Current Bluegill & Redear bite?

[fishmounter]

Has anyone caught any Bluegill or Redears at Lake Perris recently? I'm going out in my float tube this week to do some ultralight tackle fishing for these little fighters, just wondering where to go. I want to fish the Bernasconi area, but that area is closed to vehicles and it's just way too far for me to kick my 'tube there from the other side of the lake.

[Natural Lefty]

The worst ever for this time of year as of last Thursday afternoon and evening, May 18. I couldn't get a single bite in the marina or launch ramp area, but I was fishing from docks. The week before, I did get a bite and caught a 14 inch bass on a redworm at the little fishing pier in Sail Cove. I have yet to catch a Bluegill or Redear this year at Lake Perris, but I have caught a few at the Colorado River and some large Crappie at Clear Lake during Spring Break. I also caught a 9 pound, 12 ounce Carp on the Colorado River on a redworm on May 4, and a 17 inch holdover trout at Lake Gregory on May 11. LOL I am starting to wonder if there was a fish dieoff at Perris, or perhaps the water is still too chilly, but the weather doesn't seem that cold.

[Natural Lefty]

By the way, word from others is the same. They are saying that panfish just aren't biting at Perris this year so far, except for an occasional large fish. The lack of people fishing in the usual spots tells me that as well. Those I did see fishing, had not caught any.

[fishmounter]

I've got a couple of buddies that strictly fish for bass from their boats, and they will catch a large Bluegill or two on bass lures. This tells me that if a person goes out there with the right tackle and baits for Bluegill/Redear and can find the groups of these fish, fishing will be very good. The water temp is approximately 68-70 degrees, so this is just about perfect for a good panfish bite.

[etucker1959]

I've got a couple of buddies that strictly fish for bass from their boats, and they will catch a large Bluegill or two on bass lures. This tells me that if a person goes out there with the right tackle and baits for Bluegill/Redear and can find the groups of these fish, fishing will be very good. The water temp is approximately 68-70 degrees, so this is just about perfect for a good panfish bite.

Good luck and write a fish report either way.

[chatmar]

Good luck and write a fish report either way.
Haven't been this year but in past years I would do very well around the island. If your standing on the docks in the marina looking at the island the right side of the island has some deep rock piles. I would also go to a rock that sticks up out the water behind the island and drift. I would use 90 percent crickets on a thin, light hook or a micro gig. His both ways with and without a small split shot. I may go this holiday weekend. Anyone else going?

[fishmounter]

chatmar- I know what set up to use. I've fished Bluegill at LP for many years. On my 2 lb test outfits I use either a hand tyed 1/80 oz. belly spin chub jig tipped with a cricket or waxwork and/or a overhand 10 inch loop knot dropshot style rig with a #8 black circle hook a foot above #7 splitshot. This I usually bait with a cricket for Bluegills or a garden worm for the Redears.
I mostly just wanted to know where I should launch my float tube from. It's a distance to kick to the island, especially if the wind picks up when I am done fishing and coming back in. But thank you for the tip!

[Reefmo]

Wife and I had good luck by sail cove. Several standard .8lb 'gill. One 1.3lb brute. Also by the swimming beach got a few.
Autos w/crickets. We were fishing by boat -- totally empty day with rain -- and the ranger chased us out of both places... no swimmers, no sailors -- I guess rules are rules.

But -- with the lake being up so full (relatively speaking) it has mucked with the "standard" locations of the 'gills.



chatmar- I know what set up to use. I've fished Bluegill at LP for many years. On my 2 lb test outfits I use either a hand tyed 1/80 oz. belly spin chub jig tipped with a cricket or waxwork and/or a overhand 10 inch loop knot dropshot style rig with a #8 black circle hook a foot above #7 splitshot. This I usually bait with a cricket for Bluegills or a garden worm for the Redears.
I mostly just wanted to know where I should launch my float tube from. It's a distance to kick to the island, especially if the wind picks up when I am done fishing and coming back in. But thank you for the tip!

[SirBluegill]

Hey Jeff! let me know if you decide on a day. We could try sailcove, I saw a few groups of gills in that area last year. Saw a few as they hit the jig to! of the course the water was a bit lower then.

[castle]

By the way, word from others is the same. They are saying that panfish just aren't biting at Perris this year so far, except for an occasional large fish. The lack of people fishing in the usual spots tells me that as well. Those I did see fishing, had not caught any.

Ive made a total of 6 fishing outings this year and have only see 1 bluegill at all . Ive only seen bass and the occasional trout.The past couple of years you could only get bluegills fishing from a boat near the dam area at Perris. The water level beeing sow low they had no cover along the shore. This will change however once the lake fills. Hopefully.

[Natural Lefty]

Hello Castle. I am looking forward to next year and the next few after that, which should see a resurgence in fishing success at Lake Perris once the lake is refilled. Your description matches what I have observed and heard to this point. I think with the warm weather and the float tube, Jeff should have a better chance of success though, and I know that he knows what he is doing. I have only fished Perris 3 times this year, myself, and only caught the one bass. I think I lost another bass on my first trip of the year too, in the marina. I bought a Poppy Pass a few months ago too. It hasn't done me much good yet. LOL But perhaps it will in the near future. I have been fishing some other spots and basically catching fish everywhere else I have tried, including some very good size ones -- just not Lake Perris. Oh well.....

