Good lakes to catch perch

[ULking]

I hear Lincoln, NE has some pretty decent YP fishing!  If you want to create a trophy fishery like this for YP, SMB, WE, HSB [Wiper] and other cool water species fish, it can be done and I can help you get there!   Drop me a PM! 

I just had a pond dug and waiting to be filled...I've done a little studying and think I've got a grasp on it but if I fail ill ask for assistance

[teehjaeh57]

Awesome UL - keep in touch, would love to learn your goals and help you get there.  Pond/fishery management is an absolute blast!

[bluethunder72]

wow nice pics   guess us poor people will just have to drive to sd

[teehjaeh57]

Land ownership is far cheaper than home ownership - and if you can get yourself on 3-5 acres you have plenty of room to create the fishery of your dreams and build a home.  I saved my entire professional life for my farm - but hey, that's always been my ultimate goal, so every penny went towards it. 

Primary point of the post is to relate that local farm ponds, which we likely have access to, can be transformed into trophy fisheries of "specialty species" with a little hard work and knowledge.  It doesn't necessarily require more fiscal investment to establish fisheries with different species, but it does require some thoughtful planning of strategies and knowledge. 

The next point, then, was to simply offer my help should anyone want to learn how to get there.  I enjoy working with others to help achieve their dream fisheries.

Last hope was that by sharing some ice YP pix we could all get into the spirit of the coming hard water bite.

[bmaher287]

Land ownership is far cheaper than home ownership - and if you can get yourself on 3-5 acres you have plenty of room to create the fishery of your dreams and build a home.  I saved my entire professional life for my farm - but hey, that's always been my ultimate goal, so every penny went towards it. 

Primary point of the post is to relate that local farm ponds, which we likely have access to, can be transformed into trophy fisheries of "specialty species" with a little hard work and knowledge.  It doesn't necessarily require more fiscal investment to establish fisheries with different species, but it does require some thoughtful planning of strategies and knowledge. 

The next point, then, was to simply offer my help should anyone want to learn how to get there.  I enjoy working with others to help achieve their dream fisheries.

Last hope was that by sharing some ice YP pix we could all get into the spirit of the coming hard water bite.

Great fish man. It seems like you have made yourself a killer little fishing hole. I have always wanted to one day make my own large pond. Hopefully one day I will be able to fulfill that dream. I would love to know more about your fishery.

[teehjaeh57]

Thank you.  FYI, can create a killer fishery in something as small as 1/4-1/2 acre.  Fish population won't be huge, but it doesn't require acres of water to achieve great results.  Water quality, forage base, and stocking quantity/timing are the most important details to follow.

[Sandbilly]

wow nice pics   guess us poor people will just have to drive to sd

Outstanding perch fishing in NE Sandhill lakes the last three years. I expect more of the same this season.









dc

[teehjaeh57]

Absolutely beautiful YP right there!  Congratulations on finding some jumbo perch and making it a family affair.  I've never been able to find those monsters up there thru the ice - helps to live a little closer, maybe!   

[bluethunder72]

witch lake did those come from?

[Eastwesterner]

I'll give you a hint.  Not NE South Dakota.  Those didn't all come from the same lake.   The Sandhills have puked up some beautiful perch the last few years.  However the lakes are smaller than those in NE South Dakota so you may have trouble getting names.  Every year a hot lake pops up out west and this year will be no different. 

[Sandbilly]

 Thanks teehjaeh57. Living close helps, but it still takes cutting a lot of ice.

witch lake did those come from?

4 different lakes.

All state or federal owned water.
 
All within 100 miles of Mullen Ne. 

dc

[jimyoumook]

in guessing swan isn't on that list

[teehjaeh57]

Thanks teehjaeh57. Living close helps, but it still takes cutting a lot of ice.

4 different lakes.

All state or federal owned water.
 
All within 100 miles of Mullen Ne. 

dc

LOL, well it's natural to wonder what lake produced those behemoths - but quite another to expect one to reveal the source of miles and miles of trudging through the snowdrifts and thousands of holes drilled!  Good for you - the closer you guard the secret the greater hope the resource isn't ravaged within 2 months of limits. 

