Once a catfish picks up the bait and starts moving off, don't be in a hurry to pick up the rod. Let the fish take off a few yards of line. Then gently pick up the rod, put the reel in gear, take up any slack and strike back hard with at least three solid hooksets. If you're using circle hooks, merely tighten the line to set the hook.

Baits for monster catfish are pretty standard at all Southland lakes. Greenback mackerel, available at all local bait shops, is No. 1 on the list of preferred baits. Other baits that have caught record-class cats include gobs of night crawlers, shrimp, chicken liver and big chunks of bonito and skipjack. Scent attractants are used in combination with baits, as are commercial catfish baits. Berkley's packaged catfish bait chunks are popular, as are Smothers' Catmando baits. Hog Wild has been a catfish additive tradition for years, along with garlic and anise scents.

WHERE TO FISH
Irvine Lake, nestled below the Santa Ana Mountains, is perhaps the most popular Southland lake for consistent catches of trophy cats. The lake record stands at 89.65 pounds; an 89.1-pounder was caught and released in 2005 along with a number of 50- to 75-pound blues. Irvine is the only lake in Southern California that has never been drained and is quite possibly home to many catfish weighing well over 100 pounds.

Divers who venture into its murky waters to check out the dam often return to the surface with a very scared look on their faces and hurry to get out of the water. "I will never dive into this lake again," one diver told me. "I had something rub up against me in the dark that was huge. I couldn't get out of the water fast enough!"

Hotspots to target big catfish on Irvine include Rocky Point, Santiago Flats, along the buoy line and right in the center of the lake.

Irvine Lake is in Orange County off the 241 Tollway. A fleet of 125 rental boats, well-stocked tackle shop and this year's high water level make this a prime lake to fish for monster catfish this summer. Call Irvine Lake at (714) 649-9111 for information.

The state-record 101-pound blue catfish was caught out of San Vicente Lake, which is managed by the City of San Diego. Catfish were first planted there in 1972, and it's thought that this record fish comes from that original stocking.

According to lake biologists who monitor the fishery at San Vicente, large blue catfish tend to live in areas where large boulders are piled and "caves" are created. At San Vicente, some of the best areas to hook a big catfish are the back side of Lowell Island, the Barona and Kimball arms and the east side of the buoy line. Most San-V catfish anglers use cut mackerel, although each fisherman uses various secret techniques and processes.