`A TRADITION' LOCAL TROUT OPENERS LURE ALL KINDS OF ANGLERS.

Byline: Keith Lair Staff Writer

IRVINE - Norm Yap no longer has to make the four-hour drive to the Sierra to go trout fishing.

With water temperatures finally cooled down, the South El Monte resident can now drive to area lakes to fish for trout, stocked by the Department of Fish and Game's Fillmore hatchery, or go for bigger trout at concession-run Orange County lakes.

``This beats a four-hour drive,'' said Yap, who attended Irvine Lake's opening day with his South El Monte neighbors. ``Now, I can go fishing 15 minutes away.''

The DFG, Santa Ana River Lakes, Corona Lake and San Bernardino County began their Southern California stocking program two weekends ago. Irvine began stocking its lakes last week and the DFG is scheduled to plant urban lakes, including Legg Lake, Puddingstone and Santa Fe Dam, this week.

Attending the Southern California trout opener is as much a tradition as going to Crowley Lake for the Sierra opener, which starts on the final weekend of April and closes on the final weekend of October.

James Anderson of La Puente caught a 20-pound, 8-ounce trout on the opening weekend at Santa Ana River Lakes and 147 other anglers landed fish larger than 10 pounds.

At Irvine, Scott Nash almost broke tradition. The Azusa resident pulls up at the lake's Santiago Canyon driveway at 9 the morning before the opener. He had been first in line the past four years. But with his fishing buddy unable to go, Nash failed to arrive a day early. But he did arrive, even with spotty weather.

``My wife said that I am crazy,'' he said. ``But I've been coming here on opening day for 15 years, and I couldn't not come, there is too much tradition.''

Both Irvine and Santa Ana River Lakes plant trophy fish they buy from the Mount Lassen Trout Farms. Steve Plantegna of Glendora landed an 18.8-pound trout and Manuel Ice of West Covina caught an 18-pounder at SARL. La Habra's Mike Nikac had the largest trout at Irvine, 15.55 pounds.

Laguna Niguel Lake, which also stocks trophy trout in Southern California, does not have its trout opener until Nov. 24. The DFG generally stocks trout that weigh either a third or half a pound.

``It's a chance to get out, to be with friends, camp together and have fun,'' said South El Monte's Markie Escalante, fishing the west bank of Irvine. ``We like fishing, and we enjoy coming here.''

The DFG Fillmore hatchery stocks lakes with water temperatures between 42 and 75 degrees and streams that have higher water temperatures than 45 degrees. The current water temperature average for urban lakes is the mid-60s.

Irvine general manager Steve Miller says a fixation with trout fuels Irvine's opener, which drew 600 anglers Friday.

``There are so many different types of gear for catching trout,'' Miller said. ``To go catfishing, you need to go buy mackerel and cut it up. For trout, you can store the bait and just go fishing when you want.''

Miller says the simplicity of having a rod, reel, line, hook and dough bait, like Power Bait, inspires organizations, like the Boy Scouts of America, to go fishing. It can turn the casual angler into a serious one.

``It's easier to work with,'' Miller said of trout fishing.

Marti O'Hare of Crystal Lake in the Angeles National Forest says the trout opener is important for the San Gabriel Canyon area.

``It brings the fishermen up,'' she said. ``It is like a tradition.''

Although the water level is low, Crystal Lake did receive its first stock two weeks ago and should get one this week.

``That's what makes it very popular,'' O'Hare said.

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2 photos

Photo: (1 -- color) Rainbow trout, such as these stocked in the East Fork River in the spring, are being now stocked in area lakes.

Josh Estey/Special to the Daily News

(2 -- color) 17-year-old Carlos Ortiz of El Monte shows off a trout he caught this spring while fly fishing along the East Fork at Follows Camp.

Josh Estey/Special to the Daily News