Author Topic: Perch (Read 2174 times)

mt.redneck · « **on:** Dec 27, 2015, 05:34 PM »

When fishing a lake that had a lot of stunted 5 inch yellow perch although there are some nicer ones in this lake, have caught them personally to 9 inches but have heard of some up to 11.5 inches. There is very little structure in this lake, mostly mud flats with midge larva and a decent amount of small crawdads. To find the better quality fish would it be best to just sit on these flats and try to weed out the smaller fish since they are good areas or would it be best to just keep Mobil and hope for the best?

Raquettedacker · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 27, 2015, 05:37 PM »

Try a bigger bait?

bearnoob · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 27, 2015, 05:54 PM »

I have no experience with this because I do not specifically target perch, they are more a bonus fish for me if I happen to catch them. However, the latest issue of In-Fisherman had a short Bits & Pieces article discussing a study, which found that European perch school according to size. The article suggested: "If anglers are fishing lakes with a wide assortment of sizes and are catching smaller perch, switching to a new location may increase the size of perch caught."

Hope that helps somewhat.

mt.redneck · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 27, 2015, 06:00 PM »

Maybe, I might just need patients instead of just trying to catch every fish on my screen lol

hardwater diehard · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 27, 2015, 06:06 PM »

Perch are fish of the flats ...mud flats are good ...holds the larva/blood worms ....also try crappie minnows on tip downs or sensitive tip ups ...try something with red in the set up...red hook with tip ups...red spoons etc ...if you can get red euro larva/maggots that may be the ticket ...lots of YouTube info ...IDO ..InFisherman etc ...big flat means lots of holes and lots of moving .....Dead sticking works

http://www.in-fisherman.com/tv/double-system-ice-perch/

http://www.in-fisherman.com/?s=ice+fishing+perch

one of the best pan fish articles I have read

http://www.in-fisherman.com/panfish/fishing-for-panfish/

rdhammah · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 27, 2015, 07:07 PM »

sounds line there is nothing in there that eats them. they need to be thinned out. fish the deeper water.

panfishman13 · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 27, 2015, 07:44 PM »

as soon as you find a lot of perch, i recommend switching to a larger lure. those 22.5 inch perch likely eat the smaller perch in the system, so they'll hang around those schools of smaller perch waiting for one to make itself an easy target. there's no reason for him to push through hordes of 5 inch perch to eat a teeny little bug thing, but he'd absolutely rush in for a plump, injured baby perch.

Bits · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 27, 2015, 07:50 PM »

22.5 inch perch??!! I didn't know they got that big? or did you type like I do & it s/b 11.5 in.?

:thumbsup:LOL!

Kevin23 · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 27, 2015, 07:51 PM »

22.5" perch? wow!

Use a jigging spoon, jigging rap, big minnow, etc. Gotta get a big enough bait that the little ones won't be interested. Those bigger perch are predators and are eating smaller perch, they don't care about a little jig and maggot, they want a perch!

panfishman13 · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 27, 2015, 08:04 PM »

woops! my bad. of course, now i've got a wonderful image of a 22.5" perch floating around in my head.

2MuchStuff · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 27, 2015, 08:23 PM »

I've found that perch school to size or year class.
When fishin the flats on open water we drift till we hit the jumbos,
then throw out a marker and fish the area till they move .
and of course try to follow.
same holds true to hard water fishin if your on dinks move a hundred yards or so .
If the jumbos are down there they usually school up

mt.redneck · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 27, 2015, 08:24 PM »

Thanks guys

ejdelvo28 · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 27, 2015, 10:48 PM »

Usually in stunted lakes like I've found the jumbos to be lone rangers, because that's how they got to be their size. If they run with the school they get very little food. You'll find the jumbos out in the flats away from the schools, roaming.

mt.redneck · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 27, 2015, 10:54 PM »

Quote from: ejdelvo28 on Dec 27, 2015, 10:48 PM

Usually in stunted lakes like I've found the jumbos to be lone rangers, because that's how they got to be their size. If they run with the school they get very little food. You'll find the jumbos out in the flats away from the schools, roaming.

I was kind of thinking this. I can use 6 lines at this lake and need to take the time to use that to my advantage I think.

hardwater diehard · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 28, 2015, 08:26 AM »

Quote from: Kevin23 on Dec 27, 2015, 07:51 PM

Use a jigging spoon, jigging rap, big minnow, etc. Gotta get a big enough bait that the little ones won't be interested. Those bigger perch are predators and are eating smaller perch, they don't care about a little jig and maggot, they want a perch!

Spot on...treat them like the predators that they are ..big baits and lil more aggressive jigging ...pound that bottom ...once again lota holes and lota moving ....fish above and below the break ...weed edges ....

