Warm weather is accelerating the transition from trout season to catfish season at Santa Ana River Lakes, but you don't need to be "blue" about the change because there is some "big" news coming on the catfish front.

More on the catfish news soon, but until then there continues to be a pretty fair bite on the rainbow trout, and the holdover catfish are already starting make a little noise.

Top rainbow reported this past week was a nine-pounder landed by Christian Castillo, Yorba Linda, fishing garlic rainbow floating bait off La Palma Point. Pete Cano and David Gonzales, both Pico Rivera, landed four rainbows to four pounds fishing orange and white dough bait with nightcrawlers. D'Mondre and Jalen Garner, both Long Beach, had four rainbows to 3 1/2 pounds fishing Lip RipperZ jigs with Love Sauce at La Palma Point. Richard Guzman, Diamond Bar, landed three trout averaging just over two pounds each at Levitz on rainbow floating bait.

But the catfish are announcing it's time to stop thinking about trout and starting thinking catfish. The big fish of the week was a 10-pound, 14-ounce cat that ate a pink and white Power Mouse at Levitz' Corner fished by Jerry Kisner, Buena Park. Santiago Palacios, West Covina, and Jose Delfin, Riverside, were fishing the Catfish Lake to landed 12 catfish for a 24 1/2-pound total weight. The pair were fishing shrimp and mackerel and the big fish was a 3 3/4-pounder.

The carp bite is also starting and a few crappie to a pound are showing. Top carp was a seven-pounded landed by Josh Ybarra, Costa Mesa, fishing a Lip RipperZ Rat with garlic Love Sauce.

Anglers are reminded there is just one week left in the big trout contest running now through Sunday, May 13, and the angler who catches the largest trout on a Lip RipperZ product will win a free $500 Turner's Outdoorsman shopping spree. And all anglers who land any trout on a Lip RipperZ product and have their picture taken by one of the lake guides or at The Lakes' web cam will be eligible for a May 13 drawing for a second $500 shopping spree.