Corona Lake 'Tailwalker Derby' winner pockets $950 in cash, 20-plus pounder best trout of week

Muddy water and an overly-long truck ride for the Nebraska Tailwalker trout led to tough fishing for Corona Lakes "Tailwalker Derby" on Sunday this past week, but 95 anglers braved tough conditions and Chris Cabellon of Cypress won the $950 top prize with a four-pound, nine-ounce rainbow.

Second place went to Toeun Chitamnath of Anaheim with a 4-5 Tailwalker good for $380, while Stephen Mullins won the $285 third prize. Daniel Granoe was fourth and won $190, and the fifth place spot ended in a tie between Julio Salazar and Art Diaz, who both took home $47.50.

The truck bringing the Tailwalkers to Corona was stuck on Interstate 15 going up into the closed Cajon Pass during the snowstorm last Wednesday and Thursday, eventually turning around, going back toward Arizona, coming south to Interstate 10 and arriving late Thursday night. The stress caused by the 70-hour ride kept the double load of Tailwalker rainbows from biting much during the tournament. But it has left Corona Lake full of rainbows for the rest of the holiday - especially after this week's plant of trophy-sized Mt. Lassen Trout Farms rainbows up to 20 pounds or more.

In spite of the muddy water, the bite has been pretty fair since the weekend with both Mt. Lassen and Tailwalker rainbows showing on stringers. The best action has been on nightcrawlers with garlic or shrimp Nitro Gravy added to the bait. Orange or chartreuse floating baits are also a good bet.

Top trout reported outside the derby this week was a huge 20 1/2-pound rainbow caught by Stan Santos, Corona, while fishing from a float tube with an orange Nitro Worm. Jeff Roth and Jordan Brooks, both Menifee, had double limits of rainbows that weighed in at 25 pounds total.

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

Corona Lake 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 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 more Corona Lake fishing information, call 951-277-4489 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com