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Ice Fishing Tips -Check your local regulations! => Perch => Topic started by: perchman47 on Feb 09, 2010, 12:46 AM

Title: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: perchman47 on Feb 09, 2010, 12:46 AM
i always hear guys talking about keeping fish over 10 or 11 inches. when i go out i look for the 8-10 inchers because they ae alot easier to clean with a regular fillet knife, and i think what i get off a perch that size is worth it. yes i enjoy catching big perch i have caught some over 13 inches this year and kept a few but i still think a 9 inch male perch has the best tasting fillet out of any fish out there
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: GotEmHooked on Feb 09, 2010, 12:54 AM
i always hear guys talking about keeping fish over 10 or 11 inches. when i go out i look for the 8-10 inchers because they ae alot easier to clean with a regular fillet knife, and i think what i get off a perch that size is worth it. yes i enjoy catching big perch i have caught some over 13 inches this year and kept a few but i still think a 9 inch male perch has the best tasting fillet out of any fish out there

              buy a leech lake fillet knife!!...i broke down and bought one it is the best knife in the u.s
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: fingerlaker on Feb 09, 2010, 05:56 AM
8" and over is plenty good enough for me!!
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: roughice on Feb 09, 2010, 07:45 AM
Anything over 8" is a keeper in this neck of the woods  :icefish:
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: fishermantim4 on Feb 09, 2010, 08:11 AM
with smaller fish the males are worth it for me to clean, the females that size get to go back in my hut
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: perchman47 on Feb 09, 2010, 10:15 AM
i would take a plate full of smaller fillets over just a few fillets from bigger ones. and i do think the smaller ones taste better
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: PerchPirate97 on Feb 10, 2010, 11:30 PM
9" +
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: tench on Feb 10, 2010, 11:34 PM
Anything over 8, but I don't fillet my perch.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: GotEmHooked on Feb 11, 2010, 11:55 AM
Anything over 8, but I don't fillet my perch.

       why not?...i bet you will now....if not ur a dummy..........
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: tench on Feb 11, 2010, 12:48 PM
GotEmHooked- I've got my way to do it, works good when you've got buckets to do after an outing.
Zip your knife, blade up, down both sides of the fins on the back, then pull that fin up from the back foreward.
Put your thumb between the meat and skin on one side then the other, at the start of these cuts. This separates the skin from the meat.
Cut straight down at the start of your first cuts until you break the backbone.
Grab the meat where that cut meets the other two, pull the meat out of the skin.
Meat comes out clean, then all you have to do is cut off the belly bones.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: tench on Feb 11, 2010, 12:54 PM
GotEmHooked- I've got my way to do it, works good when you've got buckets to do after an outing.
Zip your knife, blade up, down both sides of the fins on the back, then pull that fin up from the back foreward.
Put your thumb between the meat and skin on one side then the other, at the start of these cuts. This separates the skin from the meat.
Cut straight down at the start of your first cuts until you break the backbone.
Grab the meat where that cut meets the other two, pull the meat out of the skin.
Meat comes out clean, then all you have to do is cut off the belly bones.

Just watched that vid, thats how I've done it since I was like 8, thats not a fillet...
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: slipperybob on Feb 11, 2010, 04:48 PM
I usually don't start keeping perch until I've caught a nice 10-11 incher.  Then I will consider keeping some 9 inchers.  I will usually catch them again even after I release them, who knows...
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: silvercliff_46 on Feb 15, 2010, 07:44 PM
with smaller fish the males are worth it for me to clean, the females that size get to go back in my hut

and once you get them back in your hut..., what happens then......, never mind I don't want to know. ::) :o
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: webster on Oct 11, 2010, 02:06 PM
depends how hungry i am for a fish fry
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Tainterslayer on Oct 11, 2010, 02:15 PM
If I'm planning on taking home a good catch then I will keep anything over a 7 inches.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: nove on Oct 11, 2010, 07:09 PM
I put any perch under 8" back down the hole,so they can "grow-up"
nove
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: howesfc on Oct 11, 2010, 07:31 PM
depends how hungry i am for a fish fry

x2
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: silvercliff_46 on Oct 11, 2010, 07:50 PM
Depends what the lake your fishing has to offer.  My near by lake has a lot of small perch, yet I try to keep only 8" and over.  If I deep hook a small one I take it home.  Fishing a lake with jumbo's in it..., why keep even 8"
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: bart on Oct 11, 2010, 08:01 PM
9" +




