Jim Matthews
Outdoor Editor

Trout season kicks off
this week at Corona Lake
with Lightning trout
 The trout season kicks off at Corona Lake this Saturday, Oct. 27, after three massive plants of three types of trout. First, the trophy fish will be big, hooked-jawed male Sierra Bows topping the five-pound marks. Second, Lightning Trout will be planted for the first time for a trout opener in Southern California. Third, the volume of those popular, pink-meated Sierra Bows planted will be staggering this opener.
The lake will be closed this week from Tuesday through Friday for the plants and to allow the fish to get acclimated, but it will reopen for fishing Saturday morning.
Lake owners Doug Elliott and Bill Andrews are excited about this year’s trout season. Andrews said “we’re going back to the big ol’ days.” Corona Lake will be stocking the biggest trout available every week. The huge, trophy rainbows will be a component of every plant this season. There will be more of the biggest trout planted than have gone in during recent trout seasons, and rainbows topping 10 pounds are likely to be caught every day of the season this fall and winter.
While the focus will shift to trout this week, the catfish bite has remained excellent, in spite of light fishing pressure. The weekly catfish plants have keep the lake filled with catfish that average about two pounds, but quality fish are landed every week, and the tilapia bite has been good during the warm days.
Santiago Palacios, West Covina, had 22 catfish on a day and 24-hour fishing pass and the total stringer weight was 74 pounds, including a 7 1/2-pounder. All were caught on shrimp from shore. The biggest catfish was a 9 1/2-pounder landed by Eric Fennell, Compton, to top off his 35-pound, 15-fish stringer on mackerel, also from shore. Hoa and Tran Nguyen, Corona, had nine cats for 27 pounds, including a 7 1/4-pounder fishing chicken liver at the dam, while Jim Davis, Murrieta, landed a seven-pounder. Russell Montgomery, Rancho Cucamonga, had five cats for 11 1/2-pounds, including a 6 1/2-pounder.
The best tilapia this week was a huge 4 1/2-pounder landed as part of a three-fish, six-pound catch made by Rosa Ramirez and Eduardo Carrillo, both La Puente, on nightcrawlers. Robbie Thomas, 15, Moreno Valley, had two tilapia, both at 2 1/2 pounds on nightcrawlers.
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 $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. With the shift to trout season, 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.

Solid catfish action
continues at Anaheim
The catfish bite has continued strong at Anaheim Lake on fish averaging about two pounds. The best bite has been for boat anglers fishing the middle part of the lake around the islands in deeper water.
Five-fish stringer averaging about 10 pounds total have been common and shrimp or the marshmallow-meal worm combo have been the top baits to get those limits.
David Rochin, Fullerton, had five cats on the marshmallow-nightcrawler combo with a total weight of 11 1/2-pounds, including a 3 1/2-pounder. Nash and Mark Helm, both Whittier, were using shrimp and each managed five catfish. Nash’s stringed weighed 10 pounds total, and his top fish was a 2 1/2-pounder, while Mark’s stringer was nine pounds total and his best was a two-pounder.
The best catfish action remains in deep water where the fish retreat to avoid cormorants.
The weekend Catfish Derbies continue to be held each Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Entry fee is $5 for any of the five permit time frames — from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, from 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday evening, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, and from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday evening. (There are no derbies for the mid-day special at noon or the 24-hour fishing pass holders.) All of the derbies feature a 100 percent payout of the whole pot to the angler catching the biggest catfish. If 10 anglers enter at $5 each, the biggest catfish caught among those 10 anglers wins that angler the whole $50 pot.
Private boats, kayaks, and float tubes are allowed at Anaheim Lake, but they will be inspected for traces of water or evidence of quagga mussel contamination before being allowed on the water.
Anaheim Lake will be 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 $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 every Friday and Saturday night. 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 Anaheim Lake fishing information, call 714-996-3508 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com.

Santa Ana River Lakes’ Kid’s
Pond to remain open all summer
The main fishing areas at Santa Ana River Lakes are closed, but the Kid’s Pond (Huckleberry Pond) is open all summer Wednesday through Sunday. The main fishing operation has moved just a few blocks away to Anaheim Lake.
Santa Ana River Lakes is undergoing maintenance through the rest summer and not reopen until trout season early this fall.