The catfish bite action has been sizzling at Santa Ana River Lakes, and things are just going to get better this week with a full truck load of trophy-sized cats to be planted for this coming weekend. The trophy cats have been a component of each week's plants for nearly two months, but this is the first time this season a whole tanker of trophy fish are being planted.

In the past week, the bite has remained very good on mackerel, the marshmallow-meal worm combination, or marshmallow-nightcrawlers combo. Big fish was a 6 1/2-pounder that topped off a 10-fish, 26 1/2-pound stringer landed by Maurice and Joey Hoyi, Cerritos, on the marshmallow-mackerel combo in the Catfish Lake from a boat. Alex Lerma and Andrew Russell, both Orange, topped off their 10-fish, 21-pound stringer with a five pounder fishing the marshmallow-nightcrawlers combo in the middle of the big lake from a boat. Other good stringers included a 12-fish, 24  ?-pound catch made by David Rochin, Fullerton on nightcrawlers from the Catfish Lake, and a 15-fish, 35-pound, two-ounce catch posted by Art and Sheila Harvey, Orange, on alien worms off Levitz' Corner. Matthew, Jack Jr., and Jack Booher, all Norwalk, had 11 cats for 18 1/2 pounds on mackerel and shrimp off La Palma Point.

The catfish have been showing throughout the complex over this past two weeks. The catfish plants are still twice a week, and tilapia are still being planted once a week.

From now through Oct. 2, all anglers at SARL and sister water Corona Lake are competing to win a 12-day long-range fishing trip aboard the Royal Polaris out of San Diego. Whoever catches the biggest catfish by Oct. 2 in the "Big Cats, Big Tuna" event wins the trip and the chance to catch giant yellowfin tuna to 200 pounds and more. The biggest cat wins. This week's huge plant of trophy cats in both lakes is likely to shake up in this event.

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 every Friday and Saturday. 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.