Jim Matthews, Outdoor Editor
Giant trout parade marches on at Santa Ana River Lakes
For the second week in a row, the have been dozens of giant rainbow trout topping 12 pounds pouring out of Santa Ana River Lakes in Orange County, and plants of the bruisers again this week will just keep that parade going. 
Fishing buddies Bob Bar, Ben Hinojosa, Gus Torres, and Andrew Navarro, all of Orange, were all fishing from shore near the boat dock and the four anglers weighed in five trout that totaled 63 pounds – nearly a 13-pound average. All four were fishing Lip RipperZ jigs and the top fish was the week’s best trout at 16 1/2-pounds. Frank Grijalua, Montebello, landed a 16 1/4-pounder on rainbow garlic PowerBait at the pumphouse shoreline, while David Senteno, Whittier, caught a 15 3/4-pounder on orange PowerBait off La Palma Point. Dave Beaver helped five-year-old Chris Walton land a 15 1/2-pounder rainbow. The Anaheim pair was fishing an orange trout worm made slimy with Love Sauce and then rolled in the new Hatchery Dust. Robert Avemaria, Placentia, landed a 14-pound rainbow on an orange Mouse Tail from Chris’ Pond. Jessica Ramirez and Erica Knapp, both South Gate, landed a 13 1/2-pounder on chartreuse PowerBait, while 13-pounders were landed by Alex Garcia, Buena Park, on a pink and white Power Worm and Steve Guerrero, Placentia, on rainbow PowerBait. Pete Armenta, Mira Loma, landed a 12 3/4-pound rainbow on an inflated nightcrawler, while Rob Carpit, Long Beach, caught a 12-pound, 10-ounce rainbow on chartreuse dough bait. David Bull, Chino, landed a 12 ¼-pound rainbow on an inflated nightcrawlers, and 12-pounders were reported by Steven Tyler, Corona, and Vincent Virgen, Buena Park. While the big trout were grabbing everyone’s attention because the big boys are showing every day, the bite has been wide open on trout from 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 pounds thanks to heavy weekly plants. Seven to 10-pound, five-fish stringers are common from all around the big lake and Chris’ Pond. While the action is good on the small trout jigs and plastics fished on light leaders, the hot bite has been on any of the floating baits rolled in the new Hatchery Dust that is finally available at The Lakes and in fishing tackle stores throughout Southern California. Big rainbows will continue to be a component of every week’s giant trout stocking at Santa Ana River Lakes this season. Trout over 10 pounds are likely to be plucked from the complex daily, and most days anglers will see several rainbows this size landed – even if they aren’t the lucky angler to catch it themselves. 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.
Anglers continue to pound the trout at Corona Lake, including trophy rainbows
Corona Lake trout anglers have had a field day over the past week with a great mix of trophy rainbow trout and stringer-filling one to two pounders. Limits have been common during the long New Year’s holiday weekend.
The biggest trout reported was a 14 3/4-pounder landed by Ben Hinojosa, Orange, while fishing a Lip RipperZ jig from a float tube, while Gilbert Mejia, Riverside, caught a 13 1/2-pounder on a nightcrawler off JD’s Point. Craig Well, Wildomar, landed an 11 1/2-pounder fishing rainbow PowerBait at the dam shoreline. Fishing buddies Landon and Josh Lacy, Eddie Rookers, and J.B. and Chad Gierlich, all Riverside, all had five-fish limits fishing B-Line Jigs from float tubes all over the lake. The total weight for the 40 fish was 48 pounds and a six-pounder was the top trout. This certainly wasn’t an atypical catch. In face, nice stringers of trout like this were common, especially for boat and float tube anglers who could work the far shoreline channel. The rainbows are showing on a wide variety of floating baits rolled in the new Hatchery Dust, scent-doused nightcrawlers, small trout jigs and trout plastics. All of the baits and lures have been more effective when fished on nothing heavier than four-pound test leaders. Hatchery Dust, which is rolled onto and into bait balls of any dough bait, is now available at the Corona Lakes tackle shop, along with most area sporting goods stores. Heavy weekly plants of rainbows averaging one to two pounds will continue 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 each week. 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.