Irvine Lake catfish action highlighted by trout, bass, and crappie
by Steve Carson
6-22-2011
714-649-9111
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The multi-species bite at Irvine Lake has continued well into June, reported Jimmy Getty at the Pro Shop. "The catfish are really biting well; we are seeing lots of limits of prime eating-size 2 to 5-pound channel cats", observed Getty. "The crappie fishing also took a jump with the start of our night-time hours, as did the bass fishing. Even the trout have kept on biting, and if you know how to fish a little deeper for trout, you can catch some really nice ones right now."
Top catfish locations have been the west shore and Trout Island, with productive baits being shrimp, mackerel, and the marshmallow/mealworm combo. The whiskerfish have been holding near hard structure and trees in 10 to 15 foot depths. Good catfish numbers have been tallied in the early AM, and just as it gets dark on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings.
Crappie anglers are finding good numbers of slabs from ? to over 2 pounds during both afternoon and evening periods. Drifting with the afternoon breeze at 15 to 18 feet in the back of the flats is one productive crappie technique. Night-time anglers set out a floating lantern and once the food chain of insects and baitfish have built up; the crappie will soon arrive. White or glow-color Atomic Tubes or 2-inch Gulp! Grubs have been the ticket.
Bass chasers are doing well on 2 to 4 pound largemouth during daytime and evening hours. The daytime fish are at 25 to 30 feet, and are hitting on worms and jigs. The evening fish on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays are at 1 to 15 feet, and are going after topwaters and Senkos.
Trouters are dragging 2 to 4 colors of leadcore line followed by CD05 Rapalas or Luhr Jensen Needlefish at mid-lake for quality-size trout ranging from 3 to 7 pounds. Early AM bait dunkers are still finding a few rainbows at Santiago Flats.
Plenty of bluegill and redear are hitting on red worms and waxworms in shallow brushy areas.
Families with children age 12 and under found good numbers of stocked catfish on the M&M combo. Water level in the main lake is dropping about 6 inches per week, with surface temperatures from 68-73, and about 10 feet of underwater visibility.
Top catfish locations have been the west shore and Trout Island, with productive baits being shrimp, mackerel, and the marshmallow/mealworm combo. The whiskerfish have been holding near hard structure and trees in 10 to 15 foot depths. Good catfish numbers have been tallied in the early AM, and just as it gets dark on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings.
Crappie anglers are finding good numbers of slabs from ? to over 2 pounds during both afternoon and evening periods. Drifting with the afternoon breeze at 15 to 18 feet in the back of the flats is one productive crappie technique. Night-time anglers set out a floating lantern and once the food chain of insects and baitfish have built up; the crappie will soon arrive. White or glow-color Atomic Tubes or 2-inch Gulp! Grubs have been the ticket.
Bass chasers are doing well on 2 to 4 pound largemouth during daytime and evening hours. The daytime fish are at 25 to 30 feet, and are hitting on worms and jigs. The evening fish on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays are at 1 to 15 feet, and are going after topwaters and Senkos.
Trouters are dragging 2 to 4 colors of leadcore line followed by CD05 Rapalas or Luhr Jensen Needlefish at mid-lake for quality-size trout ranging from 3 to 7 pounds. Early AM bait dunkers are still finding a few rainbows at Santiago Flats.
Plenty of bluegill and redear are hitting on red worms and waxworms in shallow brushy areas.
Families with children age 12 and under found good numbers of stocked catfish on the M&M combo. Water level in the main lake is dropping about 6 inches per week, with surface temperatures from 68-73, and about 10 feet of underwater visibility.
More Reports
6-15-2011The annual catfish season opener at Irvine Lake was outstanding, reported general manager Melanie Montoure. "There were lots of very nice stringers of catfish checked in on both Friday and Saturday nights this week. We are looking forward to continuing our evening hours on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Our weekly stocking of thousands of pounds of prime eating-size 2 to 6-pound channel catfish will continue all summer long, to supplement the already large natural population of both channels and...... Read More
6-5-2011
Thousands of pounds of channel catfish will be stocked in Irvine Lake this week and each week for the rest of the summer, to supplement the already substantial natural population of both channels and blues. The always popular evening hours will commence on Friday and Saturday night [June 10-11], when the lake will be open until midnight. After that, summer hours will be: Thursday nights 6 AM to 11 PM; Fridays and Saturday 6 AM to Midnight; Sunday-Monday-Wednesday 6 AM...... Read More
Thousands of pounds of channel catfish will be stocked in Irvine Lake this week and each week for the rest of the summer, to supplement the already substantial natural population of both channels and blues. The always popular evening hours will commence on Friday and Saturday night [June 10-11], when the lake will be open until midnight. After that, summer hours will be: Thursday nights 6 AM to 11 PM; Fridays and Saturday 6 AM to Midnight; Sunday-Monday-Wednesday 6 AM...... Read More