Irvine 12/31 a.m....

[BradyG]

Launched the yak early. Was the 5th or 6th one in, but it was pretty quiet for the first couple of hours. Trolled across the flats, past the cliffs, towards the dam and back down the west shore for zero. Had read that flicker shads and rapalas were the go to baits, but talked to several people who had no fish on the troll with these exact lures. I switched to a couple of completely random baits and went three for four on the trout over the next hour (9-10am). These baits were old, 10 years or so, but still got it I guess. School sized fish but they hit those baits hard. Good times to go old school and find some success.

Saw one tuber fighting a beast, but not sure if he caught it or not. By 10am most boats had stopped trolling and were anchored up on the opposite side of the lake, where the flats meet the cliffs. Heard that they were doing well, but didn't make it close enough to confirm.

Off the water at 10, In-N-Out Burger by 11.

No pics. Imagine 3 trout about 1.5lbs. There, that's what they look like.

If you're tolling the typical baits and not doing as well as you think you should be, change it up. They see a ton of pink and firetiger everything so try a little variety. Worked for me. Happy New Year all.

[HELLSTER INC.]

Just my past experience with Irvine lake,Bait fish until about 9a.m. then troll the rest of the day! Only been hit on the troll before 9 a couple times. Inflated night crawlers always gets the job done, as for trolling i have caught fish on some of the most random lures you could imagine.

[zzzfish]

I noticed that with my group trolling session too. On that day (12/28), the suble color got more hit than the pink and firetiger.

[Fishingdachronarch201E7]

Hey Brady...

Awesome, seems you found what they liked way to figure them out....

I was there on 12 31 too, in the water at 120...out at 345, managed only one on powerbait....got hooked into another one on pink/white mice tail... all in all great time on the water and no skunk before end of year....

WTG again...

Tony G