Crappie chasers were in the driver's seat this week at Irvine Lake, reported Pro Team leader Marlon Meade. "Lots of crappie anglers were popping limits of crappie this week", observed Meade. "The trick was to wait for the breeze to pick up around 11:30 AM, and then start drifting in 18 to 24 feet of water on the left side of the flats. There are also plenty of fish during the afternoons in the shady areas along the west shoreline.

"Most of the fish are now done spawning, and are ranging up to 1.75 pounds. Best lure is a pearl-white 2-inch Gulp! Grub rigged on a 1/16 ounce ball head, or a 1/32 ounce pearl white Atomic Teaser. The weekday crowds have been extremely light."

Meade added, "My best tip for the tournament anglers is to take advantage of the extended 7:00 PM hours on tournament day, and keep trying until the last possible minute."

This weekend will see Irvine Lake play host to the largest crappie tournament ever held in Southern California; the first annual "Crappie Classic". There is no entry fee, and paid admission on May 21 includes automatic entry; there is an optional $10 side pot. Total purse of $1,000 cash will be provided by Berkley to be split up among the 10 heaviest 5-crappie limits, along with thousands of dollars worth of merchandise.

Anglers looking for an edge in the competition may want to attend a free crappie fishing seminar being given by Pro Team leader Marlon Meade. The tutorial will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 PM on May 19, at The Longfin, 2730 E. Chapman in Orange [704-538-8010].

Trout anglers are seeing their quarry sliding deeper into the water column, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. Very good action is still being seen by trollers using 4 to 7 colors of leadcore line trailed by a firetiger or brook trout-color J5 Jointed Rapala or cop car-color Luhr Jensen Needlefish. Bait dunkers who locate concentrations of trout are scoring well drifting with Mice Tails, Pinched Crawlers and Power Bait at 20 to 30 feet.

Bass action has slowed somewhat, primarily due to a huge hatch of juvenile shad that has drawn the fish's focus. Some 2 to 4-pound largemouth are being caught with dropshot-rigged plastics at 5 to 25 feet at the red clay cliffs.

A handful of wipers [hybrid striped bass] were caught incidental to the pursuit of other species. Patiently soaking small mackerel chunks will result in some 2 to 4-pound channel catfish. Tiny bluegill are starting to show up, and are stealing a lot of nightcrawlers. Plenty of large carp are showing visually, and anglers skilled at specialty European techniques would doubtless do well.

Families with children age 12 and under are still catching some nice trout in the Kids Lagoon on various baits. Catfish season and evening hours will commence on June 10.