After more than week of closure due to the Santiago and Silverado fires, anglers returned to Irvine Lake on Tuesday to find phenomenally good fishing. "It was absolutely wide open today" remarked Daniela Gavaldon at the Pro Shop. "The fish were pretty much biting on everything, Power Bait, Power Worms, Gulp!, nightcrawlers, with or without garlic spray."

Gavaldon added, "The weather conditions were absolutely perfect. You couldn't smell smoke at all, but you could still see the last bit of fire burning on the distant hillsides. We will be open regular hours for the rest of the week and the weekend."

Caution is still advised due to heavy equipment, fire investigation and other official activity on Santiago Canyon Road, and some phone service interruptions may still be experienced in the area.

Outstanding catches at Irvine Lake on Tuesday included:
Romeo Benjamin of Glendale, 4-pound brook trout on Gulp! Eggs at the west shore
Raymin Heshmati of Laguna Niguel, 4-pound rainbow trout on nightcrawlers at the west shore
Dan Freeman of La Puente, 4-pound rainbow trout on nightcrawlers at the west shore
David Marquez of Riverside, 4-pound rainbow trout on nightcrawlers at the west shore
Tim Morlan of Orange, 5-trout limit totaling 15 pounds topped by a 5-pounder on Power Worm/Gulp! Eggs at the west shore
Floyd Crowell of West Covina, 5-trout limit totaling 20 pounds topped by a 4.5 pounder on Gulp! Trout Dough at the west shore
Mick Morlan of Orange, 5-trout limit totaling 12 pounds topped by a 4-pounder on Power Wrom/Gulp! Eggs at the west shore
Ed Vigil of La Puente, 5-trout limit totaling 18 pounds on Gulp! Trout Dough at the west shore
Quang Ngo and Thui Chagdy of San Bernardino, 10-trout limit totaling 24 pounds on Power Bait at the west shore