Corona Lake has continued to have wide open trout action over the past week, and for the second week in a row has produced the biggest trout in the region.

This week's big fish is also the largest trout caught in Southern California so far this season. The 18 1/4-pound rainbow was landed by Mike Darr, Lake Elsinore, while fishing with a nightcrawler from shore. Oliver Valdez, Corona, landed a 17-pound rainbow also on a nightcrawler while fishing from shore. Valdez had a six-fish, 31-pound stringer. Hank DeAnda, Whittier, landed a 10 1/2-pound rainbow, and his four-fish stringer weighed 17 1/2 pounds. He was fishing nightcrawlers at the dam.

Other big fish include a 9-8 rainbow landed by Eric Eyserbeck, Temecula; nine-pounders by Donovan Arons, Riverside, and Dale Casado, Riverside; an 8-4 and eight-pounder by Tony Rincon, Moreno Valley; and another eight-pounder landed by Sam Dafaha, Fontana.

However, the week's big fish was a huge 38-pound carp landed by Jerry Young visiting from Minnesota while fishing a nightcrawler from shore.

Top trout baits have been chartreuse, corn yellow, and rainbow Eagle Claw Nitro Bait dough dipped in garlic Nitro Garvy. Inflated nightcrawlers doused with the garlic scent have also been good, and the small trout jigs and trout plastics are also working well.

This week there were at least 40 limits of rainbows were reported by anglers. Photos of these catches are being uploaded daily to Corona Lake's website so anglers can keep tabs on the fishing. In addition, anglers who catch fish and report them to the tackle shop and have photos taken are eligible for a weekly drawing for a package worth $300, including lake passes, pontoon boat rentals, and fishing gear. This past week's winner was William Johnson, Lake Elsinore.

Anglers should also note that a few sturgeon are being caught each week. Most of the fish are three to six pounds and are showing on floating baits and nightcrawlers right with the trout. Chris Ramsey, Murrieta, landed a 5-8 sturgeon from shore fishing chartreuse Nitro Bait. There were also a few tilapia to 3-4 landed this past week in the sun-warmed shallows at the south end of the lake, but this cold snap is likely to shut down that bite.

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. 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