THE BIG FISH LAKES See the HUGE FISH caught over the last few days

THE BIG FISH LAKES

See the HUGE FISH caught over the last few days!!



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"The Big News"

THE STURGEON
ARE HERE !!!
So are the Catfish & Tilapia

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PLUS $100.00 REWARD for the biggest fish caught each week at SARL. Sponsored by Jimmy's Outdoor, located next to Santa Ana River Lakes.

Jimmy's Outdoors - Week 1 - $100.00 Big Fish Winner
Mike Maniey - 70 Pound Sturgeon - Nightcrawler

Week 2 - $100.00 Big Fish Winner
Annette Ahumada - Bellflower CA - 9 1/2 lbs Catfish
Caught on Mackerel with Shrimp Gravy

Week 3 - $100.00 Big Fish Winner (below)
Martin Moreno - Fullerton, CA - 60 Pound Sturgeon - Caught & Released - Nightcrawler and Gravy, Levitz Corner

Week 4 - $100.00 Big Fish Winner
William Solis - Mohave Desert - 80 lbs Sturgeon
Caught on Chicken Liver & Nightcrawler Combo
from a Boat Friday Morning (Photo to follow)

Jim Matthews
Outdoor News Service

Sturgeon will be coming to Santa Ana River Lakes and Corona Lake on regular basis !!

     Hard-fighting, high-jumping, gourmet sturgeon will be planted in Santa Ana River Lakes and Corona Lake on a regular basis beginning Father’s Day weekend. And for the first time, anglers will be allowed – encouraged even – to keep these delicious gamefish.
     The initial plant will consist of 5,000 pounds of mainly three to 5+ pounders, and there will be regular plants in both lakes after this initial plant which will be in the five to 15 pound class.
     “These are gourmet fish,” said Craig Elliott with The Lakes. “We’ve been able to work out an exclusive deal and get quite a few of them and we plan to plant them for anglers – maybe forever.”
     The white sturgeon are from a highly acclaimed Caviar-producing operation near Sacramento, and the meat is sold around the world to gourmet restaurants. Chefs love their firm, dense, white meat that is always tender and moist.
     “I wouldn’t be surprised if they quickly become our most popular fish,” said Elliott of the fish that fights as hard and jumps as high as the scrappiest rainbow trout. “We’ve been planting ‘Nebraska Tailwalkers’ during trout season, and these fish might end up being called ‘California Tailwalkers’ once anglers start hooking them. And after they’ve had them on the barbecue, there’s no doubt in my mind the word will spread quickly.”
     Sturgeon have been planted in waters throughout Southern California, including Santa Ana River and Corona Lakes, but most stockings have been small numbers of big fish from 25 to 100 pounds or more. At The Lakes, anglers were asked to release the sturgeon. But that is all changing come Father’s Day weekend when hundreds of fish will be put in both waters and anglers will be allowed to catch and sample the wonderful table qualities of these prehistoric fish.
     The sturgeon are the major component of the big Warmwater Grand Opening at both Santa Ana River Lakes and Corona Lake for June 19-21, Father’s Day weekend. There will also be bonus plants of thousands of pounds of “Silver” channel catfish along with tilapia put in to complement the sturgeon. There will be thousands and thousands of pounds of all three fish planted.
     Santa Ana River Lakes and Corona Lake are both 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 $22. Seniors only pay $20, with a special $17 pass sold on Wednesdays. All of these passes have a five-fish catfish and tilapia limit. The 24-hour passes are sold every Friday and Saturday and are just $60. Anglers can bring a spouse and up to three kids to help fill the 24-hour pass 15-fish catfish and tilapia limit. Sturgeon can be mixed into these limits, but anglers with regular passes can only keep two sturgeon five pounds and under or one fish from five to 15 pounds. Bigger fish must be released. Anglers on 24-hour passes can keep three sturgeon under five pounds and two fish over five pounds. Anglers can fill out the total limit of five or 15 fish with catfish or tilapia.
     For Santa Ana River Lakes fishing information, call 714-632-7830, or for Corona Lake updates, call 951-277-4489. You can also log on at www.fishinglakes.com for more information.

Click here to go to our sturgeon information page with lots of tips,
information and fantastic recipes.

