Bluegill Becomes Catch of the Day at Lake Perris

Fishing for a change of pace?

Bluegill are moving into the shallows to spawn and pouncing on crickets nearly as fast as they hit the water at Lake Perris.

“They haven’t really started bedding up yet, they’re just cruising around,” said Mark Hamann, spokesman at the Riverside County reservoir.

Cecil Gamble of Pico Rivera and Bob Prescot of Norwalk fished the lake recently and went cruising home with 55 bluegill totaling 57.35 pounds, the largest 2 1/4 pounds.

PUDDINGSTONE RESERVOIR--Largemouth bass slow, some biting in deep water. Bluegill fair. Sophia Reynolds, Chino, 22 bluegill. Trout slow, with an occasional fish taking processed bait.

LAKE PERRIS--Bluegill good at east end, biting on crickets. Largemouth bass fair, but fewer big fish being caught. Todd Woods, Murietta, 7-13 bass, on Rat-L-Trap lure at east end. Trout fair at lots 11 and 12.

IRVINE LAKE--Trout fair to good throughout lake. Ron Missberg, Chino, 13-3 trout, on Kastmaster lure at boat dock. Several limits. Catfish good on mackerel and night crawlers at creek channel near Santiago Flats. Some largemouth bass biting off points.

SANTA ANA RIVER LAKES--Trout good at Big Lake. Brad Romero, Irvine, 11-2 trout, on yellow Power Bait at Levitz Corner. Catfish fair at west shore.

CORONA LAKE--Trout fair along west shore near ramp. Dave Tiggs, Corona, 9-8 trout in Tin Minnow lure from shore. Largemouth bass fair near structure.

SILVERWOOD LAKE--Striped bass picking up throughout lake. Mike Mihjares, Glendale, 28-0 striper, on surface lure at dam. Don Rogers, Hesperia, 17-8 striper, on large plug at Spillway. Largemouth bass fair on live bait and lures. Mihjares also caught 7-0, 6-8 and 6-0 largemouth bass, on lures at dam. Doil Kim, Rancho Cucamonga, 9-0 largemouth, on night crawler at dock. Crappie fair to good from dock, open Monday through Friday only.

LAKE CACHUMA--Largemouth bass and trout good before wind and rain Sunday. Bass hitting spinnerbaits, lead-head jigs, plastic worms and night crawlers. Trout hitting standard bait to 20 feet. Red ear perch fair on pieces of night crawlers. East end best bet for all species.

LAKE CASITAS--Largemouth bass good, biting lures and live bait at 5-20 feet. Mike Acklin, Diamond Bar, 11-14 bass, on homemade lure. Eric Parra, Moreno Valley, 11-4 bass, on plastic worm. Scott Parrish, Garden Grove, three bass, largest 11-4, on Worm King lure. Doc Holliday, Walnut, 10-8 bass on large plug. Don Thigpen, Santa Paula, five bass, largest 10-3, on homemade lure. Trout fair near dam, biting best on No. 2 Needlefish lures.

PYRAMID LAKE--Striped bass fair at best, biting mainly in channel. Largemouth bass slow, but some are hitting lures at dam and Spanish Point. Catfish biting at Yellow Bar and channel. Drifting mackerel or anchovies best method.

LAKE PIRU--Largemouth bass fair at best, fish averaging 1-3 pounds. Darla Pretzer, Bakersfield, 6-8 bass on Rapala. Trout fair to good. Trollers using Needlefish lures between pump house and dam doing best, but Power Bait producing at north end.

CASTAIC LAKE--Largemouth bass fair to good. Local guide Bob Crupi spent most of the week on lake with various clients and reported excellent fishing on live bait. In one of his more productive days, he and Steve and Phil Arklin, Canyon Country, caught 23 bass, largest 11-12, on crawfish. Tom Church, West Hills, 8-0 bass on purple plastic worm. Natalie Nakashima, West L.A., with guide Rick Hutchinson, 7-12 and 3-8 bass, on crawfish. Trout fair to good at lower reservoir. Harlan Sachs, Altadena, 31 trout, on Phoebe lures and Power Bait at lower lake, all but five released.

LAKE CUYAMACA--Trout best bet, but fishing dropped with cold weather. Snow fell Sunday. Before that, trout to 3-0 were active, hitting mostly small orange Rapalas and night crawlers. Other species slow.

SAN DIEGO CITY LAKES--Barrett: Largemouth bass outstanding, but access only through lottery. El Capitan: Bass and crappie fair throughout lake. Top fish, 6-0 bass, by Bill Shechaw, on crankbait at north end. Hodges: Crappie best bet but fishing is slow. A few bass and catfish landed. Miramar: Bass slow to fair, but no fish over 2-0. Trout fair. Murray: Trout fair to good, largest 8-3. Otay: Fishing slow, but a 9-3 bass--one out of 63 for week--was checked. San Vicente: Bass fair to good, largest 8-1. Bluegill good. Trout fair. Chase Mailoux, age 7, 8-13 trout, on night crawler at Quaid Point. San Vicente: Bass good alon Yagi, Oceanside, 2-6 crappie, on night crawler at Boat Dock Cove.

Trout Plants

LOS ANGELES COUNTY--Arroyo Seco Creek, Big Tujunga Creek (upper and lower), El Dorado Park Lake, Jackson Lake, Legg Lake, Puddingstone Reservoir, San Gabriel River (East, West and North forks), Santa Fe Reservoir.

ORANGE--San Juan Creek, Trabuco Creek.

RIVERSIDE--Fuller-Mill Creek, Fulmor Lake, Strawberry Creek.

SANTA BARBARA--Lake Cachuma, Santa Ynez River.

SAN BERNARDINO--Arrowbear Lake, Cucamonga-Guasti Park Lake, Glen Helen Park Lake, Green Valley Lake, Mill Creek, Mojave Narrows Park Lake, Prado Park Lake, Yucaipa Park Lake.

SAN LUIS OBISPO--Atascadero Lake.

INYO--Cottonwood Creek, George Creek, Independence Creek, Lone Pine Creek, Owens River (Laws Bridge downstream to Steward Lane), Pleasant Valley Reservoir, Shepards Creek, Symmes Creek, Tuttle Creek.