Catfish chasers are getting good numbers of fish during both the daytime and nighttime, according to general manager Dave Noyes. "The bigger blue cats are biting at night", related Noyes. "We are seeing lots of 12 to 18-pound blues and a few channels in that size range on Friday and Saturday nights. During the day, it's mostly the stocker channel cats, but they are biting pretty well."
Daytime anglers have scored some nice stringers of prime eating-size 2 to 8-pound channel catfish near the docks and along the west shore on nightcrawlers. The night-time bite has been best at Santiago Flats, with DuMong's, shrimp and Catmando baits the top offerings.
The key to big stringers of crappie in the evenings is setting up with a lantern. The lantern attracts insects, which in tuna attracts minnows. After a time, the crappie locate this feeding opportunity and will hit on most any color of mini-jig, either with or without a mealworm trailer.
Trout anglers skilled in deepwater techniques are still able to find some nice rainbows in the 3 to 5-pound class. Leadcore line trollers dragging cop color Luhr Jensen Needlefish and firetiger-color CD05 Rapalas at 5 to 8 colors at mid-lake and near the dam are doing best. Deep drifted baits patiently soaked along the dam restriction lines are also getting fish.
Bass anglers are releasing modest numbers of 2 to 4-pound largemouth on dropshot baits at the red clay cliffs. Excellent numbers of bluegill and sunfish are biting in the brushy shallows on mealworms and waxworms.
This upcoming weekend will feature the "Fourth of July Catfish Derby" on June 29, 30 and July 1. Lots of prizes and fun. See info at lake for details.
he Kid's Lagoon is again in operation and stocked with channel catfish from 2 to 7 pounds. The Lagoon is reserved for families with children age 12 and under. The lake is open until 2:00 AM on Friday and Saturday nights, and is closed on Tuesdays.
Outstanding catches of the week at Irvine Lake included:
Curt Holland of Yorba Linda, 19.0 pound catfish on DuMong's at the flats
Kyle Fletcher of Yorba Linda, 17.4 pound catfish on DuMong's at the flats
Alexis Harrington of Los Angeles, 15.0 and 14.5 pound catfish on DuMong's at the flats
Earl Jackson of San Bernardino, 13.4 pound catfish on DuMong's at the flats
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Plenty of good-size catfish were caught during Friday night's evening bite, but Saturday night was much slower, likely due to the lingering effects of the V-Drive Regatta speedboat races during the day, observed Nick Sepulveda at the Irvine Lake Pro Shop. "Lots of real nice channel and blue cats up to about 18 pounds are being caught", reported Sepulveda. "The big ones are still not quite ready to go." Daytime anglers are tallying good stringers of 2 to 6-pound channel catfish......
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A huge stocking of oversize blue catfish to nearly 40 pounds has anglers chomping at the bit this week at Irvine Lake. Friday June 8 will see the formal opening of catfish season, with the lake remaining open until 2:00 AM on Friday and Saturday nights for the remainder of the summer season. The night-time hours will give anglers the best shot at hooking one of the lunker cats. "We had to get these fish into the lake earlier......