     HOW TO CATCH STURGEON
     Sturgeon are bottom-feeding fish, like catfish, that will eat just about anything that lives on the lake bed and ends up there when it dies. Large sturgeon living in Pacific rivers and bays feast on salmon and shad that die after spawning. They will eat all kinds of roe, clams and mussels, crawdads, or bottom-dwelling fish like freshwater sculpin that try to hide instead of fleeing.
     In Santa Ana River Lakes and Corona Lake, it is likely the sturgeon will quickly adapt over to feeding on the huge threadfin shad populations in both lakes, which routinely die-off and cover the bottom of these lakes. Frozen shad and other cut baits like those used for catfish are certain to catch the new additions to these two lakes. In the past at the Lakes, shrimp slathered with Gravy has also worked well catching the big ones.
     A standard sliding egg sinker rig should be perfect. Since few of the initial plants will be larger than 15 pounds, so six to 12-pound main line with a 1/4 to 1/2-ounce weight should suffice. An appropriately-sized barrel swivel between the weight and the leader is the next part of the rig and keeps the line from twisting. The leader is then tied to a baitholder hooks from No. 4 up to a 1/0, depending on the size of the bait, and this completes the rig.
     The fish quickly learn what a baited hook is all about and anglers might have to fish lighter leaders and more delicate set-ups to consistently get action. The question if you scale down to six- or even four-pound test will be whether or not you can land the fish.
     When first hooked, sturgeon frequently head right to the surface and leap out of the water, tailwalking across the surface like a marlin. Then the angler will be faced with long, sustained runs and head-shaking. When finally tired and brought into shallow, shoreline water, the fish is likely to spin, catching and breaking the line on the bony barbs along all four sides of its body.

     STURGEON CLEANING AND PREPARATION
     If anglers plan to keep sturgeon for the table, the fish should be immediately stunned with a blow to the head and then bled out completely by cutting around the tail and or slicing the gills on one side or the other. Sturgeon should then be gutted and the head and tail removed. The scutes, the bony barbs down the sides, back, and belly should be filleted off flush with the skin, and the fins all removed close to the body. Once the sturgeon is in this “bullet” form, you come to the most important step in assuring that your sturgeon will be delectable table fare:
     You must age the fish in a refrigerator for 48 hours.
     Don’t forget this step. Sturgeon meat takes that long to “relax” from rigor mortise. It can also continue to react reflexively to knife cuts, making final filleting and skinning difficult. More importantly, if the meat is cooked before it is relaxed, it is likely to be rubbery and tough.
     After the 48-hour period, a big fish can then be steaked or filleted, while smaller fish should then be filleted.
     The filleting method for sturgeon is different than for most gamefish because it is done from the inside of the body cavity. The spine is removed with careful knife work and then the ribs are carefully sliced off each fillet. The two fillets from each side of the body are still joined by skin at this point. They are separated and the skin removed in the normal fashion. Click here for complete step by step photo instructions.
     The fillets are so firm, they are ideal for grilling because they don’t break apart, but they are also perfect for broiling, baking, frying, poaching and smoking. Use with recipes that call for shark, swordfish, or halibut, and you will be pleasantly surprised. You will also find on the www.fishinglakes.com website several fantastic recipes for sturgeon along with other interesting information and a link to purchase some of the best tasting caviar in the world. Click here for several great sturgeon recipes.

     NOMENCLATURE AND TIDBITS
     -- Don’t call them barbs or horns. Don’t call it body armor. The correct term for the bony bumps along the back, sides, and belly of a sturgeon is “scutes.” These scutes often catch fishing line and nick it or completely shear if off. This is mostly likely to happen near the end of a fight when the fish is brought into shallow water where it will roll vigorously.
     -- While sturgeon are called “bony fish” that is technically incorrect. Their skeleton is made of cartilage, like a shark. And like shark, the leathery skin if tanned in Europe and made into handbags.
     -- Sturgeon have taste buds on the outside of their mouths and smell food from the tips of the four barbells around their tube-like mouth, that almost seems prehensile. This means they can actually smell and taste your bait before they put it in their mouth. The goods news is that if they decide to eat the bait and you feel a bite, it’s time to set the hook. They’re probably not going to spit the bait out.
     -- Sturgeon are a very primitive fish, with fossil records that date back 175 million years or more. They are also prolific and long-lived. A mature female will lay up to million eggs or more when they broadcast spawn in rapidly-flowing water in river. White sturgeon can live more than 100 years and fish that live in saltwater, except for spawning, can weigh over 1,500 pounds, while landlocked fish will still weigh 300 pounds or more.

SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES & CORONA LAKE

Jim Matthews
Outdoor News Service
6-28-09

Catfish action is good at SARL
but sturgeon are still sluggish
     The big Warm Water Grand Opening this past weekend saw huge plants of three- to five-pound sturgeon, “silver” channel catfish, and tilapia at Santa Ana River Lakes, but it was only the catfish and tilapia that cooperated for anglers over Father’s Day.
     There has continued to be very good catfish action, and some excellent stringers of fish for anglers fishing on 24-hour passes at night. Saul Lopez, Fullerton, Enrique Gonzales, Placentia, and Pablo Torres, Upland, teamed up to landed 40 catfish that weighed 96 pounds total, including one fish at 8 1/2 pounds. The three were fishing with shrimp in the main lake. Stan and Glenda Corona, Orange, landed 15 cats that weighed 32 pounds total fishing nightcrawlers at Levitz’ Corner.
     After being slow through the weekend, it finally looked like the sturgeon were starting to kick into gear early in the week with more and more of the fish being reported at the tackle shop, according to Paul Palamara.
     “We’ve had at least a dozen weighed in since Monday,” said Palamara on Wednesday, and then he told a sad story.
     One angler came in with his son to weigh a catfish they had caught and Palamara asked the angler if he’d had any luck with sturgeon. The man answered that they had, in fact, catching and releasing three of the fish on Wednesday morning while fishing for catfish. Palamara asked him why they’d released the sturgeon, and the man replied that it said “right here on my permit” that sturgeon had to be released.
     Palamara groaned. In spite of signs and publicity about anglers now being able to keep sturgeon under 15 pounds, new fishing permits had not been printed yet, so the three to four pounders were released. Palamara said the angler seeming unfazed by it all, saying he was going to go back to the lake and catch a couple more because they were biting.
     The biggest of only a few sturgeon reported over the weekend was a 5 1/4-pounder caught by Bryan Duff, Yorba Linda, fishing a nightcrawler off Levitz’ Corner.
     In addition to the catfish and sturgeon, tilapia plants last week and this week have really turned on this bite, especially in Chris’ Pond. David, Garret, and Julia Agia, Fullerton, caught 10 tilapia to 2 1/2 pounds on meal worms in Chris’ Pond.
     Catfish plants are twice a week, with the tilapia going in each week now. Sturgeon will be planted regularly throughout the summer with fish to 15 pounds planted with each stock. Only two sturgeon under five pounds or one sturgeon between five and 15 pounds can be kept as part of the overall five-fish limit.
     Anglers are reminded that sturgeon take special care to be their best on the table, and anglers are encouraged to go the Santa Ana River Lakes’ web site -- www.fishinglakes.com -- to get filleting, aging, and cooking directions.
     There is an ongoing big fish contest with a $100 gift certificate given away each week on Sunday afternoon. The winning angler can use the certificate only at the new Jimmy’s Outdoors Hunting and Fishing Supply, just around the corner from SARL on Tustin Avenue. The week’s winner will be posted at 4 p.m. each Sunday at the tackle shop at Santa Ana River Lakes.
     Santa Ana River Lakes 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 $22. Seniors only pay $20, with a special $17 pass sold on Wednesdays. All of these passes have a five-fish limit. For kids 4 to 13, a three-fish pass is just $9. The 24-hour passes are now sold every Friday and Saturday and remain just $60. Anglers can bring a spouse and up to three kids to help fill the 24-hour pass 15-fish limit. For Santa Ana River Lakes fishing information, call 714-632-7830 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com.

