It was filled by the Colorado River Aqueduct and has been set aside as emergency use drinking water for Southern California. Covering some 4,500 surface acres when full, it is the largest reservoir in this arid region. Located in Hemet in western Riverside County, the lake is easily accessible and has everything from a well-equipped marina to floating restrooms.ĭiamond Valley Lake is a reservoir created by placing three dams around the valley. Diamond Valley has great numbers of blue and channel catfish, stocked rainbow trout, and lots of big panfish all worth targeting on their own merit.

The reservoir’s fishing options go well beyond the bass boat crowd.

Well known as an excellent bass fishery, Diamond Valley also has several other species of game fish from which to choose. The body is slightly less compressed than that of the bluegill, which differs from the redear most noticeably in the fact that its gill cover flap is entirely black without any spot or trim.Diamond Valley Lake has some of the best fishing that Southern California has to offer. It also lacks the spots on the dorsal fin and the bluish emerald lines on the sides of the head that are characteristic of the pumpkinseed. It can be distinguished from the similar looking pumpkinseed by the fact that its gill cover flap is semi-flexible and can be bent at least to right angles, whereas the flap on the pumpkinseed is rigid. The operculum is also much shorter than in the other two species and is black, with a red spot or margin at the tip. Its long, pointed, slightly falcate pectoral fins distinguish it from both the longear sunfish and the redbreast sunfish, which have short, round pectoral fins. As is typical of sunfishes, the redear has a small mouth, connected dorsal fins and a roundish, laterally compressed body. This rather large sunfish is known to reach over 4.5 lb.

Fishing planet unique redear sunfish