??While rains made the waters of Santa Ana River Lakes murky, the trout action has remained good for anglers who've adapted their fishing techniques to the off-color water.??

Jim Davis, one of the lake managers at SARL, said the key has been to fish a short leader, no more than eight to 10 inches long, and then make sure to add Nitro Grease or Gravy to either Nitro Bait or inflated nightcrawlers to improve that bait's ability to lay down a scent trail that will attract the trout. Light-colored floating baits have been the best because they are also more visible in the stained water.

In the past week, there have been 16 trout over five pounds landed, including four over the 10-pound mark.??????????The best trout was a 14 1/2-pound rainbow landed by Brian Larson, Rialto, while fishing white lightning Nitro Bait and meal worms in Chris' Pond. Pete Armenta, Mira Loma, caught a 12 2/3-pounder fishing salmon eggs, also in Chris' Pond. A 12 1/2-pound trout topped off a 10-fish stringer caught by Caesar Carrasco, East Los Angeles, and Enrique Estrada, South Gate, weighed in at 29 1/4 pounds. They were fishing the sandy beach with rainbow Nitro Bait. Robert Zeller, Ontario, caught a 12-pound rainbow drifting a salmon egg in the current at the Bubble Hole.

??Trophy Mt. Lassen Trout Farms' rainbows are being planted weekly through the end of the year. Trout topping 20 pounds are slated to go in each week and the biggest fish could easily top the lake and state record of 28.1 pounds caught in 2005 at SARL.??

??Anglers fishing at SARL should keep in mind the Eagle Claw bounty on a new state record fish. If the 28.1-pound state and lake record is broken using Eagle Claw Nitro baits or bait additives, the lucky angler can claim a $500 prize. If an Eagle Claw hook is used, he or she is eligible for another $500.

SARL will close at 2 p.m. Dec. 24th and be closed Christmas Day. But it will then go back to the regular schedule.

??Santa Ana River Lakes is 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 $20 passes has a five-fish limit. The lake's 24-hour passes are available only once a month for trout season -- the weekend closest to the full moon, which is Dec. 28, 29, and 30th this month. These passes have a 15-fish limit and cost $60. A spouse and up to three kids 12 and under can help dad catch his 15-fish limit on these passes. The lake will be planted every Wednesday for the remainder of trout season.