THIS SEASONS 20 POUND CLASS LUNKER PHOTOS

CURRENT FISHING REPORT

Jim Matthews
Outdoor News Service
September 6th, 2010

Catfish, tilapia action good and sturgeon
starting to show at Santa Ana River Lakes
     The catfish and tilapia bites both remain good thanks to heavy weekly plants, including a stock of 10 to 25-pound fish this past Friday for the holiday weekend. With cooling evenings, the sturgeon are starting to show again, too.
     Top cat reported by mid-weekend was a 7 1/2-pounder landed by Leslie Gregory, Riverside, on mackerel and Eagle Claw Gravy. Mark Chance, Placentia, landed a 12-fish stringer that weighed 18 pounds and his top cat was a six pounder, also on mackerel with Gravy. Adrian Pintor, North Hollywood, landed 15 cats for 31-pounds, eight-ounce with a five-pounder his best. He was fishing mackerel and shrimp off the sandy beach.

     All three sturgeon reported were quality fish. (see the sturgeon photos) The best was a 19-pounder caught by Shaun Stott, Buena Park, on a nightcrawler at the pumphouse, while Chris Vanaagten, Ontario, had an 18 1/2-pounder fishing the M&M (marshmallow-meal worm) combo in the Bubble Hole. Neil Slater, Orange, caught a 15-pounder on a nightcrawler at the sandy beach. All of the trophy sturgeon were released.
     It has been easy to catch a stringer of five tilapia by simply fishing a half a nightcrawler on a No. 6 baitholder hook two feet below a small bobber. These fish are most between one and two pounds. Nathan Meevin, Yucaipa, had five tilapia that weighed 5 1/2 pounds, including a 2 1/2-pounder on nightcrawlers near the boat dock.
     SARL is getting twice-weekly plants of catfish with tilapia also added at least once each week, and broodstock cats over the five-pound mark are slated to go in throughout August and September this year with the last plant of trophy cats Friday, Sept. 3.
     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.

 

Two whopper catfish
caught at Corona Lake
     A pair to quality catfish were landed at Corona Lake this past week when a 23 1/2-pounder was caught by Keith Stillwell, Corona,
 

and a 16-pounder was landed by Dwayne Ward, Compton.

     Overall, the catfish action remains hot and the tilapia are also very good. A few crappie are also starting to show.
     Both of the big cats were caught on mackerel from boats in deeper water. This has been the best bet, but long casts from shore off J.D.’s Point or at the dam out into deeper water have been best early and late in the day, with the cats moving shallower at night.
     Brian Torres, Alicia O’Dwyer, and Mike Torres, all Yorba Linda, had 15 catfish for 32 pounds with the best fish a five-pounder fishing liver  from a boat. Ricardo and Gilbert Panilla, both Corona, had 11 catfish for 25 1/2 pounds on meal worms and nightcrawlers fishing from a boat behind the bait shop. Joanna Christopher, Pomona, and Steven Christopher, Riverside, had eight catfish for 24 1/2 pounds total, including a 5 1/2-pounder fishing at the dam. Ismael Reyes, Corona, landed eight cats for 14 pounds on shrimp at the back of the lake.
     The tilapia have been best on a half a nightcrawler fished two feet below a bobber close to the shore.
     Corona Lake is planted at least twice a week with catfish, most from one to three pounds, but the regular trophy plants add fish from five to 20 pounds or more, with the most recent plant of trophy fish Friday, Sept. 3. Tilapia are also planted each week.
     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.

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See a few of the daily shoreline photos:
Santa Ana River Lakes
Corona Lake