Jumbo Perch Question

[bwana72]

I was just looking under the Pictures section and started drooling on my keyboard looking at the "Post your Jumbo Perch Pictures" thread...I live in Northwest Indiana, and other than getting really lucky on open water on Lake Michigan, we just don't get Jumbos like that. So...my question to all you Jumbo Perch Gurus(who are willing to give an honest answer), where are the best places to go and have a legitimate shot at some true Jumbo Perch ??

[slipperybob]

hmmm...I don't get such big fish either.  For me, big fish are few and far in between.

[jeffro9023]

Lake erie

[Buckshots]

Check out Devils Lake, ND or the Waubay ared in SD

[Bullelk34]

It seems to be dependant on where you fish, not how you fish. We have lakes out here that have whoppers, and lakes full-O-dinks. One lake we fish has perch that average 13+, but it ices up later than most and you don't get huge numbers. Another lake we fish has 8" averages, but with great numbers. I would try fishing some new water if you're only getting the small ones.

[scmelik]

many of the lakes in the eastern side of South Dakota has what I would consider "jumbos", and then Devils Lake North Dakota.  If you really really wanted to get into jumbos that would be where I would look first.

[fish-e]

If you are willing to come to Canada, Lake Simcoe (Ontario) is famous for Jumbo Perch.  You can catch them all year round.

[taxi1]

I was just looking under the Pictures section and started drooling on my keyboard looking at the "Post your Jumbo Perch Pictures" thread...I live in Northwest Indiana, and other than getting really lucky on open water on Lake Michigan, we just don't get Jumbos like that. So...my question to all you Jumbo Perch Gurus(who are willing to give an honest answer), where are the best places to go and have a legitimate shot at some true Jumbo Perch ??

I have big ones in my largest pond where the "unofficial Indiana State record" of 2.81 lbs. was caught.  (See avatar) and below:



Unfortunately the pond ceased to be a fishing pond several years ago as it's now a commercial pond to supply taxidermists with trophy yellow perch and bluegills.

There are a few lakes in Indiana that produce large perch if you don't mind traveling a little east. Big Long Lake - Lagrange County next to Pretty Lake, and Sylvan lake in Noble County in Rome City.

[jumbo chaser]

small private lake in southern iowa . Last year we caught many 12-14" perch and an ocasonal 15.5 ".Cant wait for ice . seen a picture of a crappie that a lady i no caught 18.5" it weighed 4-9oz and the lake is only 12 acres 1/2 mile form my house couldnt believe it. fished everywhere but there last year.Dont no how to post pics or i would .Caught 12.5" bulegill at a lake 15miles away. Hopeing for ice on chirstmas. Anyone live close to me i would take them out fishing around here.

[h2.0shaver]

There are a few lakes in Indiana that produce large perch if you don't mind traveling a little east. Big Long Lake - Lagrange County next to Pretty Lake, and Sylvan lake in Noble County in Rome City.
Taxi= whats the short answer / reason for IN to not produce large perch in lakes where they are present?

[taxi1]

It's all about the population dynamics predator/prey ratios of the particular body of water and the food chain, bottom strata etc., and the fact that perch can over produce and subsequently reduce their growth rates. Sometimes fishing pressure can be an issue if the jumbos are over harvested.

Some lakes consistently produce jumbos, some do in a cycles, and some never do.


Wawasee near me has a large perch population but from what I can tell doesn't produce large fish very often.



Although my .62 acre pond produces larger perch on a regular basis it was just a fishing pond for the most part when I caught the above fish through the ice. Now I hatch perch in another pond and only plant females into the .62 acre pond that are faster growing and get larger than males. I have a few males in the pond (was an accident) so I put out material for the females to lay their egg strands on and remove those strands as population control.

Here's the difference between a male and female perch of the same age:  (March)



Here are some females that are bursting with eggs just before it was time to drop them: (Mid to late April)

[Shawgill]

Very gentlemanly offer there perchmasterson,love that name, love your neck of the woods. I will look into this,
check with wife that is. Where would I fly into?

[GCD]

Check out Devils Lake, ND or the Waubay ared in SD

Yeah, I've read a few articles about Devils lake in the In-Fisherman mag. They have jumbos there because of the heavy Scud population in the lake.

Fish are like any other animal, give them lots of food and they'll get big and fat!

[CharlieBrn]

Devils Lake ND, Winnibigosh in northern MN use to be real good and was down for several years but starting to make a come back.

[Minnowhead]

Lake Erie no doubt.  Not too far from Indiana also!

[GCD]

... and if you want to consistently catch the smallest Perch you've ever seen, go to Alberta. They call 8 and 9" jumbo there.

[CharlieBrn]

Sounds like Erie would be your best bet.  Devils and Winni are hit and miss.  Like other lakes, once word got out about the jumbos, anglers flocked from all over and then you couldn't buy a perch.  Same with slab crappies on URL in MN, we'd catch 15-18 inch crappies consistantly.  Not anymore.  Stick closer to home, these lakes out here are a long way to drive, espeicially if the bite isn't on.  Or, ask Taxi1 if you could fish his trophy rearing pond.

