Trout anglers had to drop down in the water column this week, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. "The trout were mostly a little deeper this week, which is typical for this time of year", observed Getty. "Dropping down and trolling at 20 to 30 feet was the best way to get an easy trout limit." General manager Dave Noyes announced, "We will be planting 10,000 pounds of channel catfish just prior to our catfish opener on Friday June 11. Starting on that date, we will be open until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights, and starting on Thursday June 17, we will also be open until 11:00 PM on Thursday nights."

Top trout producer this week was trolling, with 3 to 5 colors of lead core line being the hot ticket. Favored lures were cop car or bikini-color Luhr Jensen Needlefish, fire tiger-color Countdown Rapala CD05's, or brook trout-color Jointed Rapala J05's. Most of the trout on the stringers this week were in the 1 to 5-pound class, with the bigger units remaining elusive. Best trout catches were garnered from the flats, mid-lake, and near the dam. Bass anglers continue to pound the lake for as many as 20 to 30 fish released per outing. Large mouth in the 2 to 6-pound class are hitting on top waters, jerk baits, and plastics on a variety of brushy or rocky structure. Roving schools of 2 to 3-pound hybrid striped bass [AKA wipers or sunshine bass] are popping up mostly around Santiago Flats. When they do, the action can be hot and heavy on virtually anything that resembles a 3-inch shad. All bass species are on a strictly catch-and-release basis at Irvine Lake.

Crappie fishing is steady, with the average size increasing slightly from last week Limit stringers of 1 to 2-pound slabs were caught on white Atomic Tubes, either with or without a meal worm trailer near the sunken trees at the flats. Plenty of bluegill and redear were caught by anglers offering meal worms or wax worms in the brushy shallows. Incidental catfish from 2 to 5-pounds were hitting on night crawlers intended for trout. From now until the end of summer, Irvine Lake is celebrating the "Super Saver Mondays" program. On Mondays only, adult admission will be $11; kids $7 [age 4-12]; and motorboat rentals $35.