The catfish bite has continued strong at Anaheim Lake on fish averaging about two pounds. The best bite has been for boat anglers fishing the middle part of the lake around the islands in deeper water. Five-fish stringer averaging about 10 pounds total have been common and shrimp or the marshmallow-meal worm combo have been the top baits to get those limits.

David Rochin, Fullerton, had five cats on the marshmallow-nightcrawler combo with a total weight of 11 1/2-pounds, including a 3 1/2-pounder. Nash and Mark Helm, both Whittier, were using shrimp and each managed five catfish. Nash's stringed weighed 10 pounds total, and his top fish was a 2 1/2-pounder, while Mark's stringer was nine pounds total and his best was a two-pounder. The best catfish action remains in deep water where the fish retreat to avoid cormorants.

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. 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.