Same here...
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: pooley on Oct 12, 2010, 01:56 AM
8" and up.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Grumpyoldman on Oct 12, 2010, 04:27 AM
Any trout of legal size. Everything else goes back.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: surflizard on Oct 12, 2010, 05:05 AM
I got a chance to fish a private pond years ago, the owner wanted it cleaned out so he could turn it into a trout pond. We certainly took our share that day !! :thumbsup: :icefish: :icefish:
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/lael19533/Militia/IMG_0004.jpg)
Those planks are 2x10, so I'd say 9" plus ! :thumbsup: :icefish:
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: michianafisherman on Oct 12, 2010, 06:18 AM
At one time if I only caught a few fish I would give them away. Then one time I caught a big mess and it took so long to clean them I was up way to late cleaning them. I figured out that I can clean a few fish in minutes and throw them in the freezer. A few small batches makes a nice meal and I am not as tired the next day. I will keep a 7 inch perch, if needed. If I have caught enough 8's and 9's the 7's go back. I don't need allot of fish to make me happy.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Layne on Nov 16, 2010, 05:12 PM
I personally think the smaller ones are the best eating, the bigger ones arent nearly as good. In the winter im happy with 7-9 inchers but I will keep them up to 11-12, anything bigger goes back.

 :tipup:
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: silvercliff_46 on Nov 16, 2010, 08:33 PM
I'm betting with the job situation, and the cost of food sky rocketing, "Catch & Release" will be put on hold, in many cases.  Who can blame them.

I offer a lot of catches to older folks who can use them.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: littlesturgeonguy on Nov 16, 2010, 08:37 PM
9+
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: surflizard on Nov 17, 2010, 04:46 AM
I'm betting with the job situation, and the cost of food sky rocketing, "Catch & Release" will be put on hold, in many cases.  Who can blame them.

I offer a lot of catches to older folks who can use them.
I hear ya there Silvercliff, I have an elderly couple that love the Perch and Crappie and I make sure that they get some fillets when I target the Panfish !
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: bluegillhunter3694 on Nov 17, 2010, 06:02 PM
8"+
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Sinnian on Nov 17, 2010, 07:08 PM
Any size the eagles want!  ~j/k (sort of)

On my home lake we slam the crappies, but occasionally get a school of YP coming through and we'll keep the 12"+ fish, and feed the eagles the smaller ones.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: jigginPig on Nov 17, 2010, 07:13 PM
36 24 36 with vocal chords removed ;D
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: WildOutdoorAddict on Nov 17, 2010, 07:21 PM
24 36 24 with vocal chords removed ;D
That's Great!  If they we're still in existence today! This could be filed under "the perfect catch" also!  ::)
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: jjc155 on Nov 18, 2010, 05:51 PM
For me if I can lay the perch on my hand with its nose at the tip of my middle finger and its tail is fully off my hand and on my wrist its a keeper, which for me is just over 8.5inches.
J-
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Wiener on Nov 19, 2010, 09:14 AM
Any perch worth the trouble of cleaning.

I don't want to be eating small perch "nibblets"

I want a nice piece of fish that is worth my time to clean, cook and eat.