[Sandbilly]

Very nice perch in some NY Finger Lakes.
Always enjoy your input taxi1.

dc

[GCD]

There's a couple of other options rather than traveling long distances.

1. Hire a guide in your area that's known for putting his cutomers on big Perch. Not so you can steal his spots, but so you can learn where the big ones like to hang out and how and what it takes to catch them.

2. Make your own jumbo Perch fishery, maybe you know of a small lake that doesn't get much fishing pressure because it's filled with dink perch. Fish this lake hard, but instead of keeping any eating size perch take all the little ones you can out of the lake and release the bigger fish. It'll take a while to get the dinks cleaned out and for the bigger ones to grow, but a few years down the road you'll have a place that will hold some nice fish. This method can also be used on larger bodies of water by concetrating on a specific area. Of course you don't really want to tell anybody what you're doing so you can have all the nice fish to yourself.

[jeffro9023]

Sounds like Erie would be your best bet.  Devils and Winni are hit and miss.  Like other lakes, once word got out about the jumbos, anglers flocked from all over and then you couldn't buy a perch.  Same with slab crappies on URL in MN, we'd catch 15-18 inch crappies consistantly.  Not anymore.  Stick closer to home, these lakes out here are a long way to drive, espeicially if the bite isn't on.  Or, ask Taxi1 if you could fish his trophy rearing pond.

EAT YOUR HEART OUT PERCHMASTERSON! Share and share alike throw in some gps coordinates and watch me really have a fit 

[Bearsfan]

lol

[taxi1]

if you're up for a trip to idaho for a few days, i can gaurantee, can't gaurantee, but will bet, you'll get some 14"ers, maybe a couple of 15"s. the lake in my backyard is super prime now with the 04-06 transplants as they are still growing.(they are actually not a gimme regardless of what's been said). right now they are just fatter and you can icefish for them.(ok small rub)
i'm inviting anyone that wants to come. i'll help*. Taxi1?
this should give jeffro9023 a fit but in idaho we just don't have the presure like back east.

what is the actual size of a jumbo, anyway?  12" long or 12" around

very nice perch taxi1




*out of staters only

Thanks for the offer, but I can't even afford a vacation anymore. LOL 

[taxi1]

Sounds like Erie would be your best bet.  Devils and Winni are hit and miss.  Like other lakes, once word got out about the jumbos, anglers flocked from all over and then you couldn't buy a perch.

Ditto. Organized a train trip to Devils Lake several years ago. It was fun but was as you say hit and miss. A small 200 acre lake nearby by the name of lake Cavenaugh (sp?) had the biggest perch. The perch were definitely well fed in Devil's Lake as when the guide pulled up the auger the splash up water had freshwater shrimp. The perch stomachs had them also. I'm sure that didn't help with catchability.

[taxi1]

Lake Erie no doubt.  Not too far from Indiana also!

I know there are some big ones in lake Erie but the last time I went open water fishing they were all small.

[eastern brook]

hey perchmasterson, would those transplants have come from phillips lake in eastern oregon?  Idaho got a lot of them for cascade lake.

[taxi1]

Oh come to think of it I do know of a large lake in the east that is loaded with nice perch and the locals will almost kiss your feet if you catch as many as you can.  It's Moosehead Lake in Maine. Formerly know for trout and salmon somehow yellow perch have made their way into the lake and they are not welcome by the locals.

I know this because one day I had an Indiana customer from Goshen, IN bring me two really nice 13 inch yellow perch to mount. I asked him where he caught them and he said Moosehead Lake in Maine. He said he and his fiance hit a monster school of them (I think it was in the summer), and were pulling them in right after another. After about 30 they worried there was a limit so they headed in to a local bait store to find out. The owner told them to catch every last one of those "***damn things" or something to that effect, as they were gong to ruin the trout and salmon fishery and there was no size limit and no bag limit!

There is some truth to that as native brook trout have a hard time competing with yellow perch.

[h2.0shaver]

Taxi thx for the reply. That male/female size comparison picture is amazing

[eastern brook]

perchmasterson, I thank you for answering my question.  we used to get ll inch to l3 inch during the summer in the boat.  There are to many and mostly small now,  I hope the tiger trout will make it better.  Good fishing.

[jeffro9023]

Hey taxi1 if you want big perch out of lake erie in open water you need a good graph to find the baitfish...in the spring time after iceout (if it freezes) they are easy to catch off any pier or bay where baitfish congregate...once temps rise and spawn is over they stay with the baitfish schools and slowly begin to head to deeper water... and they also like soft bottom to feed off of as well...here in wny during ice season 50ft is the magic number...or follow the city of huts and work from there but be careful lake erie ice is never safe I don't care what the consensus say...shove ice and tides currents and wind makes it quite risky and ppl usually need coast guard help just about every year...good luck hope that helps

[taxi1]

Taxi thx for the reply. That male/female size comparison picture is amazing

You're welcome. BTW my perch are Lake Erie perch about 30 generations removed.