Corona Lake sturgeon are quiet,

but night catfish bite is very good
     Catfish action has been good for night and early morning anglers, but the sturgeon planted last week have been almost complete no-shows at Corona Lake. There also continues to be a fair number of bluegill, tilapia, and largemouth bass caught by anglers targeting these fish.
     Tim Burnett of Compton was spending the weekend at Corona Lake, fishing on back-to-back 24-hour fishing passes, a Father’s Day gift from his wife. He landed one of the first sturgeon caught at Corona Lake early Saturday morning, an eight-pound class fish that was added to his basket of one to two-pound catfish he and his family caught.
     The catfish were the name of the game for most anglers, with some very good catches reported by shore and boat anglers at night and early in the morning, with quite a few fish topping seven pounds. Shrimp, J.D.’s Mackerel, and nightcrawlers have been the best baits for the cats.
     Chris Ramsey and Bryan Lindquist, both Murrieta, caught a double limit of 10 catfish and their big fish was a 7 1/2 pounder, all on mackerel or shrimp. Mark Lehman, Perris, landed eight cats to 7-4, while Randy Bowling, Rancho Cucamonga, caught 12 catfish to seven pounds. They were both using shrimp.
     Also of real note this week, was a nine-pound bass caught and released by
Chris Szabo, Anaheim, fishing a jig from a boat, while Todd and Mariss Alysia, Tustin, caught 10 tilapia to 2 1/2 pounds fishing worms from shore.
     The summer catfish plants are twice a week this season and the tilapia are going in each week. Sturgeon will be planted regularly through the rest of the summer. They have a two-fish limit under five pounds, and one fish between five and 15 pounds. Bigger sturgeon must be released.
     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 $22. Seniors only pay $20, with a special $17 pass sold on Wednesdays. All of these passes have a five-fish limit. For kids 4 to 13, a three-fish pass is just $9. The 24-hour passes are now sold every Friday and Saturday and remain just $60. Anglers can bring a spouse and up to three kids to help fill the 24-hour pass 15-fish limit. For Corona Lake fishing information, call 951-277-4489 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com.

THE
"SILVER SUPER CATS"
ARE HERE !!

And we will be stocking
two times each week !!

The most beautiful, hard fighting
and delicious
catfish you will ever catch...

Highly prized and the superior year-round choice of the live Asian Food Markets, the "Silver" Channel Catfish are in high demand because of their delicate, mild flavor, and never musky or muddy tasting like so many people think catfish usually taste. You cannot get catfish that will taste better than the "Silver Super Cats" from Imperial Catfish. After eating an Imperial Catfish "Silver" it will change your mind about which fish is your favorite to eat like it has for so many who have tasted this delicious and healthy treat.

Imperial Catfish is the preeminent producer of quality catfish in California and we at Santa Ana River Lakes and Corona Lake are proud to have them as our exclusive supplier for the best catfish available. Even if the cost is higher, our customers have taught us that quality is #1 when it comes to the fish they expect to catch at our Lakes. As you know, last Trout Season, we switched and began stocking the highest quality trout available, "Tailwalkers" from Chaulk Mound in Nebraska, and yes it did cost us more money for these trout, but our fishermen loved these fish and we had one of best business years.

Because of this, we have chosen Imperial Catfish to supply our Lakes with the highest quality catfish available, and yes, we could purchase catfish for less money from other catfish suppliers, but we are not going to because we are sold on QUALITY FIRST for our fishermen!!

As the largest producer in the state, Imperial Catfish will supply Santa Ana River Lakes and Corona Lake throughout the entire Summer Season. Not only will they provide our regular sized catfish in the 2 to 5 pound class, but they will also deliver us a bunch of their huge brood stock catfish in the 20 to 30+ pound class throughout the season. Also, they have promised to deliver some HUGE Blue Catfish when they are done with them after spawning season and some Albino Catfish as well. But even more exciting, is a catfish they are developing called a "Tiger Cat". (BELOW)
Here's Dennis Faria, the General Manager at Imperial Catfish proudly holding one of the "Tiger Cats"
He is actively working on the development of this uniquely marked channel catfish.

"Silver Super Cats" are exceptionally healthy and aggressive catfish and are bred from a strain of channel catfish that demonstrates rapid growth and disease resistance. The stocks have been found clear of all major pathogens including, Channel Catfish Virus and E.S.C. Moreover, they are selectively bred for superior body weight and shape which means you will get more meat to eat on each fish and the catfish won't be all head and tail. Additionally, and very important to the fisherman, these catfish are super strong and they fight like no other and they will bite a hook as quick as they are stocked into the water. These fish are raised in large natural open ponds, not tanks like so many other producers use and they are feed a special nutritional diet that attributes to their superior taste, health and aggressive behavior.

If you would like to learn more about the "Silver Super Cats" see some great photos and video of Imperial Catfish and download a bunch of great catfish recipes, visit their website at: http://www.imperialcatfish.com