[fishmounter]

I ended up going out with a friend that keeps a boat at the Lake Perris Marina. Fishing was not great, but we did find a spot were the BGs were grouped up just as we were getting ready to leave. It always amazes me just how strong the larger Bluegill are. A one pound Bluegill will feel like a 3 or 4 pound bass, especially when using light rods and 2 lb test. We saw several boats in various places on the lake but never saw anyone catching any fish. Just us. I caught a few with one that was a stout beautiful fish with orange fins (see photo), and my buddy got a few with one awesome 11 inch coppernose as his best.
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/fishmounter/BG%20LP%205-23-17_zpsxitr9zva.jpg (http://s103.photobucket.com/user/fishmounter/media/BG%20LP%205-23-17_zpsxitr9zva.jpg.html)

[fishmounter]

SirBluegill… I sent you a PM-

[chatmar]

I ended up going out with a friend that keeps a boat at the Lake Perris Marina. Fishing was not great, but we did find a spot were the BGs were grouped up just as we were getting ready to leave. It always amazes me just how strong the larger Bluegill are. A one pound Bluegill will feel like a 3 or 4 pound bass, especially when using light rods and 2 lb test. We saw several boats in various places on the lake but never saw anyone catching any fish. Just us. I caught a few with one that was a stout beautiful fish with orange fins (see photo), and my buddy got a few with one awesome 11 inch coppernose as his best.
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/fishmounter/BG%20LP%205-23-17_zpsxitr9zva.jpg (http://s103.photobucket.com/user/fishmounter/media/BG%20LP%205-23-17_zpsxitr9zva.jpg.html) Thinking about going out to Perris this weekend. Were you drifting? I see the rod holder in the picture. Do you mind me asking what part of the lake did you finally start to catch the blue gills and lastly, were you using crickets, meal worms, redworms? Thanks in advance.

[jdogg661420]

that is a big one. i got one the 24th in 5 foot of water hanging close to shore in heavy cover. there was a couple there and when i put the go pro underwater to get footage of a dink largemouth school i saw the blues get angry come out and start chasing bass. so i got one. but after i got him all the fish took back off and hid and wouldnt come out again. ill post my video under castaic if you want to see the underwater footage. though i didnt get them chasing the bass too much or when i hooked him. first one of the year for me.
49935

[AndyJ]

that is a big one. i got one the 24th in 5 foot of water hanging close to shore in heavy cover. there was a couple there and when i put the go pro underwater to get footage of a dink largemouth school i saw the blues get angry come out and start chasing bass. so i got one. but after i got him all the fish took back off and hid and wouldnt come out again. ill post my video under castaic if you want to see the underwater footage. though i didnt get them chasing the bass too much or when i hooked him. first one of the year for me.
49935

That's an interesting pattern, once you aught the largemouth the bluegill stopped biting. Almost sounds territorial or competitive between the fish.

[AndyJ]

I ended up going out with a friend that keeps a boat at the Lake Perris Marina. Fishing was not great, but we did find a spot were the BGs were grouped up just as we were getting ready to leave. It always amazes me just how strong the larger Bluegill are. A one pound Bluegill will feel like a 3 or 4 pound bass, especially when using light rods and 2 lb test. We saw several boats in various places on the lake but never saw anyone catching any fish. Just us. I caught a few with one that was a stout beautiful fish with orange fins (see photo), and my buddy got a few with one awesome 11 inch coppernose as his best.
http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m121/fishmounter/BG%20LP%205-23-17_zpsxitr9zva.jpg (http://s103.photobucket.com/user/fishmounter/media/BG%20LP%205-23-17_zpsxitr9zva.jpg.html)

That is a beautiful panfish.

[eVoked]

Check out Diamond Valley, I've been catching loads there, each are at least half a pound to a pound. IDK as of recent but throughout April-June each time I've gone there I've gotten slabs of bluegills and sunfish with my biggest being a 3.01 LBS Redear and a 2.55 LBS Redear. 50120

[fishmounter]

eVoked - So you caught those fishing from shore. Were you purposely trying to catch Redears or were you using lures for bass and caught those sunfish by accident? BTW, that smaller one looks to be a Redear/Bluegill hybrid. Really nice fish though.

[eVoked]

At this time I was not aware of large gills there, but these two fish came off of whole night crawlers on a 1/0 hook. After this I started targeting them yes. Everything seemed to work but certain baits worked better some days than others. One day mealworms was the way to go other days was redworms and other days its waxworms. As for line I advise using minimum 8 pound line. During the outing I caught those two, I had 4-5 breakoffs on 6 pound line even with decent amount of drag loosened. Also since water levels have gone up a bit there are a lot of brushes in the water so the stronger line does let you maneuver past the brushes a bit better.

[Danny_562]

Thanks for all the info gentlemen. Will definitely come in handy when I take my baby girl out this summer and hopefully catch her first fish.