Jim Matthews
Outdoor Editor
9/4/12
Big cats anchor quality stringers at Corona Lake
A steady procession of nice stringers of catfish continue to come from Corona Lake the week leading up to the blue moon last Friday and right through Labor Day weekend.
The biggest fish reported was a 12 1/2-pound catfish landed by Eric Hernandez, Ontario, as part of a nice three-fish stringer he caught using salmon for bait off the shoreline near the boat dock. 
Rick and Judith Macias, both Los Angeles, had an eight-fish stringer that weighed 30 pounds total and it was anchored with an 8 3/4-pound cat. They were using mackerel from a boat. Brian Barkley, Beaumont, caught a 6 1/2-pounder fishing mackerel from his float tube at the tules at the back of the lake and his four-fish stringer weighed 21 pounds.
The top stringer weighed in was 45 pounds for 18 fish caught by Dave Berry and Steve Gomez, both Highland Village, fishing with nightcrawlers and Gravy from a boat mid-lake. Mike Johnson, Corona, had the best five-fish limit at 16-pounds with his top fish a four-pounder while fishing shrimp doused with Eagle Claw Gravy.
The bite has been good throughout the day this past week along with the usual early morning, evening, and at night time frames. Shrimp, mackerel, the marshmallow-meal worm (M&M) combo, and nightcrawlers with Eagle Claw Gravy or Lip Ripperz Love Sauce scents continue to be the best baits. Hot spots have been the deeper water off the dam and the back end for boat anglers. Shore fishing has been best off J.D.’s Point, the dock shoreline, and the dam area.
The tilapia action is also pretty good in the shallow, shady areas on nightcrawler pieces, and there continue to be a few bass, bluegill, and crappie caught 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.
Corona Lake is still having its 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 atwww.fishinglakes.com.
Anaheim Lake has off-the-hook action for eatin’-size catfish
Anaheim Lake has been excellent for catfish over the past week and through the holiday weekend with most anglers fishing deeper water spots getting nice stringers of catfish averaging around two pounds.
Mackereal and shrimp have been the most popular baits over the past week and most anglers are adding a prepared scent like Love Sauce, Bite On or Gravy to the baits. The marshmallow-meal worm (M&M) combo, nightcrawlers, and dough or paste baits are also working.
The key to getting a nice stringer of fish has been to fish in deep water where the catfish are congregating to avoid the lake’s population of cormorants. Good spots continue to be the bubble hole and the hump directly between Catfish Island and Honker Island, most points, 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 have just as good success as boat anglers.
Some typical catches from this week include a 10-fish, 21 1/2-pound stringer posted by Adam King and Giuseppe Ciarcio, both of Santa Ana, while fishing mackerel on the hump. Their big cat was a 3 1/4-pounder. Joe and Joseph Leyva and Matthew Perez, all San Dimas, landed 11 catfish to three pounds with a total stringer that weighed 23 pounds, and all were landed on the M&M combo fishing near the bridge. Julian and Sandra Casillas, Garden Grove, had the top catfish reported this week at four pounds and it topped off a 10 fish 20 3/4-pound stringer that included one nice tilapia. All their fish were caught on nightcrawlers at night off the east shoreline. Lake regular Jimmy Suchy, Anaheim, had a typical five-fish catch at 10 1/2 pounds landed on shrimp and his best fish was a three pounder.
The 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 and will 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.