I was at Corona Lake on Labor Day with my wife. We had caught two, 2 lb cats and 2 bluegill from shore. I sat at a picnic table and watch what looked like a Korean family tear up tilapia up against the shoreline before you get to the boat ramp. He was using a 13 to 15 foot graphite cane pole with a 10” stick float and hook about 4 foot below the float. He was using some kind of dough ball concoction and had a wire basket full of fish.
I finally came up to them and asked how the fishing was and they replied “we are not catching much” and looked the other direction.
We drove down the shoreline and many of the fishermen had caught a few cats and several had catfish limits from the shallow end of the lake. Some people had tilapia of decent size that were coming out of the lily pads near shore by the dam. Most people were very friendly.
I had the opportunity to come back Weds 9/15. The older gentleman at the bait shop said, “go to the middle of the lake”, and off I went with my float tube. Fishing was excellent in tree structure/bush, and in 3 hours time I had caught 10 channel catfish, the biggest being about 4.5 lbs. They were biting mackerel very well but would on occasion take shrimp or night crawler. They were still biting when I left.
Limit was 5 so I kept 5, and released 2. I was culling out the little ones and had 3 other 2 + pounders. I was looking around for someone to give them to.
There were not many people on the lake. Oddly enough, as I looked around, I saw the same Asian man using the same high-tech cane pole. The only other person was a Hispanic man in a boat. He was very thankful and appreciative of the free fish since he had only one catfish.
I would have gladly given the fish to the Asian man. A little Karma will take one a long way in life.
Good deal SA! What goes around, comes around. When we give away Bluegill at Perris we always try to find someone that has not caught any fish. It really makes their day when someone gives them a dozen or so 8 to 10 inch Bluegill!
Corona Catfish and Tilapia
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