Lower River Report

[Boudroux]

First post here. I live in Lake Elsinore, CA and because of business spend a ton of time on the Lower Colorado south of Blythe. My two sons were out of school for a couple weeks so we spent it out there.

I'm somewhat new to bass fishing. I've been flyfishing my entire life in the eastern Sierras and got into bass fishing two years ago.

This past trip saw very low water forcing me to only be able to access the old river channel around the Walters Camp area. The area is a slow moving back water that used to be the original river channel. It is now a back water that is shallow year round, extremely shallow in the winter, dingy water with nothing but tule lined banks.

The fishing was decent with a handful each day. The best pattern we found after one of the kids got bored was white/chrome lipless cranks burned a foot or so under water over the tops of the submerged milfoil in what looked like open water. We also got a few flipping the tules with creature baits and a small handful on spinnerbaits around the few pieces of structure we could get to.

Creature in the tules:
https://i.imgur.com/31TCYZTl.jpg
Spinnerbait around a sunken tree:
https://i.imgur.com/Lo7I6CSl.jpg
My old mans first river bass:
https://i.imgur.com/JtgMshdl.jpg

Now if I can only figure out how to catch them at Lake Perris I'd be a happy man.

[sweetfish]

It has been awhile since I posted on this site. So I am going to try and play again.

Nice report and well done on the river this time of year. In a month Perris should pick up with the spawn. Baits to use there is baby bass super fluke jr., underspins, scroungerheads with smokin shad tiny fluke, white spinnerbaits and watermelon senkos. Also heard that the lake has risen dframatically since last winter. Therefore, the rockpiles that were created in the east end during the dam project, might be underwater.

Good work and keep posting.

[Boudroux]

It has been awhile since I posted on this site. So I am going to try and play again.

Nice report and well done on the river this time of year. In a month Perris should pick up with the spawn. Baits to use there is baby bass super fluke jr., underspins, scroungerheads with smokin shad tiny fluke, white spinnerbaits and watermelon senkos. Also heard that the lake has risen dframatically since last winter. Therefore, the rockpiles that were created in the east end during the dam project, might be underwater.

Good work and keep posting.

Thank you. I was out at Perris 3 or 4 weeks ago with a buddy. He was out there 2 weeks ago and said the water was at least 5' higher then the previous trip couple weeks prior. I've only fished Perris twice now and plan on hitting it a couple/few times a month this year.

For the catfishermen, here are a couple. Mine was 40 and my 9 yr olds was 34. Both of these are from the lower river.
https://i.imgur.com/t34Rgkml.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/kBxx62gl.jpg

[etucker1959]

Thank you. I was out at Perris 3 or 4 weeks ago with a buddy. He was out there 2 weeks ago and said the water was at least 5' higher then the previous trip couple weeks prior. I've only fished Perris twice now and plan on hitting it a couple/few times a month this year.

For the catfishermen, here are a couple. Mine was 40 and my 9 yr olds was 34. Both of these are from the lower river.
https://i.imgur.com/t34Rgkml.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/kBxx62gl.jpg

Wow!!! That's a heep of catfish!!!

[phelanfisher]

Nice fish, I have to get down there 1 day and try that out.

[Lightning]

Great report. I love that area of the river. I grew up fishing from Gilmores Landing, just down the road. Thanks for sharing.

[Boudroux]

Great report. I love that area of the river. I grew up fishing from Gilmores Landing, just down the road. Thanks for sharing.

I hear all the stories from the old timers about when Gilmore's was cranking and Walters Camp was at it's peak. Sounds like that was a fun time to be around the area.

[Boudroux]

I'm back out here for a few days and holy cow it's on fire. Hopefully this keeps up and I remember to take pictures.

[MarkyMark]

Please do! Interested in catfish report

MM

[Boudroux]

Not many pics but the fishing has been great on the old river channel around Walters Camp. Spinnerbaits and weightless senko's seem to be the ticket. I've not catfished but a friend of mine did pretty good going for flatheads last week in the same area. Nothing super huge but a few decent 10-12 pounders.

https://i.imgur.com/KAdb2BGl.jpg

[Boudroux]

Spent last week out fishing the area again. Tons and tons of little guys with a couple 2-3 pounders mixed in and with my biggest going 6 pounds. Now I'm waiting for the top water bite to kick in, almost there.

Got this one skipping a senko under a dock.

https://i.imgur.com/S4TeGKGl.jpg