The trout fishing remains good at Santa Ana River Lakes for anglers fishing deep water, and the catfish action has been improving with each day of warm weather.

The trout bite has been best for trollers working deep water off the Bubble Hole or for bait anglers fishing in this same area, either from boat or by making long casts from shore. The catfish are mostly showing from the big lake on mackerel or one of the prepared catfish baits.

The top rainbow reported this past week was a 13 ??-pounder caught by Ron DeRidder, Rolling Hills, while fishing with a nightcrawler near the Pump House. DeRidder also had the best catfish when he landed a 12 ??-pound cat in the same spot on the same bait. Kei Higashi, Gardena, landed a 10-pound channel catfish from Chris' Pond on a marshmallow-meal worm combination, while Art Blanton, Compton, caught five catfish that weighed a total of 14 ??-pounds on mackerel near the Pump House.????

Trout plants will continue through May 16, and then catfish will take over with two big weekends of bonus plants of catfish starting with the "pre-grand opening" on May 24-27 followed by the "Grand Opening" of catfish season May 31-June 3. Catfish will be planted weekly starting with the pre-grand opening, and for the Grand Opening, there will be some bonus, oversize fish stocked.??

The huge sturgeon planted last month continue to delight anglers. Few are landed each week, but they are hooked with regularity. These are all from 50 to 150 pounds and they are just unstoppable on four-pound test.

??Anglers are reminded that if they hook and land on of these bruisers, they are catch-and-release only -- but there is a reward for the catch. The $200-value prize package includes two free gate passes ($40 value), a free pontoon boat rental ($85 value), and a top-quality Eagle Claw fishing combo that includes a graphite catfish rod, multi-ball bearing spinning reel, and spool of Lazer line ($75 value).

??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 $20 passes has a five-fish limit. The lake's 24-hour passes will be available every weekend starting May 18-19. These passes have a 15-fish limit and cost $45.

For Santa Ana River Lakes fishing information, call (714) 632-7830 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com.