Top three trout caught in Corona Lake's
Hatchery Dust tournament over 18 pounds
 There was excellent trout action during the Lip RipperZ Hatchery Dust Takeover Tournament this past Saturday at Corona Lake and the top three rainbows caught were all over 18 pounds.

The big fish was a 19-pound, 11-ounce rainbow caught by Xavier Barriga, Hesperia, while fishing with a white trout worm from a boat. Second place went to Kory Allen, Garden Grove, with a 19-pound, seven-ounce rainbow caught from a float tube at the tree line on a Litl RipperZ jig, and third place was an 18-pound, two-ounce trout caught by Bob Barr, Tustin, also on a Litl RipperZ jig from a float tube at the dam. The fourth place fish, and the final fish in the money, was a 14-pound, five-ounce rainbow landed by Chuck Yansom, Lake Elsinore, landed on floating bait rolled in Hatchery Dust from shore at J.D.'s Point.

 Big fish outside of the tournament included a 14 1/2-pounder landed by Jaime Borrend, Murrieta, to top off a four-fish 22 1/2-pound stringer landed on Mice Tails fished from a boat. Patrick Equipilag, Azusa, landed an 11 3/4-pounder on chartreuse PowerBait.

 While the big fish always garner lots of attention, it is the solid, limit-style fishing that has been keeping the lake crowded with anglers. Five-fish stringer typically weigh 10 pounds or more, and lots of anglers are getting limits. Kris Knalson, Corona, landed five rainbows for a 17 1/2-pound total, including an eight-pounder on green floating bait from a boat. Michel Mistrella, Victorville, had five rainbows for 15 pounds and her best fish was an eight-pounder. Russ Carr, Canyon Lake, had a pretty typical catch of five trout for 10 1/4-pounds and his best was a three-pounder, all on Mice Tails.

 The best action has been on floating dough baits rolled in Hatchery Dust, garlic-scented nightcrawlers, Power Mice and other small trout plastics, and small trout jigs. The best bite for shore anglers is still from the cove behind bait shop all the way to the dam. Boat and float tubes are getting most of their fish from the dam to the upper end of the lake along the main channel, with the area off the boats docks especially good this past week.

 There are huge plants each week, and all stocks include trophy-quality rainbows topping 10 pounds.

Corona Lake is open on a seven-days-a-week schedule. Fishing is 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. The 24-hour passes are only sold the weekend nearest the full moon. 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. For Corona Lake fishing information, call 951-277-4489 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com.

Huge 19 1/4-pound trout tops hot
action at Santa Ana River Lakes
 The parade of huge rainbows and nice stringers of pan-sized trout continues to pour out of Santa Ana River Lakes.

The big fish this past week was a mammoth 19 1/4-pound rainbow landed by Armando Ayala, Pico Rivera, on rainbow floating boat at the Pump House on four-pound test line. Nick Makshanoff, Whittier, landed an 18-pounder on two-pound test fishing chartreuse floating boat from shore at the Bubble Hole, and it took him 20 minutes to landed the fish. A 15-pound trout was caught by Steven Yeh, La Puente, off the Sandy Beach on chartreuse floating bait.
There were three rainbows in the 14-pound class, including a 14-pound, 10-ouncer landed by Doc Molthen, Cypress, on corn yellow PowerBait on four-pound test at Levitz' Corner. A 14 1/4-pounder was caught by Sam Tamtan, Cerritos, on a mini jig, while John Kingkeo, Buena Park, landed a 14-pound, two-ouncer on a yellow and white jig at Johnny's Corner on two-pound test.  

The trophy Sierra Bows from Mt. Lassen Trout Farms continue to be a component of each week's massive plant that consists mostly of one to two-pound rainbows. The giant trout are extremely popular with the anglers and have been running from 10 to nearly 20 pounds. Most anglers are getting stringers of one to two-pounders and many have a bigger trout as a kicker fish.

The action has been best on a wide variety of baits and lures, but the most consistent bite has continued to be on floating baits rolled in the new Hatchery Dust additive. Power Mice Tails or the home-made equivalents with plastic or nightcrawler tails are close seconds, and a lot of rainbows continue to show on small trout plastics and trout jigs. Bright colors continue to be the best bet with any of the baits or lures.

Santa Ana River Lakes is open seven-days-a-week. Fishing is 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 on Friday and Saturday night on weekends nearest the full moon each month for $75. An angler can bring his or her spouse and three kids 17 years or younger on that $75 permit, and all can help catch the 15-fish limit. Camping at SARL is thrown in for free. For Santa Ana River Lakes fishing information, call 714-632-7830 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com