The annual Irvine Lake catfish season opener last weekend went very well to say the least, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. "The catfish were biting full speed on Friday night, it was a foamer, and Saturday night was also excellent", reported Getty. "Catfish in the 2 to 8-pound range started biting around dusk, with 15 feet being the best depth. Fresh mackerel fished with no sinker and the spinning reel bail left open was the way to go. We sold a bunch of second-limit tickets on both nights, and lots of anglers reported that they left the fish biting." Getty added, "Several of the tagged fish from our 'Red-white-and-blue' catfish derby were caught, including 'The General', which had all three tags in it. That fish was an 8-6 blue cat caught by Gerardo Rosas of Anaheim, while fishing off the bank with his son. Rosas wins a free Summer Season Pass, and free entry into our 'King of the Cats' tournament." Irvine Lake Pro Team member Dave Young related, "A lot of crappie are being caught under floating lights. Best lure is the white Atomic Tube or white 2-inch Gulp Swimming Grub. Some very good trout fishing for nice 2 to 3-pounders is still available for anglers who are 'motor mooching' with a half-ounce egg sinker and worms in deep water."

Bass anglers continue to do very well, but a lot of tight lipped bassers are keeping the details to themselves. The Bassackwards Bass Club held a club tourney on Friday, with an 18-9 5-fish total topping the field. Largemouth in the 2 to 6-pound range are hitting on a wide variety of lures, including Brush Hogs, swimbaits, and jerkbaits. Some intermittent hot action is being encountered by fortunate anglers who locate the roving schools of hybrid striped bass. When the fish are located, almost anything resembling a shad will draw a strike. Anglers are reminded that all bass species must be released at Irvine Lake. Good numbers of bluegill and redear are being caught in shallow brushy areas by anglers using mealworms or the new Gulp! Crickets. The Kids Lagoon is back in operation, and received a 500-pound stocking of catfish this week. The road to Trout Island is still under water, but is expected to re-emerge sometime in mid-July. The lake is open until 11:00 PM on Thursdays; until Midnight on Fridays and Saturdays; and closed on Tuesdays for the rest of the summer.