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Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Perch => Topic started by: Mncrappie on Nov 20, 2016, 11:49 PM

Title: What size perch you keep
Post by: Mncrappie on Nov 20, 2016, 11:49 PM
What size perch do you guys keep? I'm not talking jumbo perch. I keep them at about 11 inches. Sometimes 9 or 10 depending how fat they are
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: Idahogator on Nov 20, 2016, 11:56 PM
A 3 incher will make a days worth of cut bait, the best being two eyes.     ;)2

                                                                                                                                 :icefish:
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: Agronomist_at_IA on Nov 21, 2016, 12:07 AM
Depends on the lake and growing conditions. I believe the DNR here in Iowa considers 8in perch the desired size for table fair.
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: bigstorm on Nov 21, 2016, 07:12 AM
most places I fish locally, 8"+ is decent but I went out to North Dakota last winter, its a whole different world out there for perch! Didn't keep anything smaller than 10" and most were in the 11" to 12" range. While that may not be big for local people in ND, I was amazed
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: Agronomist_at_IA on Nov 21, 2016, 07:17 AM
most places I fish locally, 8"+ is decent but I went out to North Dakota last winter, its a whole different world out there for perch! Didn't keep anything smaller than 10" and most were in the 11" to 12" range. While that may not be big for local people in ND, I was amazed

Amazing how those fresh water shrimp in the lakes up that way fatten the perch up so well.
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: filetandrelease on Nov 21, 2016, 07:22 AM
 Hunger for a meal determines a lot,  I have eaten tons of  8" perch , also depends on the body of water I'm  fishing 😉
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: Chris338378 on Nov 21, 2016, 09:33 AM
The minimum for me is 8 inches depending on the lake but most times I won't keep them less than 10 inches.
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: ejdelvo28 on Nov 22, 2016, 10:50 PM
On a slough where they run smaller, 8+ depending on fatness.  On a bigger lake where you can possibly get multiple 12s in a day, 10+.  I find that 9-11 are the best keepers.  12+ the rib cage gets a lot more rugged and they're hard to clean, and you don't get that much more meat from a 13 than from an 11.  Big ones are great for a picture, but 9-11 is ideal for eating.
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: DanaM on Nov 23, 2016, 01:11 PM
Depends how hungry for a fish dinner I am :)
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: conesuscrab on Nov 27, 2016, 02:14 PM
I usually go with 10".
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: hardwater diehard on Nov 27, 2016, 02:34 PM
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: kingPhoenix on Nov 30, 2016, 02:23 PM
8"-12" perfect size
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: river rat78 on Nov 30, 2016, 02:27 PM
If I'm looking for a meal then it's 8" for me. If I have a few on the ice I'll start to keep a few 7 1/2". If I ever find a school of bigger perch then I'll keep a few over 10"
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: TeeBugg on Dec 02, 2016, 11:32 AM
8" for me for keepers
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: Jigmup on Dec 13, 2016, 11:04 AM
9 or greater
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: tonebea on Dec 13, 2016, 01:11 PM
Depends on how the perch are biting. On slow days, I may keep 11" and up. Other days I throw back anything under 13.
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: Ethan C on Dec 13, 2016, 02:54 PM
9 inches or more
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: BRIZBO on Dec 20, 2016, 08:29 PM
Depends, in Iowa, 9+ if their thick. SD, 12
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: jmw5964 on Jan 10, 2017, 06:17 PM
9" and up for me
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: Glowjigger on Jan 12, 2017, 12:16 AM
Depends, but usually 8-10 inch are keepers.
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: tench on Jan 12, 2017, 12:26 AM
I'll keep them from 6" up on some lakes, but I don't fillet those guys I leave them on the bone.  ;D Other guys throw them all back but I go home with a couple good meals!
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: Dave327 on Jan 16, 2017, 05:25 PM
Here in southern NY a nice perch is 11-13" but there is one lake I fish that me and a couple friends caught over 100 perch, we were  lucky if 5 of them were over  10".
My question.... Is it possible that there is so many perch in the lake that they are unable to grow to a larger size? Also some of these little gals are full of eggs.
I personally think that the lake is over populated and these fish need to be thinned out so the ones that are left can grow to a larger size. Anyone have any thoughts, Ideas, or answers.
The lake is good size, 100 acres or so. and average depth is around 15' with the deepest spots around 25-30'.
Average size of the fish I'm referring to is around 5-6".
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: italianice77 on Jan 16, 2017, 06:36 PM
if the lake receives allot of pressure and and the breeding stock(9-13+in) of perch is taken on a regular basis, then yes, you can get a lake that is loaded with little perch for awhile until the bigger breeding stock rebounds. Also the lack of predatory fish(ie:pickerel,  pike, walleye, tiger muskies) will play a part as well, as they contribute to the controll of the smaller fish.
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: slipperybob on Dec 20, 2018, 08:15 AM
When you get used to catching 12"+ perch...it's hard to keep anything 9" and under.

I went to a different lake and caught a steady 8-9" in an area.  A fellow ice fisherman asked what I was catching.  He was like, "You let go of all of them!"

Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: HWeber on Dec 20, 2018, 09:22 AM
Anything over 8" or 9". Sometimes that means 8 1/4" other times is a limit over 12"
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: Seamonkey84 on Dec 20, 2018, 09:27 AM
I like catching jumbos for fun, so anything over 13-14” goes back. But I rarely keep fish anyway so usually they all go back. Besides, Maine perch are usually very grubby. On one of the lakes that I consistently get nice clean perch, I consider 9-12” keepers.
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: wyogator on Dec 20, 2018, 09:34 AM
A 3 incher will make a days worth of cut bait, the best being two eyes.     ;)2

                                                                                                                                 :icefish:
Perch are considered a game fish in Montana.  It is illegal to use them for bait.
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: holehopper on Dec 20, 2018, 09:45 AM
What I've found is that once you get over 12", there isn't a lot of difference in the size of the fillet you get.  Typically those big perch are female and while they get a little longer, their bellies are usually packed full of eggs so the size of the fillet in a 11 inch perch isn't much smaller than a 13 inch.  Personally I keep fish in the 9-12 inch range and anything over/under that goes back. 
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: Figure ate on Dec 20, 2018, 11:00 AM
9" very minimum. Anything smaller isn't worth filleting and is better served to grow up a little more.
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: fishook on Jan 05, 2019, 09:28 PM
I like catching jumbos for fun, so anything over 13-14” goes back. But I rarely keep fish anyway so usually they all go back. Besides, Maine perch are usually very grubby. On one of the lakes that I consistently get nice clean perch, I consider 9-12” keepers.

I thought perch were considered "eagle food" in Maine. I worked there for 2 summers and the locals gave me a hard time for keeping and eating such "undesirable" fish as perch.   ::)
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: Seamonkey84 on Jan 05, 2019, 10:08 PM
I thought perch were considered "eagle food" in Maine. I worked there for 2 summers and the locals gave me a hard time for keeping and eating such "undesirable" fish as perch.   ::)
Yea that’s the general feel about them here lol. There are a few people here that target perch or other panfish, but most just set traps for bass and trout. I target them cause they are fun and plentiful.
Title: Re: What size perch you keep
Post by: Iceassin on Jan 20, 2019, 12:33 PM
The bigger the better for me. 12" + make for some nice fillets as I don't like to eat any of the meat below the rib cage.