Jim Matthews, Outdoor Editor
Huge 19-pound rainbow tops trophy
parade from Santa Ana River Lakes
Monster rainbow trout continued to pour out of Santa Ana River Lakes over the past week in spite of rainy, wet weather, and the top fish was a huge 19-pounder caught by Varian Virgen, Buena Park, fishing a mini jig.
The Lakes’ complex continues to get huge weekly plants of rainbow trout that include trophy rainbows topping 10 pounds and tons of one to two pounders to assure the bite is hot. Carlos Ortiz, Buena Park, landed an 18-pound rainbow fishing a pink trout worm on two pound test near the boat dock, and a 17-pound, 10-ouncer fish was landed by Ricky Henderson, Long Beach, on a pink Berkley Mice Tail south of the Bubble Hole. Arturo Velazquez, Anaheim, caught a 16 1/2-pounder on white PowerBait at the Bubble Hole, and Kevin Slape, Upland, had a 16-pounder on a Mirror Shad trolled from his kayak. A 15 3/4-pounder was landed by Steve Zookwood, Baldwin Park, on a white Mice Tail. There were 15 1/2-pounders caught by Al Rotta, Lomita, and Ricardo Zepeda, Santa Paula, and a 15 1/4-pounder was caught by Kerry Gayagasw, Lake Elsinore. A 15-pounder was landed by Sai Leang, Long Beach, and a 14 1/2-pounder was caught by Keith Padranos, Lake Forest. Trout at 10 1/2-pounds were landed by Alfonso Andrade, Los Angeles, and Joe Romero, Placentia, and a 10-pounder was landed by Henry Manzo, Pico Rivera. While trophy trout have been landed daily over the past week, it is the consistent action on stringer-filling one to two-pound rainbows that has been remarkable. Five-fish limits have been the rule for anglers fishing light leaders and the right rigs. The bite has been best on floating baits rolled in the new Hatchery Dust additive, but as many trout are showing on the Power Mice Tails, trout plastics, and small trout jigs for anglers experienced in fishing these baits. Bright colors have been the best in the floating baits or lures this past week with the pinks, whites, and orange the hot colors. Rainbow and chartreuse are close seconds. The next Big Fish/Blind Bogey 50-50 tournament is tentative slated for Saturday, Feb. 16. The entry fee is $20, in addition to the regular lake fishing fee, but 100 percent of the entry fees are paid back in an even split between the big fish portion of the tournament (top four places win half the entry fee pool) and the blind bogey portion (divided among 10 anglers catching fish nearest to the blind bogey weights). More information will be available at the event get closer at The Lakes website, www.fishinglakes.com. Santa Ana River Lakes is open seven-days-a-week. Fishing is 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 $25. Seniors pay only $23 with a $20 special on Wednesdays. All of these passes have a five-fish limit. For kids 4 to 13, a three-fish pass is just $12. There are 24-hour passes offered on Friday and Saturday night on weekends nearest the full moon each month. The 24-hour passes cost $75 and have a 15 fish limit. An angler can bring his wife and up to three kids and all can help fill the 15-fish limit on one of these passes, and camping is free at SARL with a 24-hour pass. For Santa Ana River Lakes fishing information, call 714-632-7830 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com
Rainbows to 17 pounds caught
in hot trout bite at Corona Lake
Big fish and lot of nice stringers have been the norm for Corona Lake trout anglers over the past week as huge weekly plants continue.
The big fish this past week was a 17-pound, six-ounce rainbow landed by Donna Gaiss, Corona, fishing a nightcrawler. 
The big fish topped off a five-fish, 25-pound stringer. Joey Lozano, San Bernardino, caught a 15 1/4-pounder on corn PowerBait, and Eddie Rodriguez, Whittier, landed a 15-pounder on a Power Mice Tail bait. Shon Robert, Riverside, had a limit of rainbows topped with a 12-pounder, while Steve Ortiz, landed a nine-pound rainbow on garlic PowerBait.
Five-fish limits of trout averaging from one to two pounds have been the norm for both shore and boat or float tube anglers. The best shore action has continued to be from the cove behind bait shop all the way to the dam, while the boat and float tube anglers are getting most of their fish from the dam to the upper end of the lake along the main channel. The best action has been on floating baits or Power Mice Tails rolled in the new Hatchery Dust, scent-doused nightcrawlers, small trout jigs and trout plastics.
Heavy weekly plants of rainbows averaging around a pound are made each week, and those plants always have a hefty component of rainbows from five to eight pounds along with super trophies topping 10 pounds and going well up into the teens.
A Big Fish/Blind Bogey 50-50 tournament is set for this Saturday, Feb. 2. The entry fee is $20, in addition to the regular lake fishing fee, but 100 percent of the entry fees are paid back in an even split between the big fish portion of the tournament (top four places win half the entry fee pool) and the blind bogey portion (divided among 10 anglers catching fish nearest to the blind bogey weights). All information and details on The Lakes website at www.fishinglakes.com.
Corona Lake is open on a seven-days-a-week schedule. Fishing is 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 $25. Seniors pay only $23, with a $20 special on Wednesdays. All of these passes have a five-fish limit. For kids 4 to 13, a three-fish pass is just $12. The 24-hour passes are only sold the weekend nearest the full moon. The 24-hour passes cost $75 and have a 15 fish limit. An angler can bring his wife and up to three kids 17 and under and all can help fill the 15-fish limit on one of these passes, and camping is free at Corona with a 24-hour pass. For Corona Lake fishing information, call 951-277-4489 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com.