Pair of 16-pound class rainbows
landed at Santa Ana River Lakes
Rainbow trout at 16-pounds, two-ounces and 16 pounds led the parade of big rainbows out of Santa Ana River Lakes this week.
At the Fred Hall Show that concluded Sunday at the Long Beach Convention Center, Craig Elliott announced the winner of The Lakes Facebook contest to guess how many trout over 10 pounds had been planted in Santa Ana River Lakes, Corona Lake, and Anaheim Lake during this trout season. Though Feb. 25, The Lakes have received 642 trout over 10 pounds, with most from 12 to 14 pounds and fish as big as nearly 20 pounds have been landed this season. The numbers show over eight tons of trophy trout have been planted so far this year.
The 16-pound, two-ounce rainbow landed this past week was caught by Ray Van Gorkum, Lakewood, while fishing rainbow PowerBait with garlic off La Palma Point, while the 16-pounder was caught by Rosalynn Holguin, Torrance, on chartreuse PowerBait at Louie’s Landing.
Other trophy fish caught included a 14 1/2-pound rainbow landed by Mike Brown, Covina, on chartreuse PowerBait at La Palma Point, while a 14 1/4-pounder was caught by Alfonso Diaz, Tustin, on a nightcrawler off the road. Henry Manzo, Pico Rivera, landed a 12 1/2-pounder in Chris’ Pond on an orange trout worm.
These trophy Sierra Bows from Mt. Lassen Trout Farms continue to be a major component of each week’s massive plant. The tonnage of one to two pound rainbows is what fill most angler’s stringers, and the bite has been excellent at the lake on a wide variety of baits and lures. The most consistent action has been on one of the floating baits rolled in the new Hatchery Dust additive. Power Mice Tails are close seconds, and a lot of rainbows continue to show on small trout plastics and trout jigs. Bright colors continue to be the best bet with any of the baits or lures.
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 for $75. An angler can bring his or her spouse and three kids 17 years or younger on that $75 permit, and all can help catch the 15-fish limit. Camping at SARL is thrown in for free. For Santa Ana River Lakes fishing information, call 714-632-7830 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com.
Corona Lake cranks out
another 18-pound rainbow
For the second week in a row, Corona Lake has produced trout over 18 pounds. Last week a pair of Sierra Bows over 18 pounds were caught during the Lip RipperZ Hatchery Dust tournament, and this week Miguel Monteleon, West Covina, landed an 18-pound, 10-ounce rainbow fishing from shore with Hatchery Dust added to a floating bait.
Mike Covel, Yucaipa, lande3d a 16 1/2-pound rainbow fishing PowerBait with Hatchery Dust to top off his five-fish limit, while Alex Brenton, landed rainbows at 15 1/2-pounds and 10 pounds fishing from a float tube with small jigs to cap his limit. Todd, Ross, and Lawrence Stevens, all Murrieta, had 15 rainbows for 35 pounds total, including a 15-pound Sierra Bow, while fishing trout worms from a boat. Ernie Lastimado, Chula Vista, caught a 14 1/4-pounder from the dam shoreline with chartreuse PowerBait.
The best bite for shore anglers is still from the cove behind bait shop all the way to the dam. Boat and float tubes are getting most of their fish from the dam to the upper end of the lake along the main channel, with the area off the boats docks especially good this past week. Floating dough baits rolled in Hatchery Dust has been the hot bait, but garlic-scented nightcrawlers, Power Mice and other small trout plastics, and small trout jigs have also been good bets.
There are huge plants each week, and all stocks include trophy-quality rainbows topping 10 pounds. There have been over eight tons of trophy rainbows topping 10 pounds planted in Corona Lake and its sister waters Santa Ana River Lakes and Anaheim Lake (during the short two weeks it was open in October) this trout season.
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.