For PERCH fishermen in NYS............

[Game Hog]

Perch size is gaining.  The later the ice, the more agressive the big females become.  Early ice catch seems to be mostly males.

[MeatHunter737]

I've done better on quality this year than quantity.  Best year for jumbo perch for me so far.

I wanna go........ 

[ItsInTheHole]

The numbers have been way up for me this year, but the size seems lower. Caught 64 yesterday between 6:30 AM and 2:00 PM. Threw back all the 7-8 inchers. Several were very small. Kept a couple jumbos (11 & 13 inch) and a 9. On the outing before, my daughter and I caught 33 in three hours, and before that was 40 in a little more than 4 hours. More keepers in the previous trips. The bottom line is plenty of non-stop action and plenty of fillets in the freezer.

Note: When the jig and spike combination stopped producing yesterday, I switched a minnow head for the spikes. They went nuts for the minnow heads, but wouldn't touch the spikes.

[jcrow75]

I've been going up near lake Ontario, Braddocks bay, Irondequoit, Cranberry Pond, etc. It has been off and on all year. last weekend at Braddocks was terrible. 1 small pike and 1 small perch. I heard it was like that all over though.

[flukeman]

I always laugh when people say things like "back in the 70's" it was so great. I fished "back then" and fishing is every bit as good and even better for some species today. The problem is we like to fish memory locations. The fishing pressure and the quality of electronics and boats have made us better and the fish has adjusted to that. I always try fishing a few memory spots each time I'm out, and most of the time I don't catch them like I used to. But when I make a series of adjustments in location I usually get on them pretty good, especially with panfish.

Now I just have to train myself to quit wasting time fishing memory spots if I am hungry for fish!

Tight lines,

[Keegan]

My dad and brother had a lot of luck at Wescott's Beach (Between Sackets and Henderson) last year.  They usually don't start catching there till end of Feb thru March.

[FrankM]

Have done OK on Chautauqua this year.  No jumbos but enough eating size perch for several fish frys.  Would like to get out on Erie at least once.

[timdog]

not a veteran perch angler, but i've caught the biggest perch of my life this year on tip ups with a big shiner

[Jawk]

not a veteran perch angler, but i've caught the biggest perch of my life this year on tip ups with a big shiner

Congradulations on perch
Don't think fishing has changed much, Been fishing since 60s, still catching lots of fish. Done more Ice fishing last couple years and have had good luck, Summer time i use my old 14ft smokercraft. Largest change since old days is gas was $0.21 a gal in 1966 and now is $3.50.
 i am a Firm believer that bigger bait gets u bigger fish, not as many fish, but bigger one.
Worked for a charter on cayuga in the 80s,  had mostly lures i had used fishing lake ontario, never limited like other boats but always catching much bigger trout than anyone. Had to go too smaller lures, throw on some cheaters, to get more/smaller trout. I put my larger fat heads on a tip ups hoping for a big perch.