Interesting to consider, a wild Yellow Perch that attains trophy size [13"+] in a public lake has survived against incredible odds from LMB, NP and YP predation; otter, mink, eagle, heron, osprey predation; season after season of angling pressure; parasitic infection or disease; etc.  Heck, it takes me 4+ years to grow YP that size, and that's on an endless buffet of Fathead Minnows, Golden Shiners, Grass Shrimp and Aqua Max pellets in a zero stress environment.  Consider a wild YP has periods when forage crashes, DO levels sag, drought occurs and nourishment is sparce - body condition can actually severely deteriorate throughout the year - and it makes these fish more amazing.  I'd estimate those fish are at least age 6 or 7, and they probably only have a couple more seasons left at best. 

In consideration of all this listed above, pressured trophy fish taken from public waters earn special merit in my book - they are treasures.  Urge everyone to practice highly selective harvest on these brute-i-ful girls this winter - keep a few 8-10 males for the skillet and let the fishery benefit from another season of her genetics through release!  Her strands every Spring consist of 20k - 200k eggs, so these trophies are truly one in a million [or maybe 10 million]! 

Please keep up the awesome photos SB - love to hear/see the Sandhills are rebounding! 

[ULking]

Might have to ask about feeding...all that'll be put in my pond will be yp. I'm not sure what feeding I'd need to do

[teehjaeh57]

Might have to ask about feeding...all that'll be put in my pond will be yp. I'm not sure what feeding I'd need to do

You'll need something to manage YP population [WE or SMB can work] and you'll need to feed the YP something.   You could also consider a female YP fishery - trophy only - everything is 13"+.   I am working on that as we speak...so much fun!  I can help, PM me anytime.

[ULking]

You'll need something to manage YP population [WE or SMB can work] and you'll need to feed the YP something.   You could also consider a female YP fishery - trophy only - everything is 13"+.   I am working on that as we speak...so much fun!  I can help, PM me anytime.

I planned on WE and I'd love to have trophy pond but I only got one and don't wanna restock all the time since I like to eat them

[teehjaeh57]

Reach out anytime - I'm between projects waiting for all the waters I manage to freeze up!

[ULking]

Reach out anytime - I'm between projects waiting for all the waters I manage to freeze up!

I'm waiting for it to fill lol

[Sandbilly]

Quite a pond you have there tj57. 

In consideration of all this listed above, pressured trophy fish taken from public waters earn special merit in my book - they are treasures.  Urge everyone to practice highly selective harvest on these brute-i-ful girls this winter - keep a few 8-10 males for the skillet and let the fishery benefit from another season of her genetics through release!  Her strands every Spring consist of 20k - 200k eggs, so these trophies are truly one in a million [or maybe 10 million]! 

Couldn't agree with you more. YP are vital in most Sandhill lakes. Not only are they tough enough to withstand this region's harsh environment, but also flourish in high water years providing yoy forage for other game fish species. Plus being cannibalistic, they can basically feed themselves. I've been keeping records of our ice fishing trips on these lakes for over 20 years. One of the most obvious signs of an up and coming fishery for a multitude of species, is above average yellow perch recruitment. Even better if they can get off good hatches in consecutive years.

Perch are competitive, aggressive feeders. Angler exploitation can change the dynamics of a lake in a hurry. Those big females are much more important in the water than they are in a skillet.

dc                 

[bluethunder72]

People just get excited and keep evey fish they catch.  I wish that was not the case so often but it is ....I

[teehjaeh57]

Quite a pond you have there tj57. 

Couldn't agree with you more. YP are vital in most Sandhill lakes. Not only are they tough enough to withstand this region's harsh environment, but also flourish in high water years providing yoy forage for other game fish species. Plus being cannibalistic, they can basically feed themselves. I've been keeping records of our ice fishing trips on these lakes for over 20 years. One of the most obvious signs of an up and coming fishery for a multitude of species, is above average yellow perch recruitment. Even better if they can get off good hatches in consecutive years.

Perch are competitive, aggressive feeders. Angler exploitation can change the dynamics of a lake in a hurry. Those big females are much more important in the water than they are in a skillet.

dc                 

Well stated, thank you for sharing your observations of the unique sandhills fisheries. 

YP have a special place in my heart, for the reasons stated above.  When I witness a true trophy panfish, like a 14" YP, 12" BG or 18" BCP, I go crazy.  I'll never turn down a shot at double digit WE, 20" SMB or 40"+ NP, but there's still something about those lunker panfish.  Multiple conditions must be perfectly alligned for many years to produce fish like that - it's almost like seeing a tree fall in the forest.

