrimp or the marshmallow-meal worm (M&M) combo doused with Eagle Claw garlic Gravy with the average size fish between one and two pounds. The tilapia are best on nightcrawler pieces and run up to two pounds.
     With so many fish being planted, there are some impressive stringers being caught, especially on Friday and Saturday nights when 24-hour fishing is allowed and anglers who purchase 24-hour passes have a 15-fish limit. Mary Harper, Los Angeles, had a near-limit with 14-fish that weighed 21 pounds fishing worms in Chris’ Pond. Walter Harris, Van Nuys, was also a fish shy of the 15-fish, 24-hour limit, but his stringer weighed in at 16 1/2 pounds and they were caught on shrimp at the boa dock. Jeff Bradley, Carson, had five cats for 11 1/2 pounds, including a four-pounder, fishing mackerel at the road.
     The Palacios and Rivera families, of West Covina and Riverside respectively, found a school of big fish off the road and landed 16 catfish for a total of 77 pounds, including the top channel at eight pounds. The group was fishing with shrimp and the M&M combo.
     Vincent Worthington, Cypress, caught two sturgeon, one at 12 pounds and one at 10 pounds to top off his stringer, which also included three catfish. He was fishing nightcrawlers at the Bubble Hole. Meanwhile, Nash Holm, La Mirada, landed a two-pound tilapia on a nightcrawler in Chris’ Pond, and Chris Flowers, Mission Hills, landed a 9-4 carp from the Catfish Lake on a blood marshmallow.
     Santa Ana River Lakes is open seven days a week with fishing allowed from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on day passes or from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on an evening pass. Each of these passes is $22. Seniors only pay $20, with a special $17 pass sold on Wednesdays. All of these passes have a five-fish limit. For kids 4 to 13, a three-fish pass is just $9. The 24-hour passes available every Friday and Saturday night are $60, and anglers can bring a spouse and up to three kids to help fill the 24-hour pass 15-fish limit. Camping at the lakes is free with the 24-hour pass. For Santa Ana River Lakes fishing information, call 714-632-7830 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com.

Huge 37 1/2-pounder leads hot
catfish action at Corona Lake
     Craig and Grant Yamashita teamed up to battle a 37 1/2-pound catfish at Corona Lake, landing the best fish of this year’s catfish season at this popular western Riverside County water. The San Jacinto anglers were using shrimp and fishing from a boat when they hooked the big fish.

     The catfish action has been excellent here thanks to twice-weekly plants of channel catfish with the best action on mackerel or shrimp doused with Eagle Claw catfish Gravy. The tilapia are also very good with the fish running up to two pounds and showing on nightcrawlers, red worms, or even wax worms. The tilapia are planted each week, too.
     Besides the Yamashita’s big fish, Dave Beaver, Anaheim, caught cats at 7 3/4 pounds and 3 1/4 pounds, and Andrew Pasillas, Riverside, landed seven catfish for a total stringer weighed of 14 1/2 pounds.
     Mike Mortiz, Temecula, landed a 2 1/2-pound tilapia, while the Singh family of Fontana had 11 tilapia to two pounds.
     While not a lot of sturgeon are showing, Blake Burgess, Elsinore, landed a 5 1/2-pounder fishing shrimp at the dam.
     Corona Lake is open seven days a week with fishing allowed from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on day passes or from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on an evening pass. Each of these passes is $22. Seniors pay only $20, with a special $17 pass sold on Wednesdays. All of these passes have a five-fish limit. For kids 4 to 13, a three-fish pass is just $9. The 24-hour passes now sold every Friday and Saturday through the summer. They cost just $60, and anglers can bring a spouse and up to three kids to help fill the 24-hour pass 15-fish limit. Camping at Corona Lake is also free with a 24-hour pass. For Corona Lake fishing information, call 951-277-4489 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com.