Perris Lake Madness July 15th...wow

[HuskerRod]

Hey gang,

I know, I know avoid Perris on summer weekends, but decided to head out late on Sunday to avoid the....ahhh,,,urghhh,,,,party. Hit the water to a madhouse. Parking lot practically full and tents lined up launch ramp to launch ramp. Noticed as i was pushing off i was getting a lot of eyeball attention. I suspect most were thinking, "what an idiot". I sort of got that feeling as well with the jet ski Olympics going on and the blazing heat. I sort of considered a trade...take my fishing boat and an agreed upon sum of money for a jet ski for an hour swap. But the guys on the skiis seamed to be having way to much fun.

In my infinite wisdom I headed for the dam to get some of that early evening shade with the sun behind the dam. Some where, some place Pete Marino is reading this and must be thinking," After all that Intel on the tree line and this guy goes to the dam". Halfway there a see someone frantically waving 50 yards past the swim beach buoy line. I Initually think it's one of the bathing beauties that regularly frequent Perris saying hello, but that never happens to me, It doesn't take long for me to get back to reality to realize it's a guy drowning hanging on for dear life to a sinking kayak with only the kayak point sticking out. The guy with no life jacket and fully clothed, tennis shoes included, had headed out in a borrowed kayak and was blowing out in to big lake and hanging on to what little of his kayak was still afloat. I Picked him up and towed in the yak. Guy did offer me free beers for my trouble, but I don't drink......but I probably should start to ease my fishing frustrations.

Start working the dam with a deep diving crank, minding my own business, when I notice a three headed object skimming across the water surface from about 100 yards out mid dam. I wasnt sure if I had discovered Nessie, a three headed duck, or what it was. As the shapes get closer it's a guy and two dogs on a swim. The guy must be a helluva swimmer because they were way off shore and right in the line of fire of ski boats, jet skis, etc. The guy and both dogs made it in w/o being killed and took off. Wonder how long u til we read about his demise. Decided the spot was probably toast with a swimmer and dogs trugging through so tried a few more spots for nothing.

The Cruz of the whole write up is all the new rules Perris has instituted with the high water. They hand you a hand Bill upon entry and it stresses "You have been warned". So evidently if you drown, get killed swimming in a non swimming area, or jet ski beyond jet ski hours like the pack of jet skies that buzzed me an hour after they were supposed to be off the water your liable.

As for the fishng, it was hot as he ll and lousy. Avoid the place on weekends at all costs. And maybe consider investing in a jet ski or hiring a guide cause I sure couldn't give you any useful intel on this day.