Good stuff SB - please keep posting your YP photos!

[whitetips]

People just get excited and keep evey fish they catch.  I wish that was not the case so often but it is ....I

Unfortunately, you are right, and that is a big reason there are not more and bigger panfish in a number of Nebraska waters including our sandhill lakes.

http://neblandvm.outdoornebraska.gov/2013/01/pigs-ice/

Daryl Bauer
Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
[email protected]
http://neblandvm.outdoornebraska.gov/category/barbs-and-backlashes/

[hoffy68]

Daryl,

I really enjoyed that read.  Thanks!

[rippin-lips]

Unfortunately, you are right, and that is a big reason there are not more and bigger panfish in a number of Nebraska waters including our sandhill lakes.

http://neblandvm.outdoornebraska.gov/2013/01/pigs-ice/

Daryl Bauer
Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
[email protected]
http://neblandvm.outdoornebraska.gov/category/barbs-and-backlashes/

Daryl, why do they not have more strict size and limit regulations for YP on the Sandhills lakes? Seems here in central NE we never hear a report about a good perch bite until we hear that guys were hauling bucket loads home!!!
We have lots of walleye regulations that very lake to lake.

[whitetips]

Daryl, why do they not have more strict size and limit regulations for YP on the Sandhills lakes? Seems here in central NE we never hear a report about a good perch bite until we hear that guys were hauling bucket loads home!!!
We have lots of walleye regulations that very lake to lake.

Because walleyes ain't yellow perch.

We tried to simplify regulations as much as possible in recent years, and we still have too many anglers who believe that a person should keep every cleaning-size panfish they catch.  The result is the compromise bag limit of 15 panfish.

That is why things are the way they are.

But, angler attitudes have changed a lot in the last 20+ years and they continue to change.  I would never tell you that we should have special regulations for every panfish or yellow perch fishery in the state, but I do believe there are some opportunities where some special regulations in order to produce trophy panfish would be appropriate.  What it would take to make that happen would be more anglers speaking up in favor of something like that and less anglers speaking up in favor of "catch all you can and can all you catch".

Daryl Bauer
Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
[email protected]
http://neblandvm.outdoornebraska.gov/category/barbs-and-backlashes/

[teehjaeh57]

I would love the state to dedicate a little patch of water [20+ ac] to you and I, Daryl, to design and implement a trophy fishery through intensive management strategies and highly controlled harvest regulations.  Would be unique - chance for a 5# SMB or 14" YP but nearly all C/R.  I'd like to see some RES, WE and maybe HSB in there, too.  Magnolia Crappie?  State could rent it out on reservation basis...trophy fishing - and supervised to ensure regs are followed.  I would be willing to make the sacrafice to live on the lake, to keep an eye on things.  I'm just that kind of guy.

[nubrook18]

"One for the plate, one for the freezer." That's my dad's old motto!  Smart guy in hind site.

[whitetips]

I would love the state to dedicate a little patch of water [20+ ac] to you and I, Daryl, to design and implement a trophy fishery through intensive management strategies and highly controlled harvest regulations.  Would be unique - chance for a 5# SMB or 14" YP but nearly all C/R.  I'd like to see some RES, WE and maybe HSB in there, too.  Magnolia Crappie?  State could rent it out on reservation basis...trophy fishing - and supervised to ensure regs are followed.  I would be willing to make the sacrafice to live on the lake, to keep an eye on things.  I'm just that kind of guy.

I like the way you're thinking!

Daryl B.

[whitetips]

"One for the plate, one for the freezer." That's my dad's old motto!  Smart guy in hind site.

How many went back in the water?

"One for the plate, one back in the water", especially if they were the right ones!

http://neblandvm.outdoornebraska.gov/2013/01/pigs-ice/

Daryl Bauer
Fisheries Outreach Program Manager
Nebraska Game & Parks Commission
[email protected]
http://neblandvm.outdoornebraska.gov/category/barbs-and-backlashes/

[nubrook18]

We very seldom kept/keep fish. That was the point. Kept enough for us to have a meal or two, not "filling the freezer". We have always practiced C&R, same thing I teach my kids today!