Cool evenings have dropped the water temperature at Corona Lake into the 60's making it ideal for rainbow trout, so the first plants of the season are going in late this week in time for the Oct. 14-16 weekend. There was a small test plant of rainbow trout (1,000 pounds) two weeks ago when the water first dropped into 60's and the fish did fine. So the season is officially kicking off this week with the resumption of weekly stocks. These will mostly be one to three-pound trout priming the pump for the big grand opening weekend, likely coming in early November when the first trophy trout will go in.

The addition of trout doesn't mean catfish season is over, however. In fact, far from it. The weekly plants are continuing and catfish are still the main fish being landed by anglers at Corona right now with an excellent fall bite on fish averaging a pound or better and most stringers having at least one or two bigger fish.

John Smith, Corona, landed cats at 9 1/2 and seven pounds fishing mackerel from a boat, to lay claim to the biggest channels checked in this week. Bill Cook, Elsinore, posted the best stringer when he weighed in nine cats for 26 pounds, including a 4 1/2-pounder, fishing shrimp from a boat. Tom Falcone, Orange, had five cats for 16 pounds and his kicker fish was a four pounder. He was fishing the nightcrawlers-marshmallow combo off J.D.'s Point for his limit. Eddie Sanchez, Riverside, had four cats for 13 1/2 pounds, incluing a 3 1/2-pounder fishing the marshmallow-meal worm combo near the dam.

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. 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 available every Friday and Saturday night. These 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 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.