Eleven lakes in Orange County have been stocked with rainbow trout by this weekend, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and OC Parks planting schedules.
If you haven’t been there already, this weekend is your best shot at catching these hatchery rainbows until the next time the stocking truck makes a stop at these park lakes.
By February, we’re starting to get toward the end of trout fishing in low-elevation lakes, most of which simply get too warm by spring for these cold-loving gamefish to survive long enough to attack your bait, lure or fly.
The following list includes waters to be stocked, according to state officials and county plans:
- Carbon Canyon Reservoir (Yorba Linda)
- Carr Park Lake (Huntington Beach)
- Eisenhower Park Lake (Orange)
- Greer Park Lake (Huntington Beach)
- Huntington Park Lake (Huntington Beach)
- Irvine Lake (Silverado)
- Laguna Niguel Regional Park Lake (Laguna Niguel)
- Mile Square Park Lake (Fountain Valley)
- Ralph Clark Regional Park Lake (Buena Park)
- Tri-City Lake (Placentia)
- Yorba Regional Park Lake (Anaheim)
Still-fishing with bait is the most popular approach when it comes to catching hatchery-raised trout. PowerBait, nightcrawlers or other worms, and other baits will usually tempt trout.
Active anglers might prefer casting and retrieving a lure, with spinners and spoons in many designs effective.
Fly fishing takes more skills, but a well-placed imitation insect will bring out a trout’s natural taste for bugs.
We cover those tips and more in our easy guide to trout fishing.
Find more spots to wet a line in our guide to fishing in Orange County.