Lake Perris: The Making and Destruction of a Trophy Spot Lake

Episode 38

With the success of the Florida Bass experiment conducted in San Diego beginning in the late 1950s and through the early 1970s, California biologists turned to another bass sub-species for one of their new lakes. This new lake, Lake Perris, would be devoid of cover and have drastic water-level changes over the course of a season, not conducive conditions for rearing largemouth. Because of this, the DFG looked to the Alabama spotted bass to fill a niche.

Spotted bass were known to spawn in deeper waters than their big-mouthed cousin and didn’t need the cover associated with typical bass waters. They also provided great sport to the angler.

In 1973, CADFG started talks with the Alabama Fisheries Department and set up a trade: Florida strain largemouth from California for spotted bass from Lewis Smith Lake, Alabama. By 1974, the lake was stocked with 200 spotted bass from the lake that held the world record. Within five years, this second black bass experiment proved to be on track to set a new world record.

Mentioned in the show:

   • Orville Ball and the Florida Bass Exp...  
   • Alabama's World Record Spotted Bass L...  

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