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,pictured of 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.