The final plant of Lightning Trout this season will be going into Santa Ana River Lakes this week, giving anglers one more opportunity this season to catch these popular, golden-hued rainbows from Mt. Lassen Trout Farms. There will also be 24-hour fishing this Friday and Saturday nights for anglers who want to do a little night fishing during the full moon.

The Lightning Trout kick off a trout season finale of plants that will include the first stocking ever of the trophy trout anglers in Southern California have dreamed about for years -- full-colored, full-finned trophy rainbows topping 10 pounds. The new Big, Bad Reds will be planted on April 21 and April 22 in SARL. These fish will be up into the 10- to 12-pound range, and they are the most beautiful trout this size ever planted in Southern California.

UPDATE 4/13: STOCKING OF THE BIG BAD REDS IS CANCELLED UNTIL NEXT SEASON. The popular Nebraska Tailwalkers will be stocked next week. Trout will continue to be planted at SARL as long as the water remains cool enough for the rainbows in May, but plants will continue each week right through April 30, which is going to be this year's Angler Appreciation Day. Yes, that' s the trout opener in the Sierra Nevada, but for anglers who are looking at their wallets and price of gasoline at the pump and thinking about skipping the opener this year, Santa Ana River Lakes is offering two-for-one permits on Saturday, April 30, to help make that decision a little less painful. When you buy one permit, you get the second one free. You buy one permit and take your wife or fishing buddy fishing for free. Or maybe they will take you along for free.

"This is our way of saying thank-you to all the anglers who have and continue to support Santa Ana River Lakes this season," said Doug Elliott, owner of the concession at SARL with Bill Andrews.

The trout action remains very good after three trout plants last week at Santa Ana. Ruby Reds were planted Tuesday and Friday, and Tailwalkers went in on Wednesday. Needless to say, limits have been common, and there has been a surprisingly good crappie bite near the boat docks in the big lake with a lot of one to nearly two-pound crappie.

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 passes is $22. Seniors pay only $20. All of these passes have a five-fish limit. For kids 4 to 13, a three-fish pass is just $9. There are 24-hour passes available the weekend nearest the full moon during trout season, with the next overnight fishing is this coming Friday and Saturday, April 15-16. These 24-hour passes cost $60 and anglers can bring a spouse and up to three kids to help fill the 24-hour pass 15-fish limit. Camping at SARL is also free with a 24-hour pass. For Santa Ana River Lakes fishing information, call 714-632-7830 or log on at www.fishinglakes.com.