Bass and catfish action remained very good at Irvine Lake this week, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. "Both the bass and catfish are transitioning into their usual fall patterns", observed Getty. "The numbers of catfish are still very good, and the larger catfish are starting to make a move toward deeper water, with some better-grade cats now being caught mid-lake at 20 to 40 feet. A few very large fish were hooked but lost this week when they ran into heavy cover."

Getty added, "A lot of quality catfish are on the stringers, and it took something over 5 pounds to crack the top 10 at our weekend tournament. The classic fall weather pattern of very warm days, and evenings dropping down into the 50's also catches people by surprise without enough layered clothing. We had very good catfish catches were checked in from Boat Dock Cove and Santiago Flats, and good baits included mackerel, shrimp, bonito, and skipjack. Adding Bite-On scent was a big help." Bass fishing for 2 to 8-pound largemouth continues to be excellent, although the fish are in transition to fall patterns, and are keying in on slower-moving presentations. It is possible to release as many as 20 bass per outing for a skilled basser. Most fish are holding in 5 to 20 feet of water, with big worms, jigs, and deep-diving crankbaits being the top producers.

A few hybrid striped bass were seeing crashing on shad in open water, but none checked in this week. Very little effort was put forth in the pursuit of crappie or bluegill.

Families with children age 12 and under found good numbers of carp and 1 to 6-pound channel catfish in the Kids Lagoon. The catfish are biting best on mackerel, while the carp are going for nightcrawlers or boilies. Surface temperature on the main lake is 81-82 degrees. Underwater clarity is variable, with some turbidity if the wind comes up. Lake level is dropping steadily about 6 to 8 inches per week.

For anglers planning ahead, Irvine Lake's big 2012-13 Trout Season Opener will take place on Friday, November 2, with a special limited-entry "VIP Fishing Day" on Thursday November 1.

Outstanding catches of the week at Irvine Lake included:
Ron Gay of Corona, 16-4 blue catfish [released] on mackerel at mid-lake
Diana Cortez of Belmont, 11-8 channel catfish on bonito at the flats
Lily Tamayo of Costa Mesa, 6-6 channel catfish on Bite-On at Boat Dock Cove
10-year old Ephrom Miller of Los Angeles, 6-8 channel catfish on mackerel in the Kids Lagoon
9-year old Megan Vu of Irvine, 6-0 channel catfish on Bite-On at the Kids Lagoon
Seth Mostero of the Longfin Tackle in Orange, 8-8 largemouth bass [released] on a Rio Rico at Boat Dock Cove
Joey Nuinhuis of Costa Mesa, 6-10 largemouth bass [released] on a crankbait at the flats