Excellent numbers of eating-size channel catfish were on the menu at Irvine Lake, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro-Shop. "It's [catfish fishing] been really good for the stocker channel cats in the 2 to 8-pound range", noted Getty. "They are catching the channels all over the place, including the west shore and near the docks."

Legendary big catfish specialist Ronson "Catmando"Smothers of Los Angeles was still able to nail larger blue cats weighing 17, 15, 15, 14 and 13 pound using garlic-flavored Catmando Baits at Santiago Flats.

Productive catfish baits have included Catmando, DuMong's, Gulp! Catfish Dough, shrimp, plain mackerel and the marshmallow/mealworm combo.

Crappie anglers using floating lanterns are still finding sporadic action, but the average-size of the slabs is mostly under a pound. The small-size crappie even drove noted crappie expert Marlon Meade to go after the cats and catch 8.3 and 8.1 pounders as part of his whiskerfish limit.

Bass anglers were nearly non-existent at Irvine this week, but good numbers of bluegill were available for anyone who cared to soak mealworms or waxworms. Some very large carp to nearly 25 pounds were on tap for anglers using specialty European carp techniques.

The Kid's Lagoon is being lowered slightly for weed removal, but is still in operation for families with children age 12 and under. The pipe in Sierra Cove is running full-time in order to hold the lake level steady. It was announced that the lake level will be raised 4 to 5 feet in mid-October for the trout season opener.

In an effort to conserve the lake's population of big blue catfish, anglers who release a blue over 10 pounds will receive a free admission pass to the lake. Release is mandatory for all catfish and sturgeon in excess of 20 pounds, and lucky [or skilled] anglers who release a fish over 50 pounds will also receive a free boat and motor rental.

Outstanding catches of the week at Irvine Lake included:
Del Silva of Orange, 24.14 pound carp on carp dough at the flats
Ronson "Catmando"Smothers of Los Angeles, 5-catfish limit totaling 74 pounds topped by a 17-pounder on garlic Catmando Bait at the flats
Marlon Meade of Anaheim, 5-catfish limit totaling 30 pounds topped by an 8.3 pounder on DuMong's near the dam
Earl Savard and Melissa Lyons of Moreno Valley, 10-catfish limit totaling 51 pounds on shrimp by the dam
Xavier Espinosa of Garden Grove, 5-catfish limit totaling 32 pounds on mackerel at the flats