JUST IN TIME FOR PRESIDENT'S WEEKEND
Some 5,000 pounds of trout hit the water at Irvine Lake late this week, just in time for the President's weekend, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. "We had a 3,000 pound stocking of our beautiful 2 to 8-pound 'Yosemite Reds' on Wednesday, and another 2,000 pounds of rainbow, browns, and brookies on Thursday" observed Getty. "Fishing was already good all week, and it should be 'off the hook' for the holiday!" Getty added, "Our President's Weekend tournament will have tons of prizes, and is also a qualifier for our Master's event."

Local guide Hubert Zimara of KFGS Guide Service reported, "We limited out on rainbows to 3.7 pounds by flatline trolling pink Flickershads and SC Shiners. The Santiago Flats were best for the 'bait and wait' anglers, and they got full stringers using chartreuse and corn PowerBait or inflated half-nightcrawlers on 12 to 18-inch leaders."

Most trout on the stringers were good-looking 2 to 4 pounders, with a liberal sprinkling of better-grade 5 to 8-pounders, along with a few brown trout from 4 to 6 pounds. Good catches were reported form the west shore, Boat Dock Cove, the flats, and mid-lake.

Bait dunkers scored using Berkley Mice Tails or 1-inch Gulp! Pinched Crawlers rigged either Carolina-style or under a slip bobber. Trollers found the fish keying in on pink lures, with Flickershads, SC Shiners, and Rapala Shad Rap SR04's all getting good numbers of fish.

Reports from successful bass anglers were few and far between. Anglers targeting catfish did pretty well, with shrimp or mackerel soaked deep near the dam scoring near-limits of 3 to 7-pound whiskerfish.

Families with children age 12 and under found very good numbers of 1 to 3 pound trout in the Kids Lagoon using orange/chartreuse or pink/white Mice Tails and Gulp! Pinched Crawlers in chartreuse or natural colors. Surface temperature on the main lake is in the low 50's, with underwater clarity rated at 3 to 7 feet. The passing storm did not drop enough rain to raise the lake level.

Outstanding catches of the week at Irvine Lake included:

Ray Sarvwatari of Harbor City, 8-4 rainbow trout on a Mice Tail at the flats
William Hoefft of Fullerton, 8-4 rainbow trout on a Flickershad at Trout Island
Brandon King of Cypress, 8-2 rainbow trout on nightcrawlers at Trout Island
Lenny Stotmore of Orange, 7-15 rainbow trout on a Trout King worm at the west shore
Warrne Sauceda of San Diego, 6-0 brown trout on a mini jig at the west shore
Steve Hathaway of Anaheim, 7-7 channel catfish on shrimp at the dam