Panfish

[JohnK]

Hi...I'm a dad who is inexperienced when it comes to panfish but figure this is the best bet to get the kids started. I'm looking for any suggestions on lakes/season to take kids to go after panfish where the odds are pretty good we'll catch some fish. Does anyone have any thoughts on a S. Cal lake and the time of year to go?

Thanks!

 

[spectr17]

Hello John, welcome to the forum. This is from this weeks Jim Matthews fish report.

PANFISH: Best bluegill bets are Lower Otay, Murray, Dixon, Sutherland, Perris, Lopez and Santa Margarita. Few redear bites of note. Crappie are good at Cuyamaca but the fish are small. Isabella may have the best crappie bite going right now with a lot of fish to 1-8 reported in the past week.

End report.

I like fishing off the dam at Lake Perris for big bluegills. Crickets or meal worms are the ticket with a slip bobber set at 8 to 10 feet. The kids can see the bobber and the can reel them in with a pretty good fight from the fat bluegills.

That Isabella crappie bite sounds like fun too.


Have fun and let us know how you do.

 

[EVAN III]

JohnK,

Welcome to the fourm. There are a bunch of great guys and even better info.

You might want to try big bear lake during the warmer months of the year. There are normally a bunch of blue gills around boulder bay. Also as jesse said, lake parris is a good lake for pan fish. I have not fished it for panfish lately, but years ago there were tons a sunfish and bluegills. Good luck and happy fishing.

EVAN III