Near-attendance records set at Santa Ana and Corona during two-for-one Eagle Claw Angler Appreciation Day
Nearly 2,000 anglers fished Santa Ana River Lakes and its sister water Corona Lake this past Saturday during Eagle Claw's two-for-one admission Angler Appreciation Day.

"Today was huge," said Craig Elliott on Saturday. "This was easily our largest attendance day of the whole trout season, and they caught a lot of fish, too." Santa Ana River Lakes had at least 50 limits of rainbows reported at the tackle shop, and most anglers landed from one to three fish. A lot of stringers had kicker fish topping four pounds. Corona Lake anglers posted more than 40 limits of rainbows, and it was Corona Lake that cranked out the top trout Saturday and all of the past week.

The best rainbow of Two-for-One Saturday was a huge 19.3-pound trout landed by Craig Wells of Elsinore while fishing a nightcrawler from the shore near the dam. But the biggest fish of the week, and the new leader in the season-long Eagle Claw Trout Bounty Derby, was a 20 1/2-pound rainbow caught by Danny Rios of Riverside. Rios was using chartreuse Eagle Claw dough bait and is the current leader in the running for the $1,000 reward for the biggest trout caught on an Eagle Claw bait.

Other good catches at Santa Ana River Lakes include a 5-12 rainbow landed by Ricky Aguilera, Costa Mesa, to top his 14 1/2und stringer while fishing small crank baits in Chris' Pond. David and Destiny Mahood, Fullerton, landed five trout, including a 5-10 rainbow on chartreuse dough bait. Craig Joaquim and Pete Hansen, both Anaheim, landed 10 rainbows to 5 1/2 pounds and the whole stringer weighed in at 31 1/2 pounds. The pair was tossing a nightcrawler-white Eagle Claw Nitro Bait combo bait at Three Pipes.

At Corona Lake, Kerry Gayagas, Corona, landed a 21-pound, five-fish stringer on Thursday that weighed 21 pounds and included a 6 1/2-pounder. On Saturday he returned to get another limit that weighed 22 pounds and included a a 7 1/4-pound rainbow. Both days he was fishing small trout lures near the boat dock. Raul Moran and Jesse Farausto, both Corona, landed 10 rainbows to 6 1/2 pound at the dam on garlic-flavored floating baits and lures. Guillermo Guzmen and Javier Centeno, both Moreno Valley, had a 14 1/2-pound stringer topped by a 6 1/2-pounder on green dough bait.

Sturgeon have also become a staple at both Santa Ana River Lakes and Corona Lake with trout anglers landing a few of the prehistoric fisheach week by accident. The best two fish both came from Corona this past week with an 8 1/2-pounder caught as part of an 11-fish stringer (10 trout) posted by Steve Kalish, Eddie Mejia and John Torres, all Los Angeles. The sturgeon was caught on a nightcrawler. Curtis Hunter, Hemet, also landed an 8 1/2-pound sturgeon fishinga nightcrawler at the dam.

This week you can save some gas money and skip the Sierra Nevada trout opener. Santa Ana River Lakes and Corona Lake are both going to be planted with more and bigger trout than you'll see from the Seirra. First, both lakes' complexes will receive another load of three to five-pound brown trout. Second, the biggest Chaulk Mound Trout Ranch Tailwalkers ever will be planted. The big rainbows from Nebraska will all be from five to 15 pounds and feature the full-tails and hard-fighting abilities that have made these fish so popular with anglers.

"As hard as the smaller Tailwalkers fight, I'm not sure anglers will be able to land the 12 to 15-pounders on two-pound test," said Elliott. "These may be the most challenging trout we've ever planted in our lakes."

This special planting event will also kick off the weekly 24-hour fishing season at both waters. The 24-hour passes entitles two anglers and up to three kids 12 and under to fish and fill the passes' 15-fish limit. They are perfect for families and camping at both Corona Lake and Santa Ana River Lakes is free with the 24-hour pass.

Anglers are also reminded that if they land a trout limit or a trout over five pounds, they can get a free one-year subscription to Western Outdoor News if they report their catch at the tackle shop and have photos taken. Existing subscribers can get half off on a one-year renewal.

Both Santa Ana River Lakes and Corona Lake are 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 now being sold every Friday and Saturday night, have a 15-fish limit, and cost just $60. Anglers can bring a spouse and up to three kids to help fill the 24-hour pass limit. For Santa Ana River Lakes fishing information, call 714-632-7830. For Corona Lake information, call 951-277-4489. Or you can log on at www.fishinglakes.com for complete details about both lakes' complexes.