Monster rainbow planted two months ago is still swimming in Corona Lake
Like the Lock Ness monster, the 30-pound-class rainbow planted in Corona Lake the first week of February has continued to make brief appearances and haunt anglers, but it refuses to be caught.

This past week a whole group of anglers fishing near the dam at Corona watched as the huge, orange-tagged trout cruised around on the surface eating floating nightcrawlers. The wind had collected anglers' lost inflated baits in a pocket near the dam and the big fish was making short work of filling its gut, slurping them up like spaghetti in the cool 60-degree water.

But most anglers were more focused on the trophy Nebraska Tailwalkers planted last week. The big rainbows were mostly in the five to eight-pound class an seemed to show up on nearly everyone's stringer. While some most of the action was on floating baits in rainbow or chartreuse, the jig and fly anglers were also scoring on the big rainbow.

Top Tailwalker reported at the bait shop was an 8.7-pounder landed by Robert Wood, Poway, fishing a nightcrawler at the dam, but Robert Montejo, Riverside, was fly fishing near the dam to land a 7 1/2-pound Tailwalker. Aaron and David Stoller, Riverside, caught six rainbows for 21 pounds, including a seven-pounder fishing Roostertails, while Bryan, Norma and Lindsay Larson, all Rialto, caught 10 trout for 21 1/2 pounds, including a 6-4.

Catfish season will kick off with the season's first giant plant on May 20, but the holdovers in Corona Lake are already getting active. John Kennedy, Rancho Cucamonga, landed five cats that weighed 22 pounds total. His big fish was a seven pounder and he was fishing mackerel from a boat near the dam and limited out quickly.

The sturgeon also continue to show in pretty decent numbers. While few anglers target the big, prehistoric fish, they show up on both trout and catfish baits when least expected. Carl Gaspary, Norco, was fishing rainbow floating bait for trout when he hooked and landed a 22 1/2-pound sturgeon at the dam from a boat.

Tilapia are also going to be planted here soon, perhaps even beginning this week, so anglers should keep tabs on The Lakes web site (www.fishinglakes.com) for complete details and updates.

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 now sold every Friday and Saturday through the summer. 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. Camping at Corona Lake is also free with a 24-hour pass. For Corona Lake fishing information, call 951-277-4489 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com