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Author Topic: White Perch  (Read 16096 times)

Offline koissu

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #30 on: Feb 28, 2021, 01:17 PM »
Buddy went out yesterday and said he didn't find any.

Offline NHHARDWATER

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #31 on: Mar 01, 2021, 12:10 PM »
Anyone hunt those whites down with any success over the weekend?
Its coming. Might go to H.P. this weekend to run and gun to try and find them.
Any helpful info appreciated, and I will be sure to do the same when I get up there.
Chasing Ice

Offline mudchuck

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #32 on: Mar 01, 2021, 12:49 PM »
Was out there Sunday, nada, not a single white, nothing but yellows...

Offline NHHARDWATER

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #33 on: Mar 01, 2021, 01:52 PM »
Was out there Sunday, nada, not a single white, nothing but yellows...
Damn. went through my dates of past photos and its typically first weekend of march when I begin to fill buckets. They gotta be right there
Chasing Ice

Offline mudchuck

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #34 on: Mar 02, 2021, 11:12 AM »
Damn. went through my dates of past photos and its typically first weekend of march when I begin to fill buckets. They gotta be right there

I've gone thru my dates from last 10 years too, earliest was 2/13 & latest was 3/3 when they arrived at Hathaway area.
Only 1 white perch I've brought thru ice this season so far was a 5" down at Crown Point Bridge area.
By my recollection, it's this season & last year when they've not been around that area.
Either we've caught them all, or they've moved to other parts of the lake.

On another note, north of Burlington the yellows I've caught are loaded with alewives, south of Burlington they're full of smelt...also caught a few daytime down at Crown Point
I also caught a 5" smelt last Saturday while attempting to fish daytime in that brutal wind on Keller's, so appears smelt are coming back, not sure what to make of alewives right now.
Would be nice if UVM could get some data out to us on this.

Offline cbice

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #35 on: Mar 02, 2021, 11:49 AM »
Most of the larger yellow perch I’ve caught in the northern part of Champlain are coughing  up alewives and/or there stomachs are full of them.

Offline the_doctor

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #36 on: Mar 02, 2021, 12:24 PM »
Ditto on the alewives and the yellows. I personally think it's been harder to find perch this year, and when I do they bite for a couple minutes then they're gone...I suspect they're chasing alewives all around like crazy. Just my own theory.
What does this mean for white perch? Dunno, but it sure seems things are changing.

Offline Vtperchchaser

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #37 on: Mar 04, 2021, 04:51 AM »
Haven’t heard anything about whites but going to check Saturday my self. Almost 50 deg weather forecasted for next week so if they aren’t in going to be sketchy ice when they do show up

Offline NHHARDWATER

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #38 on: Mar 04, 2021, 07:19 AM »
I happened to see a comment in another forum that someone found whites near burton island. I cant confirm the truth to it or what the numbers were if it were true, but just an observation worth sharing here.
Chasing Ice

Offline Vtperchchaser

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #39 on: Mar 04, 2021, 07:55 AM »
Would make sense. That’s where I found them first 2 years ago 3 days before they arrived by Hathaway

Offline Light liner

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #40 on: Mar 04, 2021, 08:57 AM »
Yeah must be getting close. What’s the other forum?
Champlain
Memphremagog

Offline mudchuck

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #41 on: Mar 04, 2021, 09:33 AM »
Caught a single 8" white off VE least evening in 30FOW!
lost another at the hole that looked like maybe 10"
Didn't have anything but artificial minnows & spikes with me.
Caught it with a bunch of Yellows that are puking up alewives, so maybe use live minnows next time...
There there somewhere!

Offline ice fiend

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #42 on: Mar 04, 2021, 11:56 AM »
Seems every season the schools coming into Saint Albans bay are less and less. They’re nowhere near as plentiful or abundant as they were 6-7 years ago.
i told myself id be back by 2 i guess i didnt factor in that the fish were biting

Offline NHHARDWATER

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #43 on: Mar 04, 2021, 11:58 AM »
Caught a single 8" white off VE least evening in 30FOW!
lost another at the hole that looked like maybe 10"
Didn't have anything but artificial minnows & spikes with me.
Caught it with a bunch of Yellows that are puking up alewives, so maybe use live minnows next time...
There there somewhere!
Thanks for the report MC.
How much ice did you find along that stretch? Im curious because I am considering taking my sled up there for mobility to run and gun along that shoreline to try and locate them.
Chasing Ice

Offline mudchuck

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #44 on: Mar 04, 2021, 12:00 PM »
Seems every season the schools coming into Saint Albans bay are less and less. They’re nowhere near as plentiful or abundant as they were 6-7 years ago.

I know they're supposed to be a fast growing species but...
That's because we've been hammering them for the last 11 years, so you gotta expect a decline in population when hoards of people are daily bringing off the ice hundred and hundred of pounds by the bucket & sled loads...

Offline mudchuck

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #45 on: Mar 04, 2021, 12:00 PM »
Thanks for the report MC.
How much ice did you find along that stretch? Im curious because I am considering taking my sled up there for mobility to run and gun along that shoreline to try and locate them.

14"

Offline Pike Panther

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #46 on: Mar 04, 2021, 04:21 PM »
I used to fish white perch a little in the summer but i haven't since my father passed away over 10 years ago.  I launch out of Hathaway Point a lot in the summer.  up until about 4 years ago white pearch would be boiling on the surface the last 45 minutes before dark all over the bay and the inland sea.  I can't say what has changed but I just have not seen that in the past 4 years or so. Something has certainly caused their numbers to decline and I highly doubt it's over fishing.  I didn't see boils again last summer so I highly doubt there is going to be big schools of them before ice out.

