Trout season 'officially' kicks off at Santa Ana River Lakes
After two weeks of warm-up plants, trout season officially kicks off this week at Santa Ana River Lakes with the season's first huge planting of the popular Nebraska Tailwalkers, including a bonus load of the first trophy rainbows to go in this winter, all from five to eight pounds.

The past two weeks of plants have been whetting anglers' appetites of what's coming this trout season at SARL. First, there were plants of the new Ruby Red Steelhead from Jess Ranch in Apple Valley, and then the full-finned Sierra Bows from Mt. Lassen Trout Farms were planted last week. This week's plant rounds out the trifecta of trout that will be planted throughout the season.

Responding to anglers comments and requests, all three types of trout planted in SARL this year will be pink-meated, full-finned, wild-colored strains of rainbow trout from three different hatcheries. These fish not only look and taste better, but they are the hardest-fighting stains of trout ever planted in Southern California -- and all three are coming together at Santa Ana River Lakes this year.

But there's even more. During special promotions later in the season, the lakes will also be planted with brown trout, brookies, and the lovely Lightning Trout. Add in the opportunity to catch sturgeon, catfish, and tilapia, and SARL represents the destination with most diverse fishing opportunity for Southern California anglers.

The trout action has been very good this past week thanks to those first two plants. Rainbows to three pounds or a little better have been filling stringers, and limits have been common for diligent anglers. Michael Loera, Chino Hills, had the top rainbow this past week, a 3 1/2-pounder caught on orange Nitro Bait.

Edgar Sanchez, Corona, had a typical trout limit of five fish that weighed six pounds, including one at two pounds, and he was using chartreuse Nitro Bait. James Leon, Ontario, caught seven rainbows that weighed 14 pounds and his best was one at 2-10.

The trout have been showing from all around the big lake and from Chris Pond, and floating dough baits like Nitro Bait have been best. Anglers are reporting that dousing them in a garlic-flavored scent is also improving the action.

The catfish bite remains very good for the few anglers targeting the cats, and the sturgeon are finally starting to show in the cooling water. Tommy Montanez, Ontario, had a pretty typical catfish catch with five fish that weighed eight pounds. He was fishing nightcrawler and the marshmallow-meal worm combo in Chris' Pond. David Warren, Orange, caught a five-pound cat to top off his nine-pound, three-fish stringer. Kevin Uhl, Laguna Niguel, had a 10-pound sturgeon while fishing for trout at the Pump House, and Monte Moore, Corona, landed a six-pound sturgeon on a nightcrawler.

After being planted all summer, there is also a pretty good tilapia bite for anglers targeting these fish. Brandon Warren, Orange, had four tilapia to three pounds fishing shrimp near the boat dock.

Trout season will continue in high gear next week, too. Another bonus load of five to eight-pound trout will be planted next week, only rather than trophy Tailwalkers, next week's plant will be the larger Sierra Bows.

A reminder that private boats are no longer being allowed at Santa Ana River Lakes do to fears of invasive quagga mussels being introduced into the water system. This closure does not apply to SARL's sister water Corona Lake.

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 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 24-hour passes are sold once a month on Friday and Saturday nights nearest the full moon. These passes remain just $60. Anglers can bring a spouse and up to three kids to help fill the 24-hour pass 15-fish limit. The fish 24-hour fishing during trout season will be this Friday and Saturday. For Santa Ana River Lakes fishing information, call 714-632-7830 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com.