Lake Perris July 8

[vortec_cruiser]

I met up with SirBluegill (Anthony) early this morning at the Bernasconi entrance to Lake Perris. Besides having the pleasure of tube fishing with him, I also delivered the new float tube he purchased from me for a friend of his.

I didn't get to Bernasconi Road until 6:20 AM, but it was good timing as I followed the Sheriff car up to the gate, which he then unlocked. Anthony was already there, waiting. We got our gear down to the water, and launched our flotilla. Armed with crickets, we headed out to our favorite areas. Before he was more than a dozen yards from shore, Anthony picked up a nice crappie on a Snap Bean. I just have to say that the bluegill and redear are not biting as well as they were a few weeks ago. Okay, I know other fishermen have been getting buckets of fish recently, but then, that's probably why fishing was just "OK" for us today. I wound up with about a dozen fish by 11:30 AM, and I think Anthony probably had at least that many. I know he got some up to 9 & 10 inches, but I have to say, I got the BIG BOY for the day - a 12" redear. (not bluegill). And he fought like a 12 incher. Using an 8' Phenix Elixir and Shimano Symetre 750 filled with 2 lb. line, I was entertained with no less than four drag-screaming runs. Well, he did make four runs, and I could hear the drag singing - maybe not screaming. But he certainly put up a commendable fight for his size.

All my fish were safely returned to the depths of Perris, and Anthony released his bigger fish.
So, for a slow day of panfishing, it was a pretty good day.

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r229/luvtnt/Perris%20Fishing%20July%208%202011/PerrisJuly820111-1.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r229/luvtnt/Perris%20Fishing%20July%208%202011/PerrisJuly820112.jpg

http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r229/luvtnt/Perris%20Fishing%20July%208%202011/PerrisJuly820113.jpg

[fishmounter]

NICE going Ed! Is the 12 inch fish the first photo? If so, that's a Redear. Still a big fish, but a 12 inch Bluegill are pretty hard to come by..
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/fishmounter/PerrisJuly820111-1.jpg

[SirBluegill]

Today was a slow day but a good day of fishing nonetheless. Me and Ed fished the Bernasconi side on our tubes. The gates where opened at 6:20 and we where on the water by 6:40. No sooner had I launched my tube, when I hook up with what I believed to be a large bluegill. The drag screamed and I could feel the tension on my 3 lb braided line as I reeled her in. The look on my face was confusion when I first saw the fish hit the surface….Bluegill…no….Redear…..no…..Crappie….Yes! This would be the first Crappie I have ever caught. She measured in at 11.5 inches. After some photos I released her. She bit on a 1/16 oz Black and Gold Yo-Zuri Snap Bean.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e45/FoxBoy007/0708110716.jpg

Around 30 mins later I made it somewhat close to the buoy line, I found a productive biting spot. The next 30 mins I would lose close to 10 crickets but have no solid hook ups. On my 11th cricket I managed to hook up with a fish but lost her half way through the fight. 12th cricket was the ticket, I hooked into a nice 8 inch gill on one of LedHed’s Chub Minnows.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e45/FoxBoy007/0708110743.jpg

This is where things slowed down I think I spent an hour or more without a bite. So I slowly kicked backed to ramp again hoping to hook something with the Snap Bean again. I got a few hits/misses and hooked in something small but he quickly shook the hook. I then kicked backed to the buoy line on the right instead of the left (between the red and white buoys) and I saw LedHed pass by on his boat. I waved hello both of us asking about the bite. Things where slow in the east for him so he headed back to the west end. I soon found another productive spot and worked it by slow trolling the cricket tipped jig back 40 feet and back again across. I soon hooked up with a 7 incher.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e45/FoxBoy007/0708110921.jpg

Shortly after I hooked up with another 8 incher.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e45/FoxBoy007/0708111009.jpg

A little while later I felt a BIG pull on my line. The drag screamed again and I readjusted it I did not want to lose this fish. At the same time I trolled back to Ed, so that he could net the Beast. This bullgill measured a tiny bit over 10 inches and had a thick bumpy head.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e45/FoxBoy007/0708111029a-Copy.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e45/FoxBoy007/0708111028.jpg

Not a second after Ed handed me my fish he hooked up with a bullgill of his own. Both fish where released for another day.

