The Irvine Lake Kid's Lagoon will be stocked with a "bonus shot" of brown trout and brook trout, to go along with the usual batch of rainbow trout. This will present an opportunity for kids age 12 and under to participate in the DFG's "Grand Slam" awards program, as part of the department's "Passport" activities.

To qualify for a "Coldwater Grand Slam", an angler must catch 3 different species of trout. Additionally, plenty of brown trout and brook trout are also present in the main lake along with the rainbows, so adults can have a shot at a Grand Slam as well.

Lots of great prizes worth up to $500 will be awarded by the DFG at the program's end on December 31. As of this week, the program had received zero entries in the "Junior" division. All rules and entry forms for the program are available at the Irvine Lake Pro Shop.

As for this week's action, plenty of hefty trout were on the stringers, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. "The overall bite has been very good" observed Getty. Nightcrawlers have been the best bait by far, and bait has been outproducing trolling by at least 4 to 1."

The average trout at Irvine this week have been ranging from 2 to 6 pounds, with a good number of fish in the 7 to 11-pound class that have been keeping things very interesting. Larger fish are definitely in the lake, with some epic battles ending in heartbreak.

Top bait has been a half-nightcrawler fished either plain, or as part of a Power Mouse in combination with a white or orange Gulp! Salmon Egg. Use a size 10 to 14 "dry fly" hook and a 12 to 14-inch leader using 2-pound test mono or fluorocarbon for best results.

Persistent trollers are scoring some nice fish while dragging CD03 and CD05 Rapalas in orange or firetiger colors. Fish are being caught almost everywhere in the lake, with good catches coming from the west shore, Trout Island, Santiago Flats, Sierra Cove and near the dam.

A few 2 to 6-pound catfish are still hitting on nightcrawlers intended for trout, but bass fishing has been slow. The Kid's Lagoon has been very good for families with children age 12 or under, with the Lagoon fish preferring mini-jigs and Power Bait.

The water level is currently holding steady, with underwater visibility fair at about 12 to 18 inches.

Outstanding catches of the week at Irvine Lake included:
Daniel Ganoe of Huntington Beach, 12.4 pound trout on nightcrawlers/garlic dip at Trout Island
Andy Ridouler of Whittier, 11.4 pound trout on a Power Mouse at the west shore
Daniel Cortez of Orange, 10.04 pound trout on nightcrawlers at Trout Island
Eric Munana of La Puenta, 9.4 pound trout on a Thomas Buoyant at Trout Island
Bobby Castillo of Long Beach, 9.4 pound trout on nightcrawlers at Trout Island
Gose Penukoko of Anaheim, 9.2 pound trout on Power Bait at the west shore
Robin Kimpton of San Diego, 8.12 pound trout on nightcrawlers at Trout Island
Shawn Mkrtychyan of Hollywood, 8.0 pound trout on Power Bait at Trout Island
Jose Valenzuela of Anaheim, 7.12 pound trout on a mini jig at the west shore
Ricardo Zepeda of Santa Ana, 7.1 pound trout on nightcrawlers at Trout Island