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.