Author Topic: Do perch bite at night?  (Read 6646 times)

Offline FOOTDOC

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Do perch bite at night?
« on: Mar 05, 2008, 11:03 PM »
Just curious everyone's opinion regarding whether perch bite at night or not.  I fish perch primarily at Stone in LaPorte and they usually shut off for me about dark.  In Flint, I have caught dink perch after dark in years past.  On Lake Michigan, I have caught perch up to and shortly after dark.  Just curious as to your experiences with perch biting after dark.  Thanks.

Offline Rufus

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #1 on: Mar 06, 2008, 05:49 AM »
Pretty rare to catch very many perch around here in Steuben after dark. I have caught a few after dark while crappie fishing, but it is usually only one mixed in with the crappies. I have stayed late to try to get a few before without success.

Offline slabgill

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #2 on: Mar 06, 2008, 09:57 AM »
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Offline slipbobber

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #3 on: Mar 06, 2008, 10:42 AM »
Haven't done any good after dark on Lake Michigan

Offline jimmyclaude

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #4 on: Mar 06, 2008, 01:10 PM »
nope, dusk maybe but not dark.
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Offline michianafisherman

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #5 on: Mar 06, 2008, 01:33 PM »
When I lived on Baron Lake, East of Niles, I always would leave the house at 10:30 or 11:00pm. to go perch fishing. I would be in about 21 foot of water on a flat area. The bite would come about every 10 to 15 minutes. I think that they were circling on the flat and I would just catch them ion the way though. Once I caught one I would hold the pole with one hand and wait for the other to get a hit and pull up two at the same time by backing up until I could see the fish flopping on the ice in front of my lantern. To answer your question, Yes perch do bite at night!
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Offline High Tide

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #6 on: Mar 06, 2008, 01:49 PM »
I caught them this year through the ice at night in Indiana... My brother and I were eye fishing, pulling in the perch left and right for the first 2 hours of dark... to be honest we were both like  :o, cuz that doesn't happen often... I think if you have a super clear lake and the lunar table and barometric pressure match up, it can be done.  Good topic... I had the same interest.
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Offline wax_worm

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #7 on: Mar 06, 2008, 01:58 PM »
In the summer, we 'shine' at night using a 1 million candlepower light looking for carp, etc to pass time.  We see tons of perch laying belly to the bottom and not moving in 4-8 fow.  On night we saw so many we went back and got bait and rods.  We could lay the bait right on their nose and they would not eat.  You had to bounce it off them hard for them to even move.  It was almost like they were sleeping or in a some sort of trance.  I have seen this several times so I know it was not a one time event.  If you catch a few after dark it is not the norm as their eyes are not like walleyes where they are designed for low light feeding.

Offline michianafisherman

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #8 on: Mar 07, 2008, 04:16 AM »
Do you realize that Perch spawn under the ice? This happens around my area Feb to March. This makes them move to the spawning grounds and they will feed. If you can find the beds after the ice is gone by taking a boat and your camera and a few hours work. Mark the spot and show up at the correct time. You get the idea. When you find the spot just move out to deeper water on a flat closest to the grounds and fish all night if you want. Don't forget to fish the beds during the day. And when the bite dies off, follow them.
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Offline Jigmup

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #9 on: Mar 07, 2008, 06:08 AM »
Myabe I'm confused ??? I thought perch laid their eggs in strands attatching them to weed growth. I did not think that perch were nest builders.

On the topic of night bighting.....I have caught many perch at night on rare and isolated occasions though. Usually while using a crappie light fishing for crappie. One night while fishing from a boat with a friend, we dangled a lantern over the side of the boat for crappies. His end of the boat caught crappies and my end caught perch. I probably landed 15 of them in an hour, all good sized ones.
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Offline abishop

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #10 on: Mar 07, 2008, 07:24 AM »
CANT SAY THEY DO. I HAVE CAUGHT A FEW AFTER DARK BUT, NOT MANY.

Offline princecraft

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #11 on: Mar 07, 2008, 08:08 AM »
I got to a lake one morning at 5:00 AM and a couple guys were walking off the lake with a 5 gal. bucked full of perch.  I don't think this is the rule though.  I also don't think perch are next builders.  I think they lay there eggs on weeds.
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Offline Rufus

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #12 on: Mar 07, 2008, 08:28 AM »
Perch do just lay their eggs on the weeds and then leave them. They do no nest building. Basically the same thing the walleyes do on Erie, except the 'eyes don't need the weeds.

Offline michianafisherman

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #13 on: Mar 07, 2008, 08:31 AM »
I am allways learning. I may be mistaken about the perch being the ones making the beds I see with my camera in the spot where I catch the perch. I just thought is was the perch making those holes in the bottom. Perhaps they were feeding on the fish eggs or minnows from another species that works under the ice. What do you think?
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Offline wax_worm

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #14 on: Mar 07, 2008, 11:43 AM »
I am allways learning. I may be mistaken about the perch being the ones making the beds I see with my camera in the spot where I catch the perch. I just thought is was the perch making those holes in the bottom. Perhaps they were feeding on the fish eggs or minnows from another species that works under the ice. What do you think?

Perch do not make beds.  They do not spawn under the ice.  They need steady water temps in the mid 40's to begin spawning.  They string the eggs on weeds, sticks or anything they can find that will keep the eggs off the bottom where they will smother.  If you are catching them shallow they are there for one reason under the ice....to feed.  As they get closer to spawn time (as the ice is leaving the lakes) they make more and more trips to the shallows to feed and that is why more and more are caught the later the ice stays on.  If you are seeing beds they are likely leftover gill or crappie beds from last year.  However if you lake has any boat traffic or wave action, those usually silt over during the summer and fall months. 

Offline michianafisherman

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #15 on: Mar 07, 2008, 12:25 PM »
Thanks Wax- Worm

Always willing to learn. I don't always know why I have success, I guess, I just try to make sense of whats happening under the ice like everybody else. Even if I"M wrong.

Thanks again, maybe next time I'll know the real reason the perch are there.
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Offline A- bomb

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #16 on: Mar 07, 2008, 12:49 PM »
years ago watched a scool of carp move in under the shantie and they would shove their snoots into the bottom and root around.  after they passed the perch moved into the stirred up water.   when they left and the water cleared these dinner plate size depressions were left on the bottom......maybe what your seeing
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Offline michianafisherman

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #17 on: Mar 07, 2008, 01:25 PM »
I might be able to sleep tonight! There is allot of Carp in this lake. Very well could be what I'm seeing for holes.
Thanks A-bomb
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Offline jimmyclaude

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #18 on: Mar 07, 2008, 02:46 PM »
A-Bomb,
was this with a camera or the naked eye?
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Offline A- bomb

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #19 on: Mar 07, 2008, 04:52 PM »
sitting inside a shantie in 5 foot of gin clear water and 2- 10 inch holes. my buddy was about 10 yds away and saw carp at the same time so it must have been alot of them. just dinks about 5-8 ponders.

just moved in rooted around and moved on.......
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Offline stanton21

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #20 on: Mar 08, 2008, 12:24 AM »
NUTS
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Offline Ice_Fly

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Re: Do perch bite at night?
« Reply #21 on: Mar 08, 2008, 04:00 PM »
Some of the biggest perch I have caught, I caught in the dark at 4:30am in Feb. ice fishing. I don't know if you would call that night or early morning. But DEFINATELY dark! By the time the sun came up the major part of the feeding frenzy was over. Then it was the smaller fish feeding. I did this for almost 2 weeks in a row.....


chris

 



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