Lake Perris Spotted Bass?

Sinjin Kim · Post by **Sinjin Kim** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 10:59 am

I've asked a question on another board and these were some of the replies. Just wondering if you guys had anything to add to it.

Q: What happened to the spotted bass population at Perris? Does anyone know of a scientific explanation for the decline of the spots?

Replies:

1:: "When they added the Florida strain Bluegill to lake Perris the Spotted bass started to decline, the Spotted Bass spawn in deeper water then other bass and the fry would stay in the deeper water, right after the Spotties spawn the monster Bluegill move up to prespawn in the same area and wipe out the Spotted bass fry, as the larger Spotties die off nothing was left to replace them

As for the theory of the L.M.B. taking over, they share the same water all over the country"

2:: ""The early promise of the southeastern bluegill was shattered following underwater observations by Department of Fish and Game fishery biologists at Perris Lake. They found that this subspecies was unusually aggressive, driving adult Alabama spotted bass (Micropterus punctulatus henshalli) from their nests and feeding on their eggs"

Then you include the illegal stocking of non-spotted largemouth from Mathews, and voila."

3:: "Yep, Largemouth Bass were introduced.. hehehe..."

some guy · Post by **some guy** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 11:13 am

its hard to get spotties to survive in such a small impoundment. The water level is the main reason. I think that mixed with the fact that half the guys that catch spots dont realize its a spot anyways. I had a spot that went almost 6lb about 15 years ago. I was 11 and i still have the pic and article out of WON. The bluegill explanation sounds like it could be a factor too. Its just not a spotted bass style lake with the water down, its going to be tough for them to make it.

Pete Marino · Post by **Pete Marino** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 7:17 pm

I caught out of Perris was about 3 years ago.

I'm sure there are still some in there but they have spawned with the largemouth I'm sure. Most people would never know the difference.

I've heard of more stripers being caught at Perris in the last 3 years then Spotties.
Hell...There was even a smallmouth caught a while back.

What they need to do is fill the lake back up and quit screwing around with the water level.

Pete

smpboy · Post by **smpboy** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 9:25 pm

it would be nice if we had a lake that had spots or smallies so in the winter we could still catch alot of fish somewhere i think that silverwood would be a good lake for spots and smallies the only problem is the stripers u would think with lake arrowhead just up the hill their would be smallies in the wood but i never caught 1

buddy brown · Post by **buddy brown** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 8:23 am

A couple of Februarys I got a 2.5 lb spot out of Pudd, and some friends have caught a few nice smallies out of there as well. I'm pretty sure it was a spot because of the slightly forked tail, orange eyes, rough tongue and it fought like a 5lb lm on crack.

smpboy · Post by **smpboy** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 11:31 pm

yea i heard of smallies out of pud but that was a few years back when they dumped those fish in from morris dam i dont think they are still in their i do know of a lil lake in the ie that does have a few smallies in it from arrrowhead