Lake Champlain white perch?

[PerchSlayer67]

I'm looking to catch a few white perch this Saturday. I've only caught one in my life last summer jigging for yellows. Can anyone give me any advice on maybe where to go, or the depth... Anything would be greatly appreciated. I was told try St. Albans bay but have no idea where to go. I'm not trying to thin out the population, but would like to bring home a few for a meal! Any help would be great guys! Thanks

[shiveringjoe]

I didn't get up there last weekend but yes you want to head to St Albans bay.  Clear out your mailbox and send me a PM.

[PerchSlayer67]

I didn't get up there last weekend but yes you want to head to St Albans bay.  Clear out your mailbox and send me a PM.

I just tried and for some reason I cannot send any messages out or clear any out. If you wouldn't mind emailing to my personal address at [email protected]. Any advice would be great!

[Vtgooseman]

Just look for the crowd....  Been 50 plus people every day all winter.

[mudchuck]

You'll need to drive all the way around the bay and go into KillKare State Park, then walk on the ice and look for the crowd.
I just filled 2 buckets full in 2 hours this evening after work.
The fish are hitting glow in the dark jigs tipped with spikes or nightcrawlers, and small jigs in chartreuse/neon orange work well too.
You'll get your fill of them real fast and there's enough holes around that you probably won't need to bring an auger.
Good Luck, hope the rain holds off like they're forecasting, as Saturday will be dreary if it does rain.
The edges are real soft and the water is about a foot deep getting on, so wear muck boots and bring creepers as the bare spots are slick.

Pic of Sunday's catch
A full pail before filleting


After filleting


This evening's catch


Plenty of whites still up there, probably hang in the bay all spring and will go up in the creek with the ice out soon.

[ice fiend]

got 110 pounds on wed went fri for couple hours filled 2 7 gallon pails the hardcore commercial guys (not me though i do sell if i get enough) were pissed the market took a massive hit due to seining in the Great Lakes

[rbobby]

I just tried and for some reason I cannot send any messages out or clear any out. If you wouldn't mind emailing to my personal address at [email protected]. Any advice would be

Maybe because you harass people through personal messaging?
Just a thought?

[mudchuck]

no more white perch being bought...market is overloaded with them.
22 tons in the market since last week between Canada, G.L region and Chesapeake.

[fishingidjit]

Too bad for the commercial guys !

[troutcrazy]

no more white perch being bought...market is overloaded with them.
22 tons in the market since last week between Canada, G.L region and Chesapeake.

Wow!  I'm sad to hear that, actually.  I was thinking I should try catching them to sell.  Hopefully they'll be buying them again next winter.  There's so many of these things taking over that I don't have any qualms about the commercial fishery like I might with other species.  I just finished filleting a big haul... took me a longer to clean them than to catch them.

Perchslayer, did you make it out today? 

It was good fishing for me.  I walked out, found a hole, dropped a line in, and set the hook before it hit bottom.... again and again until I had too many fish.  They were pretty high in the water today--- usually I've caught them near the bottom.

[mudchuck]

me too TC, i dropped in a hole and hit a few right off the bat, then they moved, so I left the pack and went in search of some yellows but only managed a few so I ventured back to the pack, sat down next to Matt after a while and dill the only hole I made all day that wasn't leftover form someone else and stay on it the rest of the afternoon and fill 2 pails full, most of them are small, but the flasher was lit up top to bottom of the water column and the fish were biting hard.

[perchhauler]

I wouldn't be surprised if the white perch tend to run smaller over the next few years because they are overpopulated. 

[PerchSlayer67]

Wow!  I'm sad to hear that, actually.  I was thinking I should try catching them to sell.  Hopefully they'll be buying them again next winter.  There's so many of these things taking over that I don't have any qualms about the commercial fishery like I might with other species.  I just finished filleting a big haul... took me a longer to clean them than to catch them.

Perchslayer, did you make it out today? 

It was good fishing for me.  I walked out, found a hole, dropped a line in, and set the hook before it hit bottom.... again and again until I had too many fish.  They were pretty high in the water today--- usually I've caught them near the bottom.

Yeah my buddy and I hammered them today to! Almost filled our jet sled. The .35$ a pound isn't worth it to us. So we are going to spend a long time tomorrow cleaning the whites and filleting them to sell to family and friends.. A LOT. Better profit. First time on the bay today. People seem friendly and helpful. Bite was great

[PerchSlayer67]

me too TC, i dropped in a hole and hit a few right off the bat, then they moved, so I left the pack and went in search of some yellows but only managed a few so I ventured back to the pack, sat down next to Matt after a while and dill the only hole I made all day that wasn't leftover form someone else and stay on it the rest of the afternoon and fill 2 pails full, most of them are small, but the flasher was lit up top to bottom of the water column and the fish were biting hard.

Ya my flasher was stacked up 10-18 FOW... Also sight fished quite a few perch about 3 feet under the ice. Had a lot of whites cruise by right under the ice... Only caught one white perch in my life besides today and I tell you they're a lot different when it comes to feeding them yellow bellies... Those white perch like to take your maggots!

[ice fiend]

if the ice is safe wed (doubt it) il go back bc their fun to catch if not il find a bank fishing spot this rain must have opened some places

[troutcrazy]

Yeah my buddy and I hammered them today to! Almost filled our jet sled. The .35$ a pound isn't worth it to us. So we are going to spend a long time tomorrow cleaning the whites and filleting them to sell to family and friends.. A LOT. Better profit. First time on the bay today. People seem friendly and helpful. Bite was great

Let me know how it goes for you guys cleaning them and selling them.  I've been thinking a lot about that this winter.  Trying to think of a way to make it a "value added" product, but I'm just not efficient enough at cleaning them. 

Well, I got some practice tonight for sure-- cleaned them for  2 1/2 hours and feasted with my girlfriend and stocked the freezer with fillets.