Quote from: mt.redneck on Dec 27, 2015, 10:54 PM

I was kind of thinking this. I can use 6 lines at this lake and need to take the time to use that to my advantage I think.

spread them out along the flat to see where the school is roaming to/from using bigger baits ...hopefully no toothy critters inhabit your waters

BlackDogAlpha · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 28, 2015, 08:46 AM »

Quote from: mt.redneck on Dec 27, 2015, 10:54 PM

I was kind of thinking this. I can use 6 lines at this lake and need to take the time to use that to my advantage I think.

If you do this you will be running your butt off chasing flags, they will run you out of bait. Instead, take a few kids with you, perch are easy for kids to catch and deal with, and you can fill buckets if you want. While the kids are on the lil rugrats, you fish the deeper fringes and catch the bigger ones. If you run low on bait, start (depending on your local laws) carving up the perch for cutbait, they are cannibals and the BEST perchbait is a perch eyeball. I have filled boats before without running out of bait.

SLAYERFISH · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 28, 2015, 08:52 AM »

Ive been targeting perch with a #5 jigging rap. Gonna try a #7 today.

mt.redneck · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 28, 2015, 09:30 AM »

My dead rods that are any kind of distance away are used on jaw jackers so I'm not to worried about bait. They would mostly be there to tell me what areas on the flat the fish are using then I can move my jigging spot accordingly. Probably drill extra holes near the jackers so I don't have to waste time when the fish are moving

gearheart · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 28, 2015, 09:52 AM »

22 inch perch? They have 'em in Europe. fish higher , at least 3 feet off bottom and use a 3" plastic minnow. the big perch will take it. The little ones will only tug on the tail.

Idahogator · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 28, 2015, 11:14 AM »

Quote from: gearheart on Dec 28, 2015, 09:52 AM

22 inch perch? They have 'em in Europe. fish higher , at least 3 feet off bottom and use a 3" plastic minnow. the big perch will take it. The little ones will only tug on the tail.

Yup, Zander. To 44# & 471/4" .

MORE INFO

big bobber · « **Reply #20 on:** Dec 28, 2015, 11:21 AM »

Quote from: mt.redneck on Dec 27, 2015, 05:34 PM

When fishing a lake that had a lot of stunted 5 inch yellow perch although there are some nicer ones in this lake, have caught them personally to 9 inches but have heard of some up to 11.5 inches. There is very little structure in this lake, mostly mud flats with midge larva and a decent amount of small crawdads. To find the better quality fish would it be best to just sit on these flats and try to weed out the smaller fish since they are good areas or would it be best to just keep Mobil and hope for the best?

step 1...catch 5 inch perch..step 2.place 5 inch perch on tip up.step 3.wait.chances are...the big perch are feeding on the little perch.a 12 inch perch can easily take a 5 inch perch.try a mid size jigging rap that looks like a perch too.good luck...hope this helps.

mt.redneck · « **Reply #21 on:** Dec 28, 2015, 11:23 AM »

Europe also has 50 pound pike lol. I cannot use live minnows at this particular lake unfortunately

Kevin23 · « **Reply #22 on:** Dec 28, 2015, 11:53 AM »

Zander is closer to a walleye. They experimented with stocking them in MN years ago but they never took.

mt.redneck · « **Reply #23 on:** Dec 28, 2015, 12:07 PM »

There is a place in North Dakota I heard had some Zander in it

gotbait · « **Reply #24 on:** Dec 28, 2015, 01:57 PM »

Try using minnows for bait--perch are really hogs--bigger bait bigger fish

mt.redneck · « **Reply #25 on:** Dec 28, 2015, 02:14 PM »

I will have to try using dead minnows more and minnow heads on small spoons I think

river_scum · « **Reply #26 on:** Dec 28, 2015, 07:30 PM »

perch are for the young and mobile. lol lots of moving to find the good ones. if you do. if you can stock those small perch in some local ponds they will grow big fast. then you have them at will in a couple years.

IceGunner · « **Reply #27 on:** Dec 28, 2015, 08:28 PM »

Interesting conversation with a local dive team member today. They were observing some underwater structure and saw BIG schools of 3" perch, leading the schools were 3-6 10" fish, followed by 10-12 6" fish then the cloud of 2-3" fish. I thought it was interesting

mt.redneck · « **Reply #28 on:** Dec 28, 2015, 08:56 PM »

Quote from: IceGunner on Dec 28, 2015, 08:28 PM

Interesting conversation with a local dive team member today. They were observing some underwater structure and saw BIG schools of 3" perch, leading the schools were 3-6 10" fish, followed by 10-12 6" fish then the cloud of 2-3" fish. I thought it was interesting

That is interesting

perch_slayer · « **Reply #29 on:** Dec 28, 2015, 09:26 PM »

some times try jigging farther off the bottom. the smaller fish might be too intimidated to travel too far off the bottom. idk if bigger bait will work because smaller perch usually don't give a damn, they will hit what ever the big guys go after.

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Author Topic: Perch (Read 2174 times)