Air temperatures topping 105 degrees have been common in the Inland Empire over the past week, but the heat hasn't slowed the catfish bite at Corona Lake one bit -- in fact, it might just be making the bite better.

Limits have been common for early morning, evening, and night fishermen, but the mid-day action has been little sampled because of the heat. The fish might be biting, but the anglers aren't putting in much effort then.

The best action has been on shrimp, mackerel, the marshmallow-meal worm (M&M) combo, and nightcrawlers. Many anglers are also adding Eagle Claw Gravy or Lip Ripperz Love Sauce scents, or similar scents and dip baits, to their other bait. Hot spots have been the deeper water off the dam, J.D.'s Point and the back end for boat anglers.

Alex Cruz, Rancho Cucamonga, had 10 catfish for a total stringer of 26 pounds, including a nice five-pounder, fishing J.D.'s mackerel off J.D.'s Point on a 24-hour permit. Dave Berry, Lakeland Village, landed 11 cats for 34 1/2 pounds, also with a five-pounder as his top fish. Tony Harmon, Riverside, had a 4 1/2-pound cat on mackerel, while Nick Herron and Josh Stark, both Murrieta, landed seven catfish for 20 pounds on chicken liver fish along the weed line off J.D.'s Point.

Catfish and tilapia plants go in at least twice a week, including both blue and channel catfish.

There have been a few bass, bluegill, and crappie caught this past week by anglers targeting the lake's resident population of fish. Ron Vergara, Cypress, was tossing a crankbait when he hooked and landed an 8 3/4-pound bass in the north end fishing just six-pound test.

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.