Irvine Lake trout action good for fish to 11.6, catfish opener slated for June 6

Overall good trout action was highlighted by improved action for all species at Irvine Lake, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. "The trout bite has been very good all week", observed Getty. "There was heavy fishing pressure last Saturday that put the fish down a little, but they came right back up on Sunday and have been biting well since."

Good catches of trout were made by both trollers and bait dunkers. Power Bait in rainbow or chartreuse colors, along with a Power Mouse made with a green Gulp! Salmon Egg and green Power Trout Worm are the favored offerings. A few large fish were also hooked on an exotic new combination dubbed the "Power Bug", consisting of a Gulp! Salmon Egg and Berkley Power Nymph or other insect-imitating bait. Clearing water necessitated longer 16 to 20 inch leader lengths.

Leadcore line trollers dropped down 3 to 4 colors with Luhr Jensen Needlefish in cop-car or frog colors. Topliners stuck with the tried and true CD03 and CD05 Rapalas in firetiger.

Most trout on the stringers were running 1 to 7 pounds, but some nice 8 to 11-pounders made themselves known. Trout were caught along the west shore, Trout Island, boat dock cove, Santiago Flats and near the dam.

Bass anglers are pleased that their quarry has moved up into the shallows, in anything from 1 to 15 feet of water. Largemouth mostly in the 2 to 3 pound category are hitting on reaction baits like white/chartreuse Terminator spinnerbaits or Rapala X-Rap XR10's in purple ghost.

Spawning crappie are hitting very well on white Atomic Teasers and 2-inch Gulp! Minnows, and anglers are reminded to release the gravid females. Good areas for the slabs have been the flats, the old fence line and boat dock cove. The first inkling that the lakes' bluegill are waking up is demonstrated by some large 1-pound class ???gills hitting on nightcrawlers offered by trout anglers.

Ditto numerous catfish in the 1 to 3 pound class are munching on trouters' nightcrawlers, indicating that they are close to going on an all-out binge. Accordingly, lake management announced that Irvine's summer catfish opener would be on June 6.

Families with children age 12 and under are finding very good trout action in the Kids Lagoon. The first "Night-Time Bass Tournament" in several years will be held May 10, with signups only available at the lake or Angler's Marine.

Outstanding catches of the week at Irvine Lake included: