perch wont bite?

[woodfolks]

So I have gone out and seen perch in the hole
swim around my bait they just wont bite
tried switching from Ant to a pimple no luck

What do you do when they just wont bite

Change lures, bait, color
or Jig some other way

[bigmike7272]

I usually jig another way, Try slow rise and drop and if that don't work just drop it to bottom and bounce it on the bottom.

[scavengerj]

As suggested, change up lure(s)/bait(s), technique, and presentation styles. If all else fails, try them at various times throughout the day. You may find they are tight lipped for hours and then all of a sudden go on a spree.

I'll usually mark these fish and go in search of more active fish. Then, come back later on and fish them again to see if their mood has changed.

[bobbyfish64]

change your jig and presentation and if that dont work change agianand if that dont work...........
Check out the perch forum lots of good info there.

[minnowdrowner]

Maybe they're not hungry

[Catchthis44]

BIG TREBLE AND SNAG 'UM.....kidding

[ice dawg]

Some days they are like this and nothing seems to work very well. Then I usually bounce my jig on the bottom to stir things up a bit and let my bait lay right on  the bottom. A lot of the time when I lift my bait up from the bottom, my rod will have a bend in it and I set the hook on a Perch. Works in summer also.

[fishingPole]

Laying the jig on the bottom does work, did it just this past weekend.  Perch were following on the vex, but reluctant to bite.  Letting the jig sit on the bottom for a minute or so enticed a couple from one hole.

[timberdoodle]

This past weekend we had to work really hard to get the perch to bite in my area. They absolutely would not hit a jig tipped with a shiner...spikes and worms worked with worms outfishing the spikes...on the same jig. Presentation was the key. They wanted it 2-3 inches off the bottom no higher. I could see them looking at it on the Vex if it was higher but wouldn't bite it. Once I lowered it down to just off the bottom they would hit it very lightly. If it were'nt for the Vex it would have taken forever to figure it out. I would bounce the jig off the bottom a few times just to get their attention then hover it just off the bottom.

[icejunky]

I like to have about three different size lures tied on, i start off with a larger (search) bait like a jigging rap, i tipped the treble with a minnow head, if fish are on screen but not biting I drop down to somthing like a smaller buckshot spoon with a dropper, then if that does not work I grab the wolfram or bro series jig tipped with a maggot or waxie, I rotate this combo often. not always the same jigs but same size categories

[bigredonice]

woodfolk, if your on Lake Champlain, try getting some "perch minnows" also known as "cup bait" from one of the good local baitshops (not gander mt!) and tip your jigs with that.  Sometimes made a huge difference when I used to fish up there alot.  Also, red jigs and perch colored hali spoons always seemed to be the ticket.

[carcaju]

m-80 or quarter stick

[woodfolks]

Im going to give the minnows a try this weekend
Ive been using alot of maggots and fake maggots
then eyes, dead fish heads. But Ill give the cup Minnows
a try. Its getting hard to find a place in plattsburgh
to buy them except Gander Mnt. After the law
changed no one wants to certify bait.

[bigredonice]

lake champlain fish company was where I would get my bait.

[woodfolks]

Thanks
I called Richards and they have bait
Ill look up the other one too

[slipperybob]

Sometimes fish sleep with their eyes open. 

LOL's

I had to play cat and mouse games with the perch...tug of war on the flasher back and forth, back and forth.  I win when they bite...I lose when they lose interest.

[panfishman13]

you could try to keep the rod perfectly still, for some reason that caught more fish than jigging last time

[walleye wacker]

Laying the jig on the bottom does work, did it just this past weekend.  Perch were following on the vex, but reluctant to bite.  Letting the jig sit on the bottom for a minute or so enticed a couple from one hole.

X2 X4 works every time!! i like the pink gulp grubs too!! hint hint.. shhhhhhhhhh........... ..

[Zern]

m-80 or quarter stick

I am sure this method will not fail lol

[slowkota]

yeah, bouncin it on the bottom a couple times, lettin it sit on the bottom, then slowly pullin it up about 6-12 inches and holdin still... repeated if they didnt hit! Thats what was workin for me the other morning when they were pretty tight lipped!
Threw everything I had at em... seemed to only want the chartruse ratso

[FishingJoe]

   sh-h-h - lay a baby nightcrawler on the bottom - if you can see them clearly, you can watch them as they eyeball it, their fins start to quiver, they go vertical right over the top of it, then.....well, you best have a hold on your rod (fishing that is).. 8)

[ice dawg]

Too late in the year. All of my baby nitecrawlers are now adults. 

[silvercliff_46]

you could try to keep the rod perfectly still, for some reason that caught more fish than jigging last time

I'm with you !  When all else fails...., do nothing.  Worked to many times not to be something to it.

[Kim]

I droop hook to bottom then very slowly lift the hook off the bottom and jiggle the hook at the same time to about 6 inches off the bottom then let hook sit still for about 30 seconds. I think the perch take this as a worm coming out of the bottom.

[cold_feet]

When the bite gets tough it time to change your ways of fishing. Try all these things till you hit something.

Smaller lures down to micros say a 2mm Fiska glow jigs too at low light conditions works

Diffrent baits. spikes mousies minnows mealies Oak leafs. Also I seen fish turn their noses up at the amount of bait. Sometime a single grub all the way up to 3 grubs at once.

small line go down to 2 lb floro.
 
Use no bobbers or floats go with a light tip rod or add some sort of spring bobber. you need to drop baits to bottom then raise them slowly.

Some hits will come if you raise baits high and hold it their sometimes as high as 3 ft watch electronics to see fishs reaction.

Diffrent colors sometimes florecents dont work go natural colors browns blacks blues purples

Try 2 rods if state laws allow it Dead stick one and jig with other

Keep on ice noise to minimum silience is golden

Jig rod slowly or hold and tap rod with finger subtile movement of jig might trigger strike. Rest rod on something and just tap rod.

Fish all day from sun up to sunset. Fish turn on diffrent times of the day. Sometimes the bite is short lived but can be rewarding. IF you patern this you can limmit dead times.

There is no sure fire way to fish for finiky fish you just need to expand your ways. Everyone has at times run into this and the man who knows enough to experament will win every time. Keep a open mind and try everything that we all told you and you should start putting fish in the bucket.

[UpNorth -21]

Ive bounced off the bottom and layed it still with good success. When the perch just dont want to bite if you can get just one save the eyes use those for bait works awesome when nothing else works just check and make sure its legal where your fishing!

[Kim]

Sometimes they lift the hook in there mouth and u cant feel a bite watch your line if it gets slack then set the hook.

[ColdFrontFisherman]

Use the teeniest tinyest jig u can find. I have a bunch of 180th of an oz jigs and sometimes i go smaller. say a 2mm fiska with a single spike on at most 2lb test. Bounce it and then let it deadstick.. You will catch fish!