VineAssist
10-15-2012, 03:10 PM
Trout Article 2013
Irvine Lake is a 780 surface acre lake nestled in the Santa Ana Foothills in Orange CA. Its close proximity to the major metropolitans of Orange County, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernadino and San Diego make it a very popular fishing destination. During the winter months (November-May) Irvine Lake stocks more trout than any other lake in the region. For the Opener which takes place this year on November 2nd the folks Irvine Lake will stock 20,000lbs of Rainbow, Brooks, Browns and Steelhead Trout into the depths of Irvine Lake. Every week after that another 5,000lbs of Trout will be stocked with additional stockings take place on the busy holiday weekends including trophy class trout weighing in excess of 20lbs!
Generally, trout will bite better during the fall through early spring due to a number of factors i.e. cool water (50-70f), spawning activity and so on. During this time of year shore bound anglers have excellent opportunities to target these fish using a variety of methods. Once a school of fish is located it is a good idea to stay put because the school of fish will use the area frequently during the day. A lot of times you will see multiple hookups along certain sections of shoreline as the school moves through, a trend the “regulars” at the lake have coined the phrase popcorn machine for the indicators flying through the air. All of the usual trout fishing tactics are effective at Irvine Lake such as doughbaits, nightcrawlers, minijigging, spinners, minnowplugs and micro plastics.
Bar none the most effective technique for targeting trout at Irvine Lake is the ever popular dough baits and for one very good reason, THEY WORK! Berkley Power Baits in rainbow, chartreuse, orange, and white have been killing the fish for years and will continue to do so. Berkley Gulp Trout Dough has been on the market for about five years now and has proven itself deadly on the trout at the lake. Another very popular bait here at the lake is the Natural Series of baits from Berkely. They come in Garlic, Salmon Egg and Corn scents. Hands down one of the most popular baits out of this series are the Garlic dough’s which come in Rainbow, Chartreuse, and a off green color. These three baits accounted for many huge limits the past few years. Adding scent to your baits is always a good idea and the Bite On Scents from Angler Brothers have been all the rage the past few years.
The key to fishing these dough baits is the use of light leader, such as 2lb Berkley XL new and imporved or Berkley Profession Grade Flourcarbon, a small treble hook such as a sz 16 or 18 VMC treble hook. To set up the Power Bait Rig simply slide a 1/8 to ½ oz egg sinker, depending on conditions, on your line, tie a small barrel swivel and attach your leader line and hook with your knot of choice and you have a trout slaying rig. Use just enough dough bait to float the hook and hold on!
The good old nightcrawler brings back memories to many trout fisherman as the “go to” bait for any trout water. Tons of big stringers and trophy sized fish are caught each year fishing the “garden hackle”. But of course crafty anglers have added their own savvy twist to fishing the good ole nightcrawler. The “Power Mouse” is an absolutely deadly technique that was started here at Irvine Lake almost a decade ago, to set up a Power Mouse the angler threads a Power Egg or Gulp Salmon Egg up the shank of the hook ahead of the nightcrawler. By doing so the plain old nightcrawler now has added color and scent. Furthermore, anglers have been dipping their offerings in Bite On Garlic or Bite On Roe to further enhance their offerings.
Micro Plastic style fishing and Mini jigging style fishing has accounted for some of the largest stringers of trout caught at Irvine Lake for the past few years. Every year fish to 20lbs are caught using these methods! Last year Berkely introduced the Power Mice. The Power Mice is an egg with a trout worm tail and they come in a ton of fish catching colors. You can rig these things on a split shot rig and slowly craw them back to you are simply cast them out and wait! These things get bit either way! Proven colors in the Power Mice are glow, chartreuse and orange, bubblegum white and red with a natural tail. To fish a mini jig or plastic like a lure the angler simply casts the offering out as far as possible and starts as slow retrieve back while shaking the rod tip. At any time during the retrieve if the angler feels resistance or a tap, set the the hook!
Trolling by boat or float tube is another very effective method to cover water here at Irvine Lake. Rapala’s countdown series of lures are probably one of the best trolling lures of all time. The CD 03, and 05 in firetiger, rainbow trout, black and silver are very popular here at the lake. Daiwa SC Shiners have also been very effective the past two years here at the lake as well. Popular colors in those have been the Matte Firetiger, Gold Orange, and of course the infamous Bubblegum color. Not to be left out of the conversation is the recently re-introduced Frenzy Flickershad. Last year these little baits accounted for some very impressive fish and will once again be in stock in the tackle shop at Irvine Lake! Proven winners in the Flickershad are Firetiger, Chrome Clown and Racy Shad.
Casting “hardware” is also another very productive technique here at Irvine Lake especially when the trout have shad (bait fish) balled up. Casting the new Johnson Splinter Spoon in Gold or silver in the 1/8oz to ¼oz or a gold Thomas Bouyant and reeling it back to you is a sure fire way to hook into a trophy classed size trout. Spinners also do very well out here at Irvine Lake. Roostertails are by far the most popular in line spinner out there and they come in tons of colors that are perfect for Irvine’s trout species.
All of the above mentioned techniques are sure fire ways to fill your stringers with fish. Under certain conditions one technique might work better than the other so it is advised that you become proficient in a couple of the techniques listed above. With weekly stockings and tons of quality fish to be stocked Trout Season 2012-2013 is going to be a fun and interesting year.
