Where are the jumbo perch?

[SharkSlayer]

I took some time off from pike fishing to catch some perch

I caught 20 or so around 3pm but not one over 1/4 pound
I have a camera and I was catching some of the larger ones but nothing worth keeping
These perch were in 9-12ft of water and they were right off the bottom to about 3-4ft
There were so many perch that occasionally i would rip my hook through the school to help clear up the camera


Can someone give me suggestions where to find the jumbo's

[hamlin big daddy]

It's possible the body of water you fish doesn't produce Jumbos. Large females should be moving into shallower water this time of year. If you know they are there keep working it.

[SharkSlayer]

There definetly are some jumbos in the lake

I have seen the remains of a few that were filleted on the ice

Are the jumbo's schooling with the tiny ones

Are they in schools at all


Help me catch a Jumbo

[bucketbass]

what are you using?? have you read anything else about perch on this site ??
im sure when people post questions they are looking for jumbos as well the perch thread has tons of info just chill out for an hour and read up thats one thing great about this site you can check back years of info see when they were hittin late ice last year and such
good luck bud im most likely in deep water till the ice gets sketchy
late march 8-12fow
before than 15-25 maybe even around 30-32 some days
i use minnows sometimes percheyes when available

[SharkSlayer]

ive been using maggots on a 10 hook

Earlier i was using small spoons tipped with maggots

As soon as the maggots were bit off the bite stopped instantly

I maybe should try minnows but i see no perch in the schools that could manage even the smallest minnow

I did see 1 perch in 5 fow thru the hole but it was the only perch i saw all day   
Man was that a perch
I know water can magnify things but the thing that caught my eye was how wide that beast was

Are the big ones schooling together with other large ones or are they mixed with all sized perch?
or  do they hunt alone

[GAMBELL]

I would try minnows on tip ups or tip downs in the deeper parts of the lake.  Spread them out until you find the school.  Perch like deep water flats until very last ice (when they move shallow to spawn).

[Pequod1]

Don't forget that big minnows =big perch. Perch also seem to travel in schools of the same year class. When the big ones move into your area, they will see the large bait and eat. You also won't be wasting much time unhooking the dinks.

[bucketbass]

i have about 4 or 5 meals left in the freezer

[SharkSlayer]

i am fishing up here in saskatchewan at a little 160acre lake called halfmoon

I cant find any depth charts as this lake is so small and has little fishing pressure
I have lived 20 miles away and never new it existed or could possible sustain 3 species of fish let alone the odd trophy jack

I will try punching a few holes as i drive to my spot across the lake
as far as i know the lake has about 100m(yards) from 2-5 fow, then a 60m strech of 6-10 feet, then the rest i have examined seem to be the middle which is fairly flat sand bottom which covers the middle of the lake

I have discovered no sunken islands  or any other significant abnormality in the structure of the lake

[bucketbass]

fish the drop offs as the spawn comes into action move shallower to the weeds

[tracker 1]

Wow it sounds like you have plenty of fish there. May be to many! I have heard that on small lakes and ponds if you have to many fish there wont be enough food, therefore stunting the growth of the fish.Kind of like deer, if there is not sufficient vegetation their racks will not grow to their maximum size . Best of luck .

[SharkSlayer]

Caught about 120 perch today from 12-4pm
Only found 1 @ 1/2 pound
Plus some i just waited for them to get off cuz i could tell they were super tiny
Seems like they got bigger as i went shallower but then got smaller

I tried 5feet to 15 feet and had perch in every hole

Wondering if you guys are targeting barren ground or weed patches
Do you fish near cattails
What about a stream that either feeds the lake or drains it

Thanks for all the help