perch that move a lot

[Aaron072]

have a small lake we fish with some huge perch but can never stay on a school for long
never caught more than 3 to a hole before there gone. last weekend 2 of us got 18 in 3 hours in about 30 holes. today 3 of us only got 14 in 7 hrs and 80 plus holes and none over half pound
any suggestions

[icejunky]

On one of the lakes I fish, the perch make a regular rotation, the come in hard for about 10-15 minutes then the vanish for about 20 minutes. since i know the cycle i stay put on my hole, but reach for a search bait, I grab a larger spoon or a larger jigging rap and start pounding it high and low in the water coloum, it will bring some perch back in early (and attracts the odd walleye)

when the perch move in, i drop my bait size and snatch as many as i can

[BMW20]

chum them!

Once you get on them you have to keep them there. if you fish with minnows throw your dead ones down the hole every couple of minutes. If you don't want to chum with what you are using for bait, use oatmeal or egg shells. They need a reason to stay there - give 'em one.

[scmelik]

i read on here a while back a trick the old timers use to use and have always been meaning to try it out.

Take your minnows and put them into a mason jar with a lid on it.  On the lid fasten an eye bolt so that you can tie some string to it and drop it down to the bottom.  The flash inside the jar will keep the fish around and it will also get your minnows acclimated to the cold water so the shock doesn't kill them right away. 

[Aaron072]

no minnows allowed here

[Swift]

If you can't get the movement pattern figured out by running and gunning, SOMETIMES something big, flashy and noisy thumping on the bottom will keep them entertained for a bit with the others doing the more finesse presentation on the sides picking off the curious. If what you're doing isn't working--------try something else. There are many times that when you hook one and watch the direction it initially takes off in is the direction the school is moving, helps with the run and gun, MAYBE

[slipperybob]

When I fish for the larger perch, they're never around.  They tend to roam.  Sometimes I will get the larger perch in open water as they roam between one feeding ground to another.  That's what I assume.  So being mobile usually works out better for me.  I will catch one or two larger perch in a hole and move onto another hole.

[scmelik]

one thing my buddies and i do when we got out after perch is strategically spread out. What I mean by that is that we will go out and drill 10-30 holes first thing in an area we know is generally good.  Then we walk around with our flashes trying to find which hole has fish.  the person that finds those fish then stops and starts fishing them while the other two to his right and left.  this way we can see where the fish go and get a feel for their pattern.  If the guy to the left is catching fish then the other two will leap frog him to the next two holes and vice versa.

[dkfry]

When you do find them a lure that sinks fast can help a lot. Like a hali or a spoon with a dropper. It sucks having a bunch of fish below you and it takes forever for the jig to sink. Check your state laws before doing any chumming.

[Ranger_bound]

chum them!

Once you get on them you have to keep them there. if you fish with minnows throw your dead ones down the hole every couple of minutes. If you don't want to chum with what you are using for bait, use oatmeal or egg shells. They need a reason to stay there - give 'em one.

I have hard this many times on IS about using egg shells for chumming. Does this really work? I am contemplating giving this a try...The minnows in a mason jar sounds like an interesting idea as well.

[BMW20]

I have hard this many times on IS about using egg shells for chumming. Does this really work? I am contemplating giving this a try...The minnows in a mason jar sounds like an interesting idea as well.

The minnows in a mason jar is a new one to me but it definitely sounds like its worth trying. As for the chumming - I am passing along info from "old timers" I fish with that have been fishing hardwater for 50 + years. One of them fishes lake st. clair every day there is safe ice and he personally caught over 1800 perch through the ice a few years ago. He's slowing down a little bit as he is now 75 years old but he has caught as many fish out of that lake through the ice as any man alive.

Also - the egg shells are usually dropped down spearing holes to provide a lighter background to make seeing the fish easier. I've never heard of using them specifically for chumming but they may work by keeping them curious.

[Chi]

try chumming with ground up dog food, it might hold them longer

[fishermanna82]

put live minnows in a mason jar with water then lower it down the hole see if that works to keep them around longer.

[Chi]

whenever their mouths are full of those bugs turn them upside down and shake their head in the water, get those bugs floating back down, this will help  keep them around and draw fish in.

[wngnut]

I have a gallon glass jar with an eye bolt fastened to the lid attached to a rope, but it stays at home. I have had them bouncing off the glass trying to get to the minnows but that was the exception and not the rule. I do pretty well staying in one spot and attracting them with a rattling jig and aggressively jigging. With the aqua view you can be aggressive and slow it down when they come in.