This week’s Big Fish thunder was taken by the 66.9 pound striper caught by shore angler Alan Vang at San Luis Reservoir (http://norcal.fishreports.com/news/article.php?feature_id=107). Vang’s epic bass was less than a pound shy of the California record. But there were a number of other nice catches made last week across Northern California that are worth mentioning.

John Fleenor of Middletown won the 32 annual Clearlake Oaks-Glenhaven Catfish Derby with a fish weighing 24.74 pounds. John was awarded a $4,000 cash prize for his catch. Bradley Hansen of Lower Lake won the kids division with a fish weighing 18.55 pounds. Bradley was awarded an Apple iPad for his catch.

In the Eastern Sierra, snow and wind kept many away but there were some bragging fish landed.

Frank Kuys of Long Beach caught a 9.12 pound brown from Twin Lakes … Justin Garrett from Sacramento landed an 8.10 pound brown from the same lake … Derek Mannion of Rialto hooked the biggest rainbow from Lower Twin, a 6.2 pounder.

Biggest fish from Convict Lake was a 6.14 pound rainbow caught by Homero Valencia of Palmdale.

Collins Lake shows no sign of slowing down its big fish production. Big fish of the week was an 11.4 trout caught trolling a hoochie dipped in krill oil by Roy Van Cassel of Yuba City ... A 10 pound trout was hooked by Rich Moore of Manteca who was using a secret lure ... An 8.8 pounder was netted by Don Thea of Williams using green Power Bait from the shore by the dam.

Down in San Luis Obispo County, Ed Conway got in his float tube, hooked on a live shad and caught a 16 pound catfish at Santa Margarita Lake.

Back in the Bay Area, the bite turned on at Contra Loma. Ron Hodgson landed a 10 pound catfish … Fred Irwin caught a 9.1 pound largemouth with a rubber worm … Rico Montuerto caught trout weight 8.12 and 7.12 casting a lure near the Swim Lagoon ... Matilde Quiroga landed an 8.7 pound rainbow with Power Bait near the Swim Lagoon.

Best catch at Del Valle was a 6.8 pound cat hooked by Jennifer Grower of San Jose.

Los Vaqueros kicked out a 9.5 pound trout landed by Frank Rodriguez of Oakland with a Kastmaster in South Cove and a 12.3 pound catfish was caught by William Rennaker of Livermore using anchovies at the north end of the lake.

Lenny Robinson of Fremont used Mice Tails near the swim beach at Quarry Lakes to land a 15 pound rainbow … Bernie Gonzales caught a 6.9 pound trout from shore.

The trout bite has tapered at San Pablo Reservoir, but Michael Walsh of San Francisco caught a 8.69 pound rainbow using chartreuse Power Bait at the main rec area ... Danny Hayes took to a boat and used worms to fool a 6.79 pound trout … Luis Cardenas of Hercules caught his limit of trout highlighted by an 8.5 pounder caught at the Pines with nightcrawlers.