perch and splitshot

[youngster]

hi to all, i can see the cool weather getting everyone fired up. hopefully it wont be long.  we need cold with not a ton of snow for some good first ice fun. anyway ive spent many hours watching perch on the aqua vu and have even gottin around to video taping some of the action.  and as i watched the videos i always noticed the perch alot of the time bangin and mouthing the single split shot whenever i use 1. for some reason they find this very interesting. even more so than the jig or minnie or grub. i have even gone to the extent of tryin a number 12 hook pinched in the shot but they didnt find that as enticing. also tried a small ant type jig with 14 hook . that not as good either. any ideas as to what they may think this represent as far as the food chain goes???   maybe looks like a blood worm or something . idont know. i only know they sure like to play with the shot. any ideas from you guys would be appreciated . i spend more time watchin than catchin,, but it SURE IS FUN.   youngster

[Morrocco_Mole]

Youngster -

I would like to know when are you seeing this action... Is it in under the ice or open water?
Morrocco Mole

[youngster]

Youngster -    under the ice but not at the moment,,,, ive been watchin my videos from last ice season   

I would like to know when are you seeing this action... Is it in under the ice or open water?
Morrocco Mole

[grumpymoe]

Good post youngster.....its actually more common than you think....when the perch are not in a feeding frenzy, they seem more interested in the split shot.....if you fish light, try pinching the split shot right on the small hook...otherwise go small.....very small....the lighter the better.....its just amazing how many dinks try and pluck the lead off.....curiosity more than anything.....Grump

[Water Wolf]

If you pinch the split shot on the small hook add some color to it to.
I have found that acrylic or spray paint in metallic red or yellow can be very appealing to them.

WW

[Iceshanty]

Fish are very curious by nature and will taste test just about anything they see, I have seen every species try hitting sinkers from pike and walleye to gills and perch. If I only had a dollar for every pike that cut off my depth finder while I was checking depth I'd have enough money to buy another hot pink lead depth finder.

I suspect they like the sinker better because there is no hook. Fish that have seen a lot of jigs definitely know what the business end of a hook is all about. Myself I don't worry too much about hiding the shank of a hook as I do about hiding the  point of the hook. Another thing I like to do if your regulations allow, is tie up another jig in-line in place of a sinker. You'll love it when you get your first double header.

-Scott

[youngster]

thanks for the info,,,  its really funny to watch them shake that shot and the spit it out.    i also noticed when fishin real light tackle with minnies as i watched on the aqua vu.    they seem to scale the minnow . at least it looks like it. the big 1,s seem to take in mouth and sit there then you will see like a burp and scales come out if i try to set hook before they just spit and run . this doesnt happen when there is a feeding frenzy but happens quite a bit later on with the big ones,   any  ideas if they do or dont??? or is this just a quirk of some fish  . haha like some of us like steak sauce on our steak and some dont.   youngster

[grumpymoe]

Quote from Iceshanty..."Myself I don't worry too much about hiding the shank of a hook as I do about hiding the  point of the hook. ".....most overlooked by alot of anglers when fishing finicky perch......if the hook point is exposed in the slightest way, you can guarantee the perch will spit that out faster than you can visually set the hook........next time out, try it....Grump

[camo_fish]

Another thing I like to do if your regulations allow, is tie up another jig in-line in place of a sinker. You'll love it when you get your first double header.

-Scott

yes the double perch thing is cool. I get a dozen or so doubles a year.
Heck in NY the rule allowed is 15 hook point per tip-up, and I've had several 5 treble hook set ups, it allows you to cover many different water columns.
But, what a pain it is to get a nice fish up thru the hole with all those hooks, that is why I end up cutting hooks off as they come up out of the hole.

[iceman_4432]

5 treble hook setups on a tip up ... hmmmmmmmm .... something ive overlooked   


im going to give this a try this year !  Thanks for the idea 

yes the double perch thing is cool. I get a dozen or so doubles a year.
Heck in NY the rule allowed is 15 hook point per tip-up, and I've had several 5 treble hook set ups, it allows you to cover many different water columns.
But, what a pain it is to get a nice fish up thru the hole with all those hooks, that is why I end up cutting hooks off as they come up out of the hole.

[MSUICEMAN]

i sorta think that they might possibly think that its a small snail.... i've seen it a LOT in the perch here, i do a lot of sight-fishing. kinda gets frustrating sometimes.

[youngster]

i sorta think that they might possibly think that its a small snail.... i've seen it a LOT in the perch here, i do a lot of sight-fishing. kinda gets frustrating sometimes.

thanks for the thought of maybe being some sort of snail. i never gave it a thought. ill have to do some research see what i come up with. youngster

[fishingking]

i too have seen them mouthing splitshot. The 2 jig thing works well if you wantta add weight to your line. Also try using a tiny jig with one maggot on it or even sometimes only a crushed maggot works. Experiment Experiment, experiment then you'll start catching I also found that trying flies sometimes outfishes jigs tie a decent weighted jig on the bottom and a fly 6-12 inches above that with one maggot on the fly. ive used everything from red worms, mosquitos, black ants, and anassorment of caddis fly bead headed flies tooo scuds/freshwater shrimp in all diff colors.  I ussually find myself cathcing more perch and bluegills on flies during those hard bite days.