Jim Matthews

Outdoor Editor

8/21/12

Anaheim Lake produces nice stringers of catfish

Anaheim Lake’s catfish action has continued very good over the past week with limits of 1 1/2 to three pound catfish common for anglers fishing a wide variety of baits.

Shrimp or mackerel with one of the prepared scents like Love Sauce or Gravy continue to produce good numbers of catfish, but the marshmallow-meal (M&M) worm combos, nightcrawlers, and paste baits are also productive.

The catfish remain mostly in deeper water to avoid the lake’s huge population of cormorants. Good spots have been the bubble hole and the hump directly between Catfish Island and Honker Island, along the whole west side of the lake, and off Trout Island. Shore fishermen capable of making long rods capable of getting way out in deeper water are also having good success.

A 30-pound stringer with 14 fish was reported by Chris Khou, Derrell Carr, James Imel, Mike Medina Sr., and Mike Medina Jr., all from Ontario and La Puente. They were fishing both shrimp and mackerel with Love Sauce. Bill and Billy Holt, both Anaheim, landed 10 catfish for 28 pounds fishing shrimp along the west shore. A 17 ½-pound, eight-fish stringer was reported by Bo Allen and Chaka Delaney, Los Angeles, fishing nightcrawlers and shrimp with garlic spray on the humps. Andrew Villa and David Compos, both Tustin, had eight cats to three pounds for a 17-pound total fishing mackerel and shad from a pontoon boat.

Robert and Kai Powers, Highland Park, had the top catfish this past week at 4 1/4-pounds to top off an 11-fish stringers on nightcrawlers fishing off Honker Island in a boat.

The popular 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.

Anaheim Lake continues to receive twice-weekly plants of catfish and tilapia on Tuesday and Thursday through the rest of the summer fishing season. In August, Anaheim Lake staff is giving away free fishing passes each time you rent a boat and motor.

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.

Corona Lake’s catfish action remains red hot

The catfish bite at Corona Lake has continued to be good to excellent with a lot of nice stringers and quality fish still a significant component of the catches made in by early morning, evening, and at night.

A nine-pounder was the top catfish landed this past week by Jose Mancia, Los Angeles, as part of a five-fish, 17 1/2-pound stringer caught on shrimp fishing from a boat. Jose and Geovanni Marquez, both Riverside, had stringers at 23 1/2 and 28 pounds, respectively, and the biggest cat they landed a seven pounder. They were fishing mackerel and shrimp from a boat. A five-pound catfish topped off an 11-fish, 34 ½-pound stringer caught by Dave Berry, Lakeland Village, on Whoopass Catfish Bait from shore, and Victor and Brian Lopez, both East Los Angeles, had 15 catfish with a five-pounder the top fish on their stringer caught off J.D.’s Point on shrimp. Christopher Taulbee, Azusa, landed 15 catfish for a 29-pound total on shrimp and mackerel on a 24-hour pass.

The mid-day bite has been tough, but the night and low-light action has been very good. Shrimp, mackerel, the marshmallow-meal worm (M&M) combo, and nightcrawlers with Eagle Claw Gravy or Lip Ripperz Love Sauce scents have been the best baits. Hot spots have been the deeper water off the dam, J.D.’s Point and the back end for boat anglers.

There have been a few bass, bluegill, and crappie caught this past week by anglers targeting the lake’s resident population of fish.

Catfish and tilapia plants go in at least twice a week, including both blue and channel catfish. In August, Corona Lake staff is giving away free fishing passes each time you rent a boat and motor.

Corona Lake is have five “Biggest Catfish” derbies every weekend. 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 will be 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 20 anglers enter at $5 each, the biggest catfish caught among those 20 anglers wins that angler the whole $100 pot.

Private boats, kayaks, and float tubes are allowed at Corona Lake, but they will be inspected for traces of water or evidence of quagga mussel contamination before being allowed on the water.

There is road construction ongoing through the end of September at the Interstate 15 Indian Truck Trail off-ramp that leads to Corona Lake. This offramp is closed, but the lake is open during this construction. To detour around the construction, you need to exit from different off-ramps. If you are coming from the south on I-15, from the Elsinore or Murrieta area, exit on Lake Street and follow Temescal Canyon Road north to the lake entrance. If you are coming from the north, from the Corona or Riverside areas, exit the freeway at Temescal Canyon Road and follow the road south to the Lake entrance.

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. 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 Corona Lake fishing information, call 951-277-4489 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com.