Offline Vtperchchaser

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #47 on: Mar 04, 2021, 04:31 PM »
I’m ready!! Maybe I’ll go to ve this weekend. Is there slush? I went about a month ago now and got into the yellows pretty good. Everyone had a rainbow smelt in its mouth average of 3” in size. So maybe the smelt have left and the whites are coming in with the alewives. I run a 300 fourtrax with set up to carry all my gear and on the last trip I hit a few spots where I broke into the slush layer and I just hopped off and drove it right up out but pain in the ass. Went to carmi yesterday afternoon 3:30-6 and there was no slush! First time all year. Hoping the bay and Georgia side are froze tight too.

Offline mudchuck

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #48 on: Mar 05, 2021, 05:56 AM »
I used to fish white perch a little in the summer but i haven't since my father passed away over 10 years ago.  I launch out of Hathaway Point a lot in the summer.  up until about 4 years ago white pearch would be boiling on the surface the last 45 minutes before dark all over the bay and the inland sea.  I can't say what has changed but I just have not seen that in the past 4 years or so. Something has certainly caused their numbers to decline and I highly doubt it's over fishing.  I didn't see boils again last summer so I highly doubt there is going to be big schools of them before ice out.

I've fished for them religiously for over a decade and caught hundreds of pounds of them almost every time I've gone out, and witness others do the same.
so simple math as an example of 75 people fishing at Hathaway Point alone, each taking an average of 3 five gallon buckets full of whites, with an approximate average weight of 33# per bucket equals about 99# per person daily, so take this (7,425#) and multiply it by say 7 days a week (51,975#) for 6 weeks on average (311,850#) and you'll see how exponentially the amount of draw down on a species has happened.
People have even bragged about taking upwards of 300# per person daily from off the ice in some instances so this just compounds the equation.
Feel free to check my math as I'm no MIT scholar...


Offline pikeaddict

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #49 on: Mar 05, 2021, 06:46 AM »
I am sure the walleye and walleye fisherman appreciate your guys effort to catch white perch.

Offline adk iceman

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #50 on: Mar 05, 2021, 07:21 AM »
I am sure the walleye and walleye fisherman appreciate your guys effort to catch white perch.

Absolutely. Keep up the good work
Can I go fishing? Unless it’s on Brant, I can’t.

Offline mudchuck

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #51 on: Mar 05, 2021, 07:35 AM »
Absolutely. Keep up the good work

yes indeed, I've seen an improvement in eyes too.
even caught a couple daytime thru the ice at Hathaway over the past few years, this and smelt coming back are all good signs!

Offline Vtperchchaser

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #52 on: Mar 05, 2021, 02:13 PM »
Just doing my part lol I realy enjoy the fish frys with friends and family also. I’ve only started fishing for them 4 yrs ago and the ice melted early last yr. but the last yrs I make it a point to get out there at least 3-4 days and try to fill my original jet sled. 2 yrs ago the numbers of them were crazy and lots of realy big ones. Just like Avery other species of fish or animals. Their habits change based on Food and habitat. Tight lines my friends

Offline NHHARDWATER

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #53 on: Mar 08, 2021, 07:16 AM »
Anyone have a report on the white perch from the weekend? I couldnt make it up there to put on a search. I May take wednesday off to run up and hunt them down. Any updates appreciated!
Chasing Ice

Offline koissu

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #54 on: Mar 08, 2021, 08:59 AM »
Buddy was out yesterday most of the day...didn't find any.

Offline mudchuck

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #55 on: Mar 08, 2021, 12:00 PM »
Anyone have a report on the white perch from the weekend? I couldnt make it up there to put on a search. I May take wednesday off to run up and hunt them down. Any updates appreciated!

Fished VE most of the day Saturday, all big yellows. 33FOW all most from bottom, hammered minnows/crawlers.
Fished Sunday and was great weather/blue skies - almost got skunked...only managed 8 dinks.
Started at same holes from day before, went out to 45FOW, nothing, went further out to 88FOW and managed a few 50' down.

Offline fishingidjit

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #56 on: Mar 08, 2021, 04:54 PM »
Fished VE most of the day Saturday, all big yellows. 33FOW all most from bottom, hammered minnows/crawlers.
Fished Sunday and was great weather/blue skies - almost got skunked...only managed 8 dinks.
Started at same holes from day before, went out to 45FOW, nothing, went further out to 88FOW and managed a few 50' down.
No info on whites but I know the yellows are going into shallows to spawn, we caught big slabs in 8-15 feet of water on the Conn river last Sunday and 1-8 feet this AM.

Offline Honest_John

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #57 on: Mar 08, 2021, 08:59 PM »
I was out off hathaways yesterday we had pretty steady action on yellows. Mostly dinks with a few slabs. One small white came through the hole at the end of the day. Maybe next weekend.

Offline Vtperchchaser

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #58 on: Mar 09, 2021, 04:43 AM »
Hope the ice holds up through this warm snap. Think the whites follow the yellows feeding on their eggs. Which explains why they don’t run up in the bay til the yellows are spawning

Offline LittleFishin

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Re: White Perch
« Reply #59 on: Mar 11, 2021, 02:23 PM »
Anyone try to find them off the sand shelf at the Alburg Dunes? I heard the stack in there but never tried it for myself. Also, I have always caught them at the mouth of otter Creek everytime I have fished there so im shocked they dont hold near Porter.
Load it, Drive it, Park it
Bait it, Jig it, Hook it
Catch it, Clean it, Cook it
Simply put just get out/ and do it

 



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