IRVINE LAKE CATFISH, BASS STILL CHEWING WELL
Plenty of eating-size catfish were on the stringers at Irvine Lake this week, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. “This is the first week in almost a month that we did not have a catfish over 30 pounds checked in”, observed Getty. “We made up for with lots of prime eating-size fish in the 3 to 9 pound class, with a few bigger ones mixed in to keep it interesting. The winner of our ‘Catfish Shootout’ event took home $655 for his 12-9 channel cat, and all of the money fish were in the 6 to 12-pound range.”

Getty added, “There is a pretty good catfish bite going on during the daylight hours on nightcrawlers. As dusk sets in the traditional baits like mackerel and shrimp start to produce, and some anglers are also doing well on bonito or skipjack. Lots of cats are biting along the west shore and Santiago Flats.”

Bass anglers are doing very well on 2-4 pound largemouth on a variety of techniques, including topwaters, reaction baits, and plastics. Hard structure at 15-20 foot depths is the daytime pattern, with the fish moving up to 5-10 feet during the evenings. Bassers did well at Rocky Point and the Red Clay Cliffs. The back of coves that may be covered with moss or vegetation is also seeing a good to excellent “frog” bite. Anglers are reminded that all bass species are strictly catch and release at Irvine Lake.

Families with children age 12 and under did well on 1-3 pound catfish in the Kids Lagoon. Surface temperature on the main lake is 78-80 degrees, with underwater visibility rated from very clear to stained, depending on wind action. The Lake level is dropping slowly. The boat launch ramp at the West Shore is in full operation.

The main lake will be stocked this week and every week all summer long. The Kids Lagoon was stocked last week. Upcoming events include the Sport Chalet tournament on August 1, and the Midsummer Night’s Dream on August 15.

Outstanding catches of the week at Irvine Lake included:
Kylie Raukko of Orange, 18-9 blue catfish [released] on mackerel at the Kids Lagoon
Robert Chatman of Orange, 12-9 channel catfish on mackerel at the flats
Sierra VanMeter of Fullerton, 9-14 channel catfish on mackerel at the flats
James Getty of Silverado, 4-5 largemouth bass [released] on a Zumma Rat at Rocky Point
Bill Nelson of Orange, 6-0 brown trout on a crankbait at Sierra Cove
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