Does Corona Lake have best trout bite in all of Southern California?
A pretty good argument could be made that Corona Lake has the best trout action in all of Southern California right now. With five weeks of trout stocking tucked in its waters, plants from three feisty strains of rainbows, and the season's first plant of quality fish last week, Corona Lake's action was off the charts this past week.

Anglers weighed in over 60 limits of rainbows and over 35 trout topping the five pound mark at this small western Riverside County water this past week at the lake's tackle shop.

The big trout was an 8 1/2-pound rainbow landed by Captain Semenez on Power Bait while fishing from shore. Rainbows at 7 1/2 pounds were the top fish on two impressive stringers of fish. Daryl Adams, Chino, had five fish that weighed in at 18 1/2 pounds total, and all were taken on pink trout worms from a float tube. Darrin Toney, Riverside, had five fish that weighed 15 1/4 pounds, including his 7 1/2-pounder, on chartreuse Eagle Claw Nitro dough from the shore.

A wide variety of floating dough baits and colors are being used by anglers, but chartreuse, yellow, rainbow, and white have been the top colors, with the green/chartreuse colors the top pick. Inflated nightcrawlers doused with garlic scent have also been good, and the small trout jigs and trout plastics are seeing a lot of use by many anglers.

The action is likely to just keep getting better with another load of the popular Nebraska Tailwalkers this week, including more fish over five pounds. This plant will be followed by another stock of Mt. Lassen Trout Farms fish for Thanksgiving weekend, including some super trophies up to 20 pounds or more. Corona Lake will be closed at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, and it will remain closed Thanksgiving day, but it will reopen Friday, Nov. 27, so anglers can sample this spectacular fishing.

And don't forget the tilapia, sturgeon, and catfish bites at Corona. All three have remained pretty good but few anglers targeting these fish. The sturgeon are getting better each week and the best bite has been on shrimp with fish to seven pounds, although David Cullen, Riverside, landed a 10 1/2 pounder this week on a nightcrawler. The tilapia are running up to three pounds and showing mostly on nightcrawler pieces. The catfish are mostly showing on cut baits and fish to 4 1/2 pounds were caught this past week.

Private boats are still allowed at Corona Lake. While Corona's sister water, Santa Ana River Lakes, has been closed to private boat launching because of fears of quagga mussel infestation, Corona Lake continues to offer private boat launching.

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 pay only $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 the Friday and Saturday nearest the full moon each month, with the next 24-hour fishing set for Dec. 4 and 5.. They cost just $60, and anglers can bring a spouse and up to three kids to help fill the 24-hour pass 15-fish limit. For Corona Lake fishing information, call 951-277-4489 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com.