1-30 Perris

Had the boat in for service last week, went out today. Water is noticeably up from 2 weeks ago. Launched a few minutes after 7. Water was around 55 degrees. Tried for a reaction bite in the flooded brush around the island for nothing. Hit the tires (which are now in 12-15 feet of water in some places) and snagged 2 on a Neko rigged worm. Kept drifting through the east end for nothing. Tried both the brush line in about 10 feet of water and threw a Texas rigged Senko on braid in the MIDDLE of the brush. No other biters on the east end.

Jammed over to the dam and continued trying to force feed the fish with bait casting equipment. Nothing on Texas rigged worms, C-rig, spiger grubs, deep diving cranks, and swimbaits. Gave up and threw a dropshot out and got bit on the 3rd cast. Just shy of 3 pounds. Got bit again in 3 more casts, but somehow that one came unbuttoned.

Was hoping some wind would still be out there, help with the reaction bite. But no, it was dead calm out there, water was glass. Beautiful day, tough bite still. Water was only 57ish when I left at 2.

Should be an interesting spawn and summer season once the lake fills. It looks like some nice structure spots were put in the east end area where they moved all the dirt.

If the water gets too deep right after the bass spawn, it might affect the eggs and fingerlings. Spotted Bass that used to be in the lake would be ok because they spawn in deeper water than the Largemouths. It's going to be an interesting spring and summer at the lake.

bass413,

Thanks for the great report...one of the best I've seen in a long time! Keep 'em coming!

The rising water level and increased food supply should be good for the fishing overall, and certainly for the trout since they will have deeper, cooler water and more food.

Perhaps the Spotted Bass will make a comeback?

Natural Lefty.... They will make a comeback only if large numbers of young adult fish are stocked in the lake. They will spawn again and there will once again be Alababma Spotted Bass (if they plant Alabama and not Kentucky Spotted Bass) in the lake for a few years. Eventually the resident Largemouths will cross breed with the Spotted Bass once again and the lake will end up with the dominate Largemouths taking over the Spotted Bass population, just like it has for the last 35-40 years now. All it took was for a few well meaning fishermen with live wells in their bass boats to illegally release a few Largemouth Bass they caught at Vail Lake or one of the San Diego Lakes (no doubt with the faster-growing, larger Florida sub-species of Largemouth Bass) into Lake Perris. The LMB took over fairly quickly. We do still catch a rare Largemouth/Spotted Bass Hybrid. I remember back in the 70s catching some huge Spotties in the brush on green plastics and live waterdogs. Thank god the Florida Bluegill they stocked back then were the only Bluegill that were stocked. I love catching those Gillzillas!

good report, one of these day I will make a re-visit to lake Perris.