Anglers at Irvine Lake found that the excellent trout action from opening week has carried over very well, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. "They are really catching a lot of fish out there", observed Getty. "There are a lot of those really nice grade 3 to 6-pounders being checked in, and the real hotspot has been Trout Island." Getty added, "Just before Thanksgiving, we will have a bonus stocking of our famous 'Sierra Red' rainbows in the 3 to 8-pound class; these drag-ripping beauties will be the hardest -- fighting trout we have ever stocked! We are also hoping that by the second week of December that the water temperatures will have cooled off enough to begin planting our famous trophy-grade rainbows in the 12 to 20-pound class."

IRVINE LAKE WILL BE CLOSED ON THANKSGIVING DAY, BUT OPEN REGULAR HOURS THE REST OF THE WEEK

Good catches have been checked in from the west shore, Trout Island, Santiago Flats, and mid-lake. Productive baits have included both PowerBait and Berkley Mice Tails presentations in chartreuse and orange colors, with the best leader length being 14 to 18 inches. Trollers did well with Berkley Flicker Shads in firetiger or red/chartreuse, and SC Shiners in firetiger or pink bubblegum colors.

Some brook trout in the 2-pound class were on the stringers, but the larger brown trout that were hooked all managed to escape. A handful of channel catfish ate baits intended for trout, but no bass anglers reported back with any success.

After being too warm for opening weekend, the Kids Lagoon water temperatures cooled off enough to be stocked with trout this week. Excellent action resulted, and families with children age 12 and under did very well on 1 to 3-pound trout using PowerBait and nightcrawlers. Very few bass anglers ventured out this week, and none reported in with what was working.

Surface temperature on the main lake is 62-64 degrees, with underwater visibility rated very clear except when the wind kicks up a little turbidity. The water level is holding steady, and the lake will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but open regular hours the remainder of Thanksgiving week.

Outstanding catches of the week at Irvine Lake included:

Tyler Prince of Yorba Linda, 7-2 rainbow trout on dropshot worm at the Red Clay Cliffs
James Glover of Mission Viejo, 6-10 rainbow trout on a Berkley Mice Tail at the west shore
Gale Johnson of Torrance, 6-6 rainbow trout on a Berkley Mice Tail at Trout Island
Reallen Lu of Garden Grove, 6-6 rainbow trout on a Berkley Mice Tail at the west shore
Mario Garcialetta of Orange, 6-2 rainbow trout on PowerBait at the west shore
Edgar Sanchez of Los Angeles, 6-0 rainbow trout on an SC Shiner at mid-lake
Mitz Onizuka of Irvine, 6-2 channel catfish on nightcrawlers at the west shore
Jack Donnelly of Orange, 3-5 largemouth bass [released] on a Rapala at the flats
3-year old Win Gurney and 7-year old Blake Gurney of Manhattan Beach, limit of trout in the Kids Lagoon on PowerBait