The excellent catfish bite has continued at Corona Lake with lots of good stringers of fish and a few quality catfish landed each week. The biggest fish was landed by Santiago Palacios of West Covina a 32-pounder landed at the dam on mackerel.

Other big fish included a 12-pounder that topped off a five-fish, 20-pound stringer landed by Frank Carillo, Phillips Ranch, on mackerel at the boat dock. Keith Koke, Menifee, landed an eight-pound catfish at the best fish on his 10-fish, 28 1/4-pound stringer caught on mackerel and chicken liver from a boat. Jorge, Ricardo, and Angel Garcia, all Fontana, had an eight-pounder as part of their three-fish, 14-pound catch made from shore with shrimp. Rich Herrera, San Diego, landed nine catfish for 22 1/2 pounds, including a six pounder, and a six-pounder was the best fish on a six-fish, 19-pound stringer landed by Frank, Jose, and Oscar Mancia, all Los Angeles.

Catfish plants go in at least twice a week, including both blue and channel catfish. Tilapia are also added once a week, and these panfish are showing in pretty fair numbers for anglers tossing nightcrawler pieces for them with many in the two-pound range.

Corona Lake is also hosting five Biggest Catfish Derbies every weekend. Entry fee is $5 for any of the five permit time frames -- from 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, from 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday evening, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, and from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday evening. (There will be no derbies for the mid-day special at noon or the 24-hour fishing pass holders.) All of the derbies feature a 100 percent payout of the whole pot to the angler catching the biggest catfish. If 20 anglers enter at $5 each, the biggest catfish caught among those 20 anglers wins that angler the whole $100 pot.

Pictured Above: Santiago Palacios - West Covina - 32 Pound Monster Catfish!! 7/18/12