VineAssist
04-20-2015, 07:00 AM
IRVINE LAKE REPORT
By Steve Carson
4/19/15
IRVINE LAKE TROUT STILL BITING EAGERLY; 10-7 NEBRASKA TAILWALKER, 9-10 BROWN TROUT, AND 8-1 BASS TOP CATCHES
NIGHT-TIME OPENER FOR CATFISH SLATED FOR JUNE 5
FRIENDS OF ROLLO EVENT THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Trout and bass were again the headliners at Irvine Lake this week, although the excellent numbers of better-grade trout were the biggest story overall, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. The trout are dropping down deeper in the water column, but are still biting very well”, observed Getty. “Good numbers of trout from 2 to 6 pounds are still up near the surface during the early mornings. After that, soaking bait as deep as 25 feet, or trolling with leadcore line is the ticket. There is just tonnage of baitfish all over the place, and the brown trout in particular can still be caught on casting lures anywhere the schools of shad and silversides are found.”
Getty added: “For anglers planning ahead, our first night fishing session for catfish will be on Friday evening, June 5. As always we will stock thousands of pounds of channel catfish just prior to the opener, and the lake already has a substantial resident population of channel catfish, along with some of the lake’s famous monster blue catfish.”
Winning fish for the big “Sierra in the City” event was an 8-13 Nebraska Tailwalker caught by lake regular Rob Primm of Artesia. His fishing partner and netman was Chris Hagopian of Redondo Beach, who related, “The winning fish hit at 12:48 PM on an orange/chartreuse Berkley Mice Tail, rigged split-shot style on 4-pound test mono with a size 10 Owner Mosquito Hook. We were fishing in about 20 feet of water near Boat Dock Cove. After three big runs, the fish tried to dive under the boat and the net was snagged up in the boat, but I just barely managed to scoop it up. We also got several other nice ones trolling with two colors of leadcore line and a pink Owner Mira-Shad.”
Interestingly, Hagopian won the kayak during the Sierra in the City raffle, while the grand prize of a Tracker Topper 12W boat and Mercury motor was Chuck Doucot of Costa Mesa.
Bass fishing is still phenomenal, with most legitimate techniques producing lots of largemouth in the 2 to 4-pound class. A few bucketmouths to 8-pounds were also fooled by fortunate anglers tossing swimbaits. Only a few catfish anglers put forth effort, but some 3 to 6-pound whiskerfish were hitting on mackerel in 5 to 10 foot depths near weedbeds.
Families with children age 12 and under found fair numbers of 1-3 pound trout in the Kids Lagoon. Surface temperature on the main lake was 68-71 degrees, with underwater visibility rated mixed. The intake pipe in Sierra Cove is running, and the lake level is rising slowly. Both launch ramps are in full operation. A “Friends of Rollo” event will take place on Saturday, April 25. The “April Madness” special $12 admission will be in effect on Mondays and Tuesdays in April.
Outstanding catches of the week at Irvine Lake included;
Diji Garcia of Old Orange, 10-7 Nebraska Tailwalker on a Thomas Buoyant at mid-lake
Rob Primm of Artesia, 8-13 Nebraska Tailwalker at Boat Dock Cove
Steve Duncan of Lake Elsinore, 8-4 Nebraska Tailwalker at the west shore
Eddy Tillett of Orange, 8-2 Nebraska Tailwalker at the west shore
Jeff Ford of La Habra, 10-0 rainbow trout on PowerBait at the west shore
11-year old Andrew Pardo, 2-15 rainbow trout on PowerBait at the west shore
6-year old Mathew Ramirez, 2-15 rainbow trout on PowerBait at the west shore
Frank Carrillo of Santa Ana, 9-10 brown trout on a nitro worm at the west shore
Jeff Frease of Long Beach, 1-8 snow trout on PowerBait at the dam
Jerry Aguilar of Orange, 5-14 steelhead on a Rapala at the west shore
Kevin Jaimeson of Anaheim, 8-1 largemouth bass [released] on a creature bait at the flats
Follow Irvine Lake on Facebook, on the web at IrvineLake.net or call 714-649-9111
By Steve Carson
4/19/15
IRVINE LAKE TROUT STILL BITING EAGERLY; 10-7 NEBRASKA TAILWALKER, 9-10 BROWN TROUT, AND 8-1 BASS TOP CATCHES
NIGHT-TIME OPENER FOR CATFISH SLATED FOR JUNE 5
FRIENDS OF ROLLO EVENT THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Trout and bass were again the headliners at Irvine Lake this week, although the excellent numbers of better-grade trout were the biggest story overall, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. The trout are dropping down deeper in the water column, but are still biting very well”, observed Getty. “Good numbers of trout from 2 to 6 pounds are still up near the surface during the early mornings. After that, soaking bait as deep as 25 feet, or trolling with leadcore line is the ticket. There is just tonnage of baitfish all over the place, and the brown trout in particular can still be caught on casting lures anywhere the schools of shad and silversides are found.”
