Irvine Lake sees new fishing hours take effect; trout opener slated for October 31

Catfishing was generally good at Irvine Lake this week, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. "The catfish bite was mostly pretty good", observed Getty "However, during the times when the big thunderstorms rolled through, the fish were a little reluctant to bite. The best stringers of eating-size 2 to 6-pound channel cats were coming from 5 to 15 feet of water, and the larger fish were down at 25 feet or deeper."

\ Getty added, "Our new lake hours for the rest of the summer catfish season are; Thursdays- 6 AM-11 PM; Fridays and Saturdays, 6 AM-Midnight; Sundays- 6 AM-4 PM; Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays- CLOSED. The public trout season opener will take place on Friday, October 31, with a special limited-entry 'VIP Fishing Day' on Thursday October 30. Thousands of pounds of trout will be planted just prior to the opener."

Productive baits included mackerel and shrimp, with freshly-caught bonito being a particular choice for anglers who were able to catch it themselves. Adding strong scent like Berkley Power Catfish Dip or Bite-On added to success. Good stringers were reported from mid-lake, the west shore, and Santiago Flats. Shorecasters need a long rod and 1-ounce sliding sinker to reach the fish, but boaters should fish their baits with no sinker at all. Bass anglers were few in number, but some 2 to 4-pound largemouth were caught by anglers who shifted to small lures that replicate the big numbers of juvenile shad and crappie that the bass are feeding heavily on in open water. A handful of small wipers were also caught in the shad boils mixed in with the largemouth. No targeted effort was expended toward crappie, but plenty of plump bluegill and redear sunfish were available on meal worms and waxworms soaked near shallow submerged brush.

Families with children age 12 and under found good action on small carp and mostly 1 to 3 pound catfish in the Kids Lagoon on marshmallow/mealworm combos. Surface temperature on the main lake is 80 degrees, with the lake level receding slowly. Underwater visibility is rated mixed, with extreme clarity in some areas and some turbidity in others. The West Shore Road is open to vehicle traffic. The 'Last Chance Catfish Derby' will take place on September 13. Outstanding catches of the week at Irvine Lake included:
6-year old Samantha Richardson of Orange, 10-15 channel catfish on mackerel in the Kids Lagoon
Ronson Smothers of Los Angeles, 10-5 channel catfish on mackerel at the flats
Nyla "Kitten" Smothers of Los Angeles, 9-13 channel catfish on mackerel at the flats
Aaron Titleman of San Fernando, 8-3 channel catfish on Bite-On at mid-lake
Pheopatrick Boone of Hesperia, 9-14 blue catfish on mackerel at the flats
Justin Emerson of Costa Mesa, 4-1 largemouth bass [released] on a Float-n-Fly at the west shore


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