Big trout are on the menu for Thanksgiving holiday weekend anglers at Irvine Lake. General manager Dave Noyes said, "The lake will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, but the stocking for the holiday weekend will feature a bonus planting of 10 to 20-pound trophy rainbows. After that, another allocation of the bigger fish will be put into the lake every week for the rest of the season."

The large numbers of Veterans Day weekend anglers had knocked the previously hot trout action at Irvine Lake down a notch, but Tuesday and Wednesday saw the fishing rebound nicely. "It's limit-style fishing again", observed Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. "The average size is a little smaller, but fishing is very good. The pipe in Sierra Cove is running hard, and the lake level is rising quickly. The water in Sierra Cove and around Rocky Point is extremely clear."

The largest average-size fish were concentrated along the west shore, but good numbers of slightly smaller fish were also seen at Santiago Flats and in Sierra Cove. Top producing baits were nightcrawlers or a Power Mouse made with a Gulp! Salmon Egg/Power Trout Worm combination. Trollers saw generally slow results.

Excellent numbers of 2 to 4-pound catfish are still being caught incidentally on nightcrawlers and Power Bait by trout anglers. Fair numbers of 2 to 3-pound largemouth bass are being caught on jigs near the red clay cliffs by the very few anglers who make the effort.

Very good trout action is also being seen in the Kids Lagoon for families with children age 12 and under. Outstanding catches of the week at Irvine Lake included:
Stan Mashita of Huntington Beach, 2.5 pound brown trout on Power Bait at the west shore