Getty added: “For anglers planning ahead, our first night fishing session for catfish will be on Friday evening, June 5. As always we will stock thousands of pounds of channel catfish just prior to the opener, and the lake already has a substantial resident population of channel catfish, along with some of the lake’s famous monster blue catfish.”
Winning fish for the big “Sierra in the City” event was an 8-13 Nebraska Tailwalker caught by lake regular Rob Primm of Artesia. His fishing partner and netman was Chris Hagopian of Redondo Beach, who related, “The winning fish hit at 12:48 PM on an orange/chartreuse Berkley Mice Tail, rigged split-shot style on 4-pound test mono with a size 10 Owner Mosquito Hook. We were fishing in about 20 feet of water near Boat Dock Cove. After three big runs, the fish tried to dive under the boat and the net was snagged up in the boat, but I just barely managed to scoop it up. We also got several other nice ones trolling with two colors of leadcore line and a pink Owner Mira-Shad.”
Interestingly, Hagopian won the kayak during the Sierra in the City raffle, while the grand prize of a Tracker Topper 12W boat and Mercury motor was Chuck Doucot of Costa Mesa.
Bass fishing is still phenomenal, with most legitimate techniques producing lots of largemouth in the 2 to 4-pound class. A few bucketmouths to 8-pounds were also fooled by fortunate anglers tossing swimbaits. Only a few catfish anglers put forth effort, but some 3 to 6-pound whiskerfish were hitting on mackerel in 5 to 10 foot depths near weedbeds.
Families with children age 12 and under found fair numbers of 1-3 pound trout in the Kids Lagoon. Surface temperature on the main lake was 68-71 degrees, with underwater visibility rated mixed. The intake pipe in Sierra Cove is running, and the lake level is rising slowly. Both launch ramps are in full operation. A “Friends of Rollo” event will take place on Saturday, April 25. The “April Madness” special $12 admission will be in effect on Mondays and Tuesdays in April.
Outstanding catches of the week at Irvine Lake included;
Diji Garcia of Old Orange, 10-7 Nebraska Tailwalker on a Thomas Buoyant at mid-lake
Rob Primm of Artesia, 8-13 Nebraska Tailwalker at Boat Dock Cove
Steve Duncan of Lake Elsinore, 8-4 Nebraska Tailwalker at the west shore
Eddy Tillett of Orange, 8-2 Nebraska Tailwalker at the west shore
Jeff Ford of La Habra, 10-0 rainbow trout on PowerBait at the west shore
11-year old Andrew Pardo, 2-15 rainbow trout on PowerBait at the west shore
6-year old Mathew Ramirez, 2-15 rainbow trout on PowerBait at the west shore
Frank Carrillo of Santa Ana, 9-10 brown trout on a nitro worm at the west shore
Jeff Frease of Long Beach, 1-8 snow trout on PowerBait at the dam
Jerry Aguilar of Orange, 5-14 steelhead on a Rapala at the west shore
Kevin Jaimeson of Anaheim, 8-1 largemouth bass [released] on a creature bait at the flats
Follow Irvine Lake on Facebook, on the web at IrvineLake.net or call 714-649-9111