Best thing about not having a boat? You get to go with people who know their stuff.
This morning at Lake Perris I got my first chance to fish with Dave Schreck out of San Dimas and he called his shots like some kind of pool shark.
“Green or green pumpkin; there are rats on the dam hitting poppers, the bigger fish are at the far end, and the C-rig is getting the good ones.” That may not have been an exact quote, but it sums up why we passed the inlet and a cluster of boats in the morning and entertained ourselves with almost two limits of surface fish on the dam (going right to left). And then, like a weather forecaster on steroids, he called big fish (with lean bodies) from the south end of the dam, after barely an hour of casting.
Within minutes of motoring closer to the tower, bait swirled on the rip rap and a 15 incher sucked his chugger down. I snapped some photos, put the camera down and slung my Rico. Seconds later the waters parted and what can be safely called “a nice one” got all over the bait.
But Dave wasn’t through. With Rock Climbers packed, we motored outside Bernesconi Road on the flats in 25 to 31 feet and C-rig riot broke out.
There, he let me get the first 3-pounder on a green pumpkin C-Tail, and later, another on an amber/green flake grub, but mostly he executed a good, old-fashioned whipping, dragging that 1-ounce (maybe more) sinker and 6-foot leader with a green pumpkin creature, and even better, one called Bama Bug, (the same shade with a bunch of blue flake on the belly).
He was spanking me, but still Dave was generous. “I’ve got another big rig with me,” he offered, but I stuck with more worm-type baits and a half-ounce sinker. I wanted to be scientific (I told myself) and besides, there was no time to switch as he had me diving for my camera every couple of minutes trying to get some more action shots. I can say in complete honesty, it was one heck of a performance. And now I know what to bring next time.
We did check back to the inlet, of course, but the fish that had chewed the gelcoat off everyone’s boat last week were not in 25 or 30 feet, and the one keeper that my partner got probably came from 35 feet or so.
And that was that. I was climbing the ramp by noon, but we were right in that 17- to 18-pound class–for five. Maybe a little more.
Yes, I’m leaving about an hour unaccounted for. And there’s reason for that. It turns out we also spied another very interesting bite. But I’m selfish and I’m going to pursue that one next week.
Like I said. Go with somebody who knows.
5 Responses to “Perris bass? Go with someone who knows…”
Well said, Schoolmeister. But just a regular workday in my career as well….
Interesting traffic considerations, given the calendar (mid week and after labor day). The bite must be on and the word must be out.
Nice report George. Looks like you had a pretty good guide. And, as you always say, you like to get bit.
Looks like a fun time! Great pics.
Fishing in the middle of the week. Life is good.