The catfish season "Grand Opening" will be this week at Santa Ana River Lakes and the bite has been very good after heavy channel catfish plants last week. The warm weather gave the bite a boost, too. This week will mark the first plant of trophy-sized catfish up to 10 pounds and more for the season, and there will be another bonus plant of pan-sized cats up to four pounds or better.

The catfish action has been best off the sandy beach, the Bubble Hole, at the pump house, La Palma Point, Three Pipes, and in Chris' Pond, with shrimp, frozen shad, nightcrawlers, mackerel and the marshmallow-meal worm combination have all be the top baits. Most anglers are adding Nitro Gravy to the baits and fishing in deep water to collect a string of fish.

While many limits of catfish have been caught, few anglers have been reporting or weighing in fish at the tackle shop. Anglers are reminded that anglers weighing in fish will receive discount coupons for their next visit.

There is also still a pretty good trout bite on holdover fish sticking in deep water in the middle of the big lake and around moving water at the Bubble Hole and spillway. Many anglers are getting five-fish trout limits fishing salmon eggs, inflated nightcrawlers, or chartreuse Nitro Bait in these areas.?? Carl Kortesmaki, Garden Grove, caught a six-pound trout on a nightcrawler off Levitz' Corner, while Jim Otwell and Darrell Pierson, both Riverside, each had a trout limits with rainbows to 2 1/2 pounds fishing the Bubble Hole. Marci Kirchberg, Costa Mesa, also posted a limits of rainbows with fish to 1 1/2 pounds.

The sturgeon continue to put on exhibitions at the end of angler's lines, and while most are not landed Merv Hawkins, Los Angeles, was fishing shrimp off the sandy beach when he hooked, and eventually landed, a sturgeon that weighed over 100 pounds this past week. Anglers are reminded that if they hook and land one 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).

SARL anglers who are also shooting enthusiasts will want to attend this weekend's Turner's Outdoorsman Shooting Sports Fair held Friday through Sunday at Mike Raahauge's Shooting Enterprises in Norco. Not only will everyone who attends be able to shoot all of the latest firearms from virtually every major firearm manufacturer -- from handguns to shotguns to rifles -- but you'll be able to try your hand at catching a huge catfish to 20 pounds or better in the SARL Catch-and-Release Pond at the show.?? More information and $2 off discount coupons are available at the SARL web site at www.fishinglakes.com or at www.turners.com.

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 are available every week on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. 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.