Winner of Santa Ana River Lakes 'Tailwalker Derby' takes home $1,130, but fishing conditions are tough

Matt Herrera won first place in the "Tailwalker Derby" held Saturday at Santa Ana River Lakes by catching a 4.50-pound Nebraska Tailwalker trout in spite of very tough fishing conditions at the lakes' complex. The fish netted Herrera $1,130 in cash -- half of the $2,260 pot from the 113 anglers who entered the event.

Ray Terrango was second with a 3.75-pounder winning $452, while Joe Cardenas took the $339 third prize with a 3.25-pounder. Donny Stovers was third with a 3.0-pounder for the $226 fourth place cash prize, and Dave Anderson captured the fifth place prize of $113 with a 2.13-pounder..

But catching any fish was tough during the weekend event, according to Craig Elliott with The Lakes. The Nebraska Tailwalkers was scheduled to arrive Wednesday night, but the truck from Bridgeport, Neb., was caught in the snowstorm that closed Cajon Pass that night and most of Thursday. Eventually, the drivers turned around, went back out across the desert, dropped south and came in on Interstate 10, arriving late Thursday night. The trout were in the truck for more than 70 hours..

Incredibly, while a few of the fish didn't survive the ride, most made it and were planted in the lake. But apparently, the shock of the long ride combined with chocolate milk-colored water at Santa Ana River Lakes all but kept them from biting on derby day. Elliott said the fish really didn't start showing in good numbers -- even in the clear water in the Kid's Pond -- until Monday this week..

"The good anglers who fished really hard were able to get a few of the fish," said Elliott. "But the rest of the fish are still in there.".

While that mean for slow action this past weekend, the double stocking of Tailwalkers for the derby, and this week's big plant of Mt. Lassen Trout Farm rainbows, which includes fish up to larger than 20 pounds, means anglers will have a stockpile of quality fish in the lake this Christmas week and the coming weeks..

The best action has been on the floating baits and nightcrawlers fished at the Bubble Hole, off the sandy beach, and Levitz' Corner. Small jigs and plastics have also been good bets, with Lip RipperZ the hot lures. Trollers working mid-lake have also been scoring. With the water more off-color this week, adding scent to any bait used is a good idea, and brighter-colored or flashy lures will garner more strikes..

The lakes close at 2 p.m. Dec. 24 and remain closed all day Christmas, but reopen at 6 a.m. Dec. 26..

Santa Ana River Lakes is normally 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 passes is $22.. Seniors only pay $20, with a special $17 pass sold on Wednesdays. All of these passes have a five-fish limit. For kids 4 to 13, a three-fish pass is just $9. The once-monthly 24-hour passes remain just $60 with the next 24-hour fishing coming up Martin Luther King weekend Jan. 16-18 -- three nights of all-night fishing thanks to the Monday holiday. These passes have a 15-fish limit. For Santa Ana River Lakes fishing information, call 714-632-7830 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com