Irvine Lake is a 780 surface acre lake nestled in the Santa Ana Foothills in Orange CA. Its close proximity to the major metropolitans of Orange County, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernadino and San Diego make it a very popular fishing destination. During the winter months (November-May) Irvine Lake stocks more trout than any other lake in the region. For the Opener which takes place this year on November 2nd the folks Irvine Lake will stock 20,000lbs of Rainbow, Brooks, Browns and Steelhead Trout into the depths of Irvine Lake. Every week after that another 5,000lbs of Trout will be stocked with additional stockings take place on the busy holiday weekends including trophy class trout weighing in excess of 20lbs!
Generally, trout will bite better during the fall through early spring due to a number of factors i.e. cool water (50-70f), spawning activity and so on. During this time of year shore bound anglers have excellent opportunities to target these fish using a variety of methods. Once a school of fish is located it is a good idea to stay put because the school of fish will use the area frequently during the day. A lot of times you will see multiple hookups along certain sections of shoreline as the school moves through, a trend the “regulars” at the lake have coined the phrase popcorn machine for the indicators flying through the air. All of the usual trout fishing tactics are effective at Irvine Lake such as doughbaits, nightcrawlers, minijigging, spinners, minnowplugs and micro plastics.
Bar none the most effective technique for targeting trout at Irvine Lake is the ever popular dough baits and for one very good reason, THEY WORK! Berkley Power Baits in rainbow, chartreuse, orange, and white have been killing the fish for years and will continue to do so. Berkley Gulp Trout Dough has been on the market for about five years now and has proven itself deadly on the trout at the lake. Another very popular bait here at the lake is the Natural Series of baits from Berkely. They come in Garlic, Salmon Egg and Corn scents. Hands down one of the most popular baits out of this series are the Garlic dough’s which come in Rainbow, Chartreuse, and a off green color. These three baits accounted for many huge limits the past few years. Adding scent to your baits is always a good idea and the Bite On Scents from Angler Brothers have been all the rage the past few years.
The key to fishing these dough baits is the use of light leader, such as 2lb Berkley XL new and imporved or Berkley Profession Grade Flourcarbon, a small treble hook such as a sz 16 or 18 VMC treble hook. To set up the Power Bait Rig simply slide a 1/8 to ½ oz egg sinker, depending on conditions, on your line, tie a small barrel swivel and attach your leader line and hook with your knot of choice and you have a trout slaying rig. Use just enough dough bait to float the hook and hold on!
The good old nightcrawler brings back memories to many trout fisherman as the “go to” bait for any trout water. Tons of big stringers and trophy sized fish are caught each year fishing the “garden hackle”. But of course crafty anglers have added their own savvy twist to fishing the good ole nightcrawler. The “Power Mouse” is an absolutely deadly technique that was started here at Irvine Lake almost a decade ago, to set up a Power Mouse the angler threads a Power Egg or Gulp Salmon Egg up the shank of the hook ahead of the nightcrawler. By doing so the plain old nightcrawler now has added color and scent. Furthermore, anglers have been dipping their offerings in Bite On Garlic or Bite On Roe to further enhance their offerings.
Micro Plastic style fishing and Mini jigging style fishing has accounted for some of the largest stringers of trout caught at Irvine Lake for the past few years. Every year fish to 20lbs are caught using these methods! Last year Berkely introduced the Power Mice. The Power Mice is an egg with a trout worm tail and they come in a ton of fish catching colors. You can rig these things on a split shot rig and slowly craw them back to you are simply cast them out and wait! These things get bit either way! Proven colors in the Power Mice are glow, chartreuse and orange, bubblegum white and red with a natural tail. To fish a mini jig or plastic like a lure the angler simply casts the offering out as far as possible and starts as slow retrieve back while shaking the rod tip. At any time during the retrieve if the angler feels resistance or a tap, set the the hook!
Trolling by boat or float tube is another very effective method to cover water here at Irvine Lake. Rapala’s countdown series of lures are probably one of the best trolling lures of all time. The CD 03, and 05 in firetiger, rainbow trout, black and silver are very popular here at the lake. Daiwa SC Shiners have also been very effective the past two years here at the lake as well. Popular colors in those have been the Matte Firetiger, Gold Orange, and of course the infamous Bubblegum color. Not to be left out of the conversation is the recently re-introduced Frenzy Flickershad. Last year these little baits accounted for some very impressive fish and will once again be in stock in the tackle shop at Irvine Lake! Proven winners in the Flickershad are Firetiger, Chrome Clown and Racy Shad.
Casting “hardware” is also another very productive technique here at Irvine Lake especially when the trout have shad (bait fish) balled up. Casting the new Johnson Splinter Spoon in Gold or silver in the 1/8oz to ¼oz or a gold Thomas Bouyant and reeling it back to you is a sure fire way to hook into a trophy classed size trout. Spinners also do very well out here at Irvine Lake. Roostertails are by far the most popular in line spinner out there and they come in tons of colors that are perfect for Irvine’s trout species.
All of the above mentioned techniques are sure fire ways to fill your stringers with fish. Under certain conditions one technique might work better than the other so it is advised that you become proficient in a couple of the techniques listed above. With weekly stockings and tons of quality fish to be stocked Trout Season 2012-2013 is going to be a fun and interesting year.