Jim Matthews
Outdoor Editor

Half-price tickets though final
fishing weekend at Anaheim Lake

Fishing permit costs have been cut in half at Anaheim Lake for this final week of the trout season before the lake closes after this coming Sunday (Dec. 2).
“Fishing prices haven’t been this low in 20 years,” said Craig Elliott at Anaheim Lake. “We’re asking anglers to come out and help us catch out the trout and catfish before the lake closes for the season.”
Elliott said the lake received massive trout plants, including trophy fish to nearly 20 pounds for the Thanksgiving weekend, and the action has been excellent since then and most of the biggest fish have not been landed yet. The catfish bite has also been very good, but little tapped, after plants of channels and blues all summer and early fall.
The top trout reported over the holiday weekend were rainbows at 10 1/2 pounds landed by David Perez, Atwood, fishing chartreuse floating bait from shore, while Jakob Gunterman, Huntington Beach, landed his 10 1/2-pounder on a white Lip RipperZ jig fishing from a float tube. Tucker McCombs, Oxnard, landed a 10-pound Sierra Bow on a Kastmaster. Greg Schowen, Fontana, and Danny Fernandez, Carson, had five trout for a total of 32 pounds with the big fish on the stringer at eight and seven pounds. All were caught on Smokin’ Jigs in white at the spillway. Kevin, Zane, and Steven Smith, all Harbor City, had 11 trout for a 20 1/4-pound stringer and their big fish was an eight-pounder landed by Kevin. All their trout were caught on Lip RipperZ.
Most of the trout were averaging around a pound to two pounds and stringers were common. Art and David Stone, Anaheim, had 10 trout for 13 1/2 pounds fishing green dough bait from shore, while Brandon and Tony Ontiveros, Oxnard, had five rainbows for 20 1/2 pounds.
The spillway has been one of the most consistent spots for quality fish and limits, but there are trout showing around much of the lake, with the north shore, pumphouse shoreline, the bubble hole, and Trout Island also good bets. The top baits were the small trout plastics, trout jigs, and floating dough baits in a variety of colors.
Anaheim Lake will close for the season after Sunday’s fishing. 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. These passes are just $13 this final week of the season, and they still have a five-fish limit. Anglers can buy multiple passes. For kids 4 to 13, a three-fish pass is just $7 this final week. For Anaheim Lake fishing information, call 714-996-3508 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com.

Corona Lake remains wide
open on trout over weekend

Corona Lake’s trout action has remained wide open with nice stringers the rule rather than the exception over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Heavy plants made for an excellent bite, especially for anglers who can fish small jigs, plastic trout worms, and floating dough baits on light tackle.
There were also some huge trophy Sierra Bows planted for the holiday and the big fish reported was a 14-pounder landed by Jose Delfin, Riverside, fishing garlic chartreuse floating bait from shore. Tim Halley, Las Vegas, landed 10-pound rainbow fly-fishing from his float tube along the east shoreline. Eight-pound trout were caught by Santiago Palacios, West Covina, on a chartreuse floating bait and Pete Perez, Moreno Valley, on Captain America floating bait. J.J. Messinese, Riverside, landed a 7 3/4-pound trout, and Jayden Sage, Fontana, landed a seven-pounder.
The best action continues to be on small trout jigs, trout plastics, and floating dough baits fishing on light line. Top spots have been the area behind the bait shop, the whole west shoreline, at the dam, and on the far side of the lake. While the trout are averaging one to two pounds, there have been a lot of three to five-pounders in the mix.
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. The 24-hour passes are only sold the weekend nearest the full moon. The next weekend for this all-night fishing is Nov. 30-December 1. 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.

Santa Ana River Lakes’ to reopen
Friday, Dec. 7, after three plants

Three huge trout plants will pour in Santa Ana River Lakes between now and its grand reopening set for Friday, Dec. 7. The lake will be loaded with thousands of pounds of one to two-pound rainbows, along with a hefty supply of quality Sierra Bows from six to 20 pounds.
The longer-than-expected maintenance was to improve the water circulation between the three lakes at Santa Ana River Lake, and the work is expected to make for better fishing conditions this trout season. Rather than having the water flow in at the top of all three lakes, the water is now moved through the lakes via bottom feeds and drains. This will improve water circulation and aeration.
Anaheim Lake will remain open through this weekend with fishing permits at half-price. It will close after fishing on Monday, and then SARL will open the following Friday.
The Kid’s Pond (Huckleberry Pond) at SARL remains open, just like it has been all summer, on a Wednesday through Sunday schedule.
Santa Ana River Lakes will be open on a seven-days-a-week schedule 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 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