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e45/FoxBoy007/0708111029.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e45/FoxBoy007/0708111030.jpg

I kicked back to my spot again and hooked up with a 9 incher. He had some dent/wounds on his back rear. After this I called it a day around 11 o clock because it started getting hotter and my sunscreen was wearing off. Until next time good fishing.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e45/FoxBoy007/0708111058b.jpg

[Troutcz swimbait]

Nice fish guys.

[old pudd fisher]

Very nice report guys, and awesome pictures.

[fishmounter]

Good going you guys. Hopefully I'll be out there soon. I've got some new ideas to try out....

[Vies]

hey great job Panfishing! Perris serves some great fishing right now..thanks for the awesome post on the tubes.... its hard getting some good pictures out there.. especially with non waterproof cameras! lol.. trust me i know.

Fish on guys!

hope to see you all out there.

Vies

[vortec_cruiser]

NICE going Ed! Is the 12 inch fish the first photo? If so, that's a Redear. Still a big fish, but a 12 inch Bluegill are pretty hard to come by..
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/fishmounter/PerrisJuly820111-1.jpg

You're correct, Jeff. But he did fight like a 12" bluegill. :-)

And we missed you out on the water!

[vortec_cruiser]

hey great job Panfishing! Perris serves some great fishing right now..thanks for the awesome post on the tubes.... its hard getting some good pictures out there.. especially with non waterproof cameras! lol.. trust me i know.

Fish on guys!

hope to see you all out there.

Vies
It was at Bernasconi two weeks ago that, as I bent over at the water's edge to take off my fins, my Droid X slipped from my shirt pocket into the water. Fortunately, I was quick enough to keep it from completely drowning.

[fishmounter]

Ed- Those big Redear can really pull out the drag. They seem to put in a last effort right before being landed too! I also noticed that as you handle them to remove the hook, Redears struggle more than Bluegill do and you have more of a chance at getting poked and bloody by their dorsal fin. Especially if you bleed easily like me.

[Natural Lefty]

Congratulations on catching your first Crappie, Anthony! They are not very numerous at Perris, but they grow large. Hopefully, it's the first of many to come. I can tell you about some places where they are easier to catch if you are interested.

Vortec Cruiser, I remember catching a 12 inch Redear in the Colorado River backwaters, and thought it was huge.

[SirBluegill]

Ya that be cool Robert, the only other place I can think of is the Marina where I have seen Crappie caught. They also seem to like the flooded reed line like the south and east side(Cant think of anywhere really specific though).

[Kevthecatfishstudent]

Great catches I was wondering if you are fishing the back side where do you pick up the crickets? Do they still sale them on the outskirts stores of the lake?

[vortec_cruiser]

Great catches I was wondering if you are fishing the back side where do you pick up the crickets? Do they still sale them on the outskirts stores of the lake?

We were on the east side of the lake, where you enter on Bernasconi Road.
I get my crickets at PetSmart, and SirBluegill gets his at an animal feed store somewhere in the Riverside area.

[Natural Lefty]

At Perris, the most consistent place to catch Crappie is in the marina, at least from shore or docks. I did catch one there this spring, the only Crappie I have caught this year which is unusual. I was referring to other lakes though like Big Bear which I think is loaded with smallish Crappies and a few bigger ones, or at least was last year. I always catch a lot of small Crappies at Lake Gregory this time of year if I go there. Silverwood has periods when the Crappie fishing is good and good sizes, but not lately. Arrowhead has outstanding Crappie fishing and good sizes, but the lake owners have pretty much shut the place down to outsiders fishing there. My wife has also had luck catching Crappies at the Perris Marina sometimes, and at Lake Gregory.

I tend to have good luck for Crappies at Puddingstone, including some really big ones, like the 2 big ones I caught there last December. I think it's an underrated Crappie fishery.

And I forgot, Elsinore is known to be a good fishery for large Crappies, but my wife and I haven't had much luck there, plus the water there is, well...crappy.

[M@M]

You guys sure caught some NICE fish...thanks for the report.......and your pictures are super clean, really nice pics:Smile:

[Kelster]

Nice fish and congratulations on the crappie, I have only caught one crappie there this year.

[Greg Madrigal]

Great dual report gents! I do love my Symetry! Thanks 4 tgh epost!