Dramatic temperature swings caused Irvine Lake's catfish bite to back off a few notches over the weekend, but as of Wednesday things had mostly returned to normal, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. Getty also gave some more detailed information about last week's 55-pound monster blue catfish, which is the largest whiskerfish of the season so far. Catfish action remained decent despite the weather, with channels ranging from 2 to 6 pounds being found near structure at depths of 1 to 30 feet. A few better-grade blue cats were also caught. Best baits included mackerel, shrimp, and chicken livers, with favored spots including the west shore, Santiago Flats, and Boat Dock Cove.

Skilled bass anglers will still able to locate their quarry, although the red hot bite backed off to a degree. Daytime bassers did best with jigs and big plastic worms at 30 to 40 feet. Once dusk arrives, the fish move up, and can be caught on Senkos, crankbaits, and various reaction techniques. Most largemouth are ranging in the 2 to 4-pound category, with the Red Clay Cliffs and Rocky Point being productive locations. This weekend's bass tournament using an "Ironman" double-limit format [10 fish] saw Monas Malachai top the field with 26.25 pounds, and Rick Merced take second with 26.0 pounds. A few 1 to 2-pound class crappie we caught by anglers targeting tight schools on their electronics and dropping down Rapala Ice Jigs. Bluegill, redear, and wiper action was all curtailed by the warm temperatures, as was the bite in the Kids Lagoon. The surface temperature in the main lake is 77 degrees, and the lake level is receding slowly. For anglers planning ahead, Irvine Lake's 2010-11 Trout Season Opener will be on Friday, November 5, with over 20,000 pounds of trout stocked. A special limited-entry "VIP Fishing Day" will take place on Thursday, November 4; contact the Pro Shop [174-649-9111] for information on a great opportunity to beat the opening day crowds.

Outstanding catches of the week at Irvine Lake included:
Elaine Dickerhoof of Artesia, 18-8 blue catfish [released] on mackerel/shrimp at the flats.
Julian Ramirez of Artesia, 14-8 blue catfish [released] on mackerel at the west shore.
Stephan Dobrine of Corona, 5-6 channel catfish on mackerel/shrimp at the flats.
Monas Malachai of Orange, 5-5 largemouth bass [released] on a jig at the red clay cliffs.
Jimmy Getty of Silverado, 4-3 largemouth bass [released] on a Varmint Lures OD Rat at Rocky Point.