VineAssist
06-22-2014, 02:08 PM
IRVINE LAKE REPORT
By Steve Carson
6/22/14
Irvine Lake catfish to 12-3pounds biting well; other species still active
Anglers heading to Irvine Lake this week found very good catfish action, plus activity from bonus species, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop, “The Catfish bite was very good for anglers fishing the Boat Dock Cove and Santiago Flats areas. Fishing very close to weed piles or structure was the key to finding the fish. Fly lined Mackerel, Shrimp and Skipjack where the hot baits.” observed Getty. “The Trout bite is also pretty good for anglers drifting Power bait and Night crawler along the West Shore. This Trout bite just won’t seem to quit! We are almost into July and anglers are still catching them!”
Getty added, “Our bass fishing is also pretty good for anglers fishing Floating Frog style lures and Senkos”.
Good stringers of 2 to 10-pound “eating size” catfish came from Boat Dock Cove, Trout Island, and Santiago Flats, with favored baits including mackerel, bonito, and skipjack. The bigger fish were found a little deeper, and on larger chunks of bait. Anglers fishing structure and drop offs did very well. One angler, Marcus Stewart found the fish stacked up in the Catfish Hole in Boat Dock Cove and caught and released 15 nice Channel and Blue Catfish. His biggest was a 12.3 Blue Cat that he released. On Saturday night the fish bit really well around 8-11pm about 50yds off the end of the rental dock with several families coming close to or limiting out on stocker sized fish on Mackerel or Shrimp.
Getty quipped “The Trout bite just keeps on going! For late June early July this is a great bite on Trout!” Anglers fishing the West Shore and the buoy line in front of the dam are doing pretty darn well on a mixed bag of Rainbow Trout and Steelhead. Drifting night crawlers or power bait in the afternoon breeze has been the ticket to catching the Trout. Fish a longer leader, about three to six feet, and enjoy the breeze while catching some pretty good size Trout.
Bass anglers did well on 2 to 4-pound largemouth on all of the usual presentations, with dropshot-rigged plastics best during the daytime, and reaction baits or topwaters best in the evening or night-time hours. A few larger bucketmouths were fooled by swimbaits. Best area for bass were Rocky Point and the Red Clay Cliffs. A budding bite on the bass has been throwing a floating plastic frog like a Zoom Horny Toad or a Jackall Iobee Frog on matted vegetation.
Incidental catches of hybrid striped bass, crappie, and carp were reported by catfish and bass anglers.. Soaking waxworms near submerged brush yielded some plump bluegill and redear sunfish.
Families with children age 12 and under found good numbers of mostly 1 to 4-pound catfish in the Kids Lagoon on marshmallow/mealworm combos and on Shrimp fly lined. Surface temperature on the main lake was 76-78, with underwater visibility rated as gin clear. Lake level was slowly receding, and the West Shore Road is open to vehicle traffic but only about half way down the West Shore. Summer hours are: Thursdays- 6 AM-11 PM; Fridays and Saturdays- 6 AM-Midnight; Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays- 6 AM-4 PM; Tuesdays- CLOSED.
Outstanding catches of the week at Irvine Lake included:
Follow Irvine Lake on Facebook, on the web at Irvinelake.net or call 714-649-9111
Arthur Huwe of Irvine 10-0 Channel Catfish caught using Pike Mackerel at the West Shore.
Marcus Stewart of Costa Mesa 12-3 Blue Catfish (released) caught using Mackerel in Bite On Cajun
Aaron Titelman of San Fernando Valley 6.65 Channel Catfish caught using Fresh Mackerel soaked in Bite On Cajun on just 4lb line.
Rob “Rooster” Primm of Artesia caught and released a 3.5lb Wiper (Sunshine Bass) while fishing Mackerel near the Red Clay Cliffs.
By Steve Carson
6/22/14
Irvine Lake catfish to 12-3pounds biting well; other species still active
Anglers heading to Irvine Lake this week found very good catfish action, plus activity from bonus species, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop, “The Catfish bite was very good for anglers fishing the Boat Dock Cove and Santiago Flats areas. Fishing very close to weed piles or structure was the key to finding the fish. Fly lined Mackerel, Shrimp and Skipjack where the hot baits.” observed Getty. “The Trout bite is also pretty good for anglers drifting Power bait and Night crawler along the West Shore. This Trout bite just won’t seem to quit! We are almost into July and anglers are still catching them!”
Getty added, “Our bass fishing is also pretty good for anglers fishing Floating Frog style lures and Senkos”.
Good stringers of 2 to 10-pound “eating size” catfish came from Boat Dock Cove, Trout Island, and Santiago Flats, with favored baits including mackerel, bonito, and skipjack. The bigger fish were found a little deeper, and on larger chunks of bait. Anglers fishing structure and drop offs did very well. One angler, Marcus Stewart found the fish stacked up in the Catfish Hole in Boat Dock Cove and caught and released 15 nice Channel and Blue Catfish. His biggest was a 12.3 Blue Cat that he released. On Saturday night the fish bit really well around 8-11pm about 50yds off the end of the rental dock with several families coming close to or limiting out on stocker sized fish on Mackerel or Shrimp.
Getty quipped “The Trout bite just keeps on going! For late June early July this is a great bite on Trout!” Anglers fishing the West Shore and the buoy line in front of the dam are doing pretty darn well on a mixed bag of Rainbow Trout and Steelhead. Drifting night crawlers or power bait in the afternoon breeze has been the ticket to catching the Trout. Fish a longer leader, about three to six feet, and enjoy the breeze while catching some pretty good size Trout.
Bass anglers did well on 2 to 4-pound largemouth on all of the usual presentations, with dropshot-rigged plastics best during the daytime, and reaction baits or topwaters best in the evening or night-time hours. A few larger bucketmouths were fooled by swimbaits. Best area for bass were Rocky Point and the Red Clay Cliffs. A budding bite on the bass has been throwing a floating plastic frog like a Zoom Horny Toad or a Jackall Iobee Frog on matted vegetation.
Incidental catches of hybrid striped bass, crappie, and carp were reported by catfish and bass anglers.. Soaking waxworms near submerged brush yielded some plump bluegill and redear sunfish.
Families with children age 12 and under found good numbers of mostly 1 to 4-pound catfish in the Kids Lagoon on marshmallow/mealworm combos and on Shrimp fly lined. Surface temperature on the main lake was 76-78, with underwater visibility rated as gin clear. Lake level was slowly receding, and the West Shore Road is open to vehicle traffic but only about half way down the West Shore. Summer hours are: Thursdays- 6 AM-11 PM; Fridays and Saturdays- 6 AM-Midnight; Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays- 6 AM-4 PM; Tuesdays- CLOSED.
Outstanding catches of the week at Irvine Lake included:
Follow Irvine Lake on Facebook, on the web at Irvinelake.net or call 714-649-9111
Arthur Huwe of Irvine 10-0 Channel Catfish caught using Pike Mackerel at the West Shore.
Marcus Stewart of Costa Mesa 12-3 Blue Catfish (released) caught using Mackerel in Bite On Cajun
Aaron Titelman of San Fernando Valley 6.65 Channel Catfish caught using Fresh Mackerel soaked in Bite On Cajun on just 4lb line.
Rob “Rooster” Primm of Artesia caught and released a 3.5lb Wiper (Sunshine Bass) while fishing Mackerel near the Red Clay Cliffs.