Lake Perris 5-18
 

First time out with the kayak this year. Got a real late start this morning, got on the water about 10:30. Talked with a guy at the marina who said yesterday a couple came in with 25 bluegill, total weight 18lbs. The only kept males and turned all the females back, everything on meal worms and crickets. We didn't have either. On the paddle out talked with a lot of boaters coming in skunked today. The bite had turned off. I fished some small jigs and spinners for nothing, put on a redworm and got one bluegill about a pound, then that was it. Off the water by 2:00pm. I was cool and overcast most of the day with the sun coming out about 1:00. No wind, nice calm day, you have to watch out for the power boaters as they were coming inside the 5mph bouys at full throttle. Some people run their boats with their heads up their ass. It was good to be back on the water. I will start hitting it harder now. The water was 66 and real dirty, lots of algae floating around. Perris is 20 minutes from my house so I don't mind running over and not catching fish.

Thanks for the report Harry. Glad you’re back on the water. Yeah. Perris can be hot one day and the next day, you’d swear the lake was devoid of life.

Thanks for report. I got a Bluegill report a couple of days ago for Perris and it was very encouraging to say the least! I love me some Bluegill and will be hitting it up soon.

Fish with Orca Harry. He catches all the bass. :D

Those guys should've tossed more males back. Unlike bass, the big male Bluegills are what drives a healthy big Bluegill population. More aggressive big males = less time spent mating and more time focused on growth.

Great to see you are starting up again, Harry. Steve and I are talking about Newport next Sat morning, let me know if you want to join us. Not sure how long we'll stay out, but probably around 3hrs.

Problem is you’d have to bring a micrometer to measure them.

https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Science-...rawn-down-lake

Interesting read for you guys fishing Perris

Thank you for the article. I had no idea that lake had been drained at all. Much less that they did that much work in creating fish habitats.

I'm thinking about checking out perris this weekend. It's probably been 2-3 years since I have been there last. I love catching those bluegill there...I've pulled some real monsters outta there. Those things are alot of fun...when they bite....

"After 12 years, both phases are nearly completed."

Sweet Jeebuss...Nearly?.....NEARLY??? LOL our State Gov't :D

The lake was drawn all the way down to the bottom of the dam because developers built homes in the flood plain of the dam. So they have added a lot of material to the base of the dam but developers were still building all this time and I expect someone will sue to stop the filling of the lake.

I've talked to the rangers at Perris. The week before Memorial day they were about 15 feet below full, and the plan is to bring it up to about 8 feet from full for the summer. They may have done so by now. Also Bernsconi is open again, and there is a pay station over there now.