At first ice on natural lakes, try shallow, weedy bays, flats, bars, points and shoals featuring scattered vegetation. Densely vegetated structure will also produce, but usually only smaller fish.
During mid-season, deep holes and edges lining early-ice locations such as flats, points or bars often produce perch. On some lakes, deep, hard-bottom structure and mid-lake mud flats are also good bets.
Late in the season, deep edges lining shallow, mildly vegetated spawning bays will hold staging, pre-spawn schools, with pre-spawn fish gradually moving into shallow weedy spawning bays.
In the early season on man-made lakes , try shallow, woody or rocky flats and shallows lining shallow, hard-bottom points and reefs.
Mid-season perch school around the base of deep, hard-bottom points and humps lining the main or secondary river channels, although soft mud flats lining these channels may produce as well.
For late season perch, try barren, sand or gravel flats just outside weedy or woody secondary creek channels fed by flowing water, where perch spawn just after ice-out.
In early season on ponds and pits, yellow perch can be found on shallow, rocky or weed flats, and deep pockets and edges within these flats.
During mid-season, provided adequate oxygen exists in deeper water, perch use deep weed edges, drop-offs and mud flats. Perch also may suspend over deep, open water.
During late ice, shallow rock or weed flats and their outside edges are good bets.
Hope this answers your question.
