Irvine Lake multi-species bite ramping up; 6-year old bags 11-4 rainbow

Irvine Lake - Silverado, CA


by Steve Carson
2-8-2012
714-649-9111
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The trout bite kept going at a good pace this week at Irvine Lake this week, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. "The trout bite was very good this week, and they were hitting all the usual baits and trolling lures", observed Getty. "Shore anglers using bait are doing best in the early AM, but the trolling bite keeps going all day long."

Getty added, "With a little effort, you can even catch a trout, bass, and catfish all in the same day. The weather is nice and sunny today [Wednesday] after that little front passed through."

Local guide Hubert Zimara of KFGS Guide service had a couple of trips this week, "We got full limits by flatline trolling Krocodiles at Trout Island, along with a few at 2 colors of leadcore line at Santiago Flats. On a different day, we got easy limits with the 2-inch Gulp! Fat Trout worms in chartreuse."

Productive Power bait colors included salmon egg red, rainbow, chartreuse, and lemon twist, along with chartreuse or white Gulp! Fat Trout worms rigged wacky-dropshot style. Trollers scored with Rapala Ultralight Shad ULS04's or Rapala countdown CD05's in firetiger or black/silver, along with pink SC Shiners. Top spots included the west shore, flats, and the right side of the cliffs near the trees.

Bass anglers found good numbers of 2 to 3-pound largemouth using traditional deep water techniques like jigs and dropshot-rigged plastics at 20 to 30 feet. Some non-biting bass are starting to stage up in shallower water, but they are only in very early pre-spawn. Top locations were the Red Clay Cliffs and rocky Point. No hybrid stripers were checked in this week.

The Kids Lagoon received a nice stocking of the larger "main lake grade" trout this week, but action was generally only fair for families with children age 12 and under. The trick for successful anglers in the lagoon was very short 6-inch leaders.

Surface temperature on the main lake was 54 to 55 degrees, with the water level dropping a few inches per week. Underwater clarity was generally very good, ranging from 6 to as much as 10 feet.

Outstanding catches of the week at Irvine Lake included:
6-year old Taylor Donahue of Norco, 11-4 rainbow trout at mid-lake
Chris Iannitcari of Temecula, 10-2 rainbow trout on Power Bait at the west shore
Hong Nzuyen of Buena Park, 9-8 rainbow trout on a Rapala at the west shore
Ben Gray of Cerritos, 7-6 rainbow trout on an Owner Cultiva at the west shore
Matt Northrup of Woodbridge, 3-0 steelhead on a Krocodile at Trout Island
James Getty of Silverado, 2-10 largemouth bass [released] on a jig at the west shore
Marty Saucedo of Costa Mesa, 3-1 carp on nightcrawlers at the flats


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2-1-2012
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