Wiener
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: tonebea on Nov 19, 2010, 09:25 AM
Depends what I'm catching. If they're all small, I'll keep a few. If I can get some bigger fish, all the small ones go back.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: perchhound on Nov 28, 2010, 06:50 PM
Go along with my wife... has to be 10" ;D
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: toocheaptosmoke on Nov 29, 2010, 10:58 PM


Now that's pretty cool, never seen it done that way before.   I'm an electric knife guy, only way to go when there's a pile of 200+ laying in the cooler.  ;D   Like others have said, my definition of a keeper depends on how hungry I am, but I guess 7" is about the absolute smallest.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Mainehazmt on Dec 02, 2010, 08:44 AM



Same here...
bart bart bart   Im suprised at you!   LOL   
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Raquettedacker on Dec 02, 2010, 08:47 AM



Same here...




                          :clap: :thumbsup: :clap: :thumbsup:
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Woodsman on Dec 02, 2010, 05:52 PM
24 36 24 with vocal chords removed ;D

You guys in the US must be different from us Canadians. ::)
Here most of us aren't into flat chested, big bellied, no butt women. :o :o
Now 36-24-36 or even somewhat close is a target species. ;D
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: jigginPig on Dec 02, 2010, 07:26 PM
I thought nobody noticed! ;D Its all about the cutter :thumbsup:
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: perchguy on Dec 06, 2010, 03:13 PM
9+
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Aaron072 on Dec 08, 2010, 07:51 AM
8+ maybe really fat 7
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: gould on Dec 09, 2010, 04:31 AM
8" and up in the bucket. :icefish:
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: fishermanna82 on Dec 14, 2010, 04:40 PM
i keep 9 inchers, 8 inchers if i am catching a lot of them
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Gopher on Ice on Oct 22, 2012, 05:59 PM
How do you tell if the perch are male or female.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Whytie on Oct 23, 2012, 12:17 AM
females are usually round and fat with a large bump on their head, males longer and slimmer and not much of a bump on the head. most fish kept are the females they grow larger than the males.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: meatman on Oct 23, 2012, 09:55 AM
9-10 inchers can keep. i try to throw the big females back if im not fishing deep water.  if the swim bladder blows up they all keep.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: bart on Oct 23, 2012, 09:59 AM
9-10 inchers can keep. i try to throw the big females back if im not fishing deep water.  if the swim bladder blows up they all keep.



About same here, I occasionally have a difficult time throwing back a real fatty.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: BudMan on Oct 23, 2012, 11:18 AM
6" and up. Big females back down the hole they go!
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: delta9 on Oct 24, 2012, 04:54 PM
24 36 24 with vocal chords removed ;D
yes  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: SLAYERFISH on Oct 30, 2012, 11:56 AM
depends how hungry i am for a fish fry

X2!
 I prefer NOT to keep any under 8" if possible.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: vt-jig on Dec 13, 2012, 07:58 AM
I personally try to stick to 8-9"+ but one of the spots i fish they are wicked overpopulated so sometimes Ill keep some smaller ones.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Mainehazmt on Dec 14, 2012, 10:02 AM
personally I let the eagles decide what perch to keep   they all get tossed out on the ice
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: gooner on Dec 15, 2012, 09:04 PM
I like perch to be 8-12 " anything smaller goes back anything bigger goes back. But that's just me. I usually fish for fun, and mostly catch and release. But will keep once in a while
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: captain54 on Dec 15, 2012, 09:13 PM
Perch 9" crappie 10" gills 8.5"
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: SDfisher on Dec 17, 2012, 05:10 PM
8 an up, 2nd best tasting only bluegill are better, i guess maybe cause we have way more perch here than gills
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: rayfish on Dec 28, 2012, 08:37 PM
10 inch plus anything smaller a pain to clean!
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Jig4M on Dec 28, 2012, 08:49 PM
(http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c180/BobBabinski/101_0010.jpg) :whistle:
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: twincities86 on Dec 03, 2013, 04:00 PM
and once you get them back in your hut..., what happens then......, never mind I don't want to know. ::) :o


Lol
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Christopher K on Dec 03, 2013, 05:22 PM
9+, anything else is a dink   ;)
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Van_Cleaver on Dec 03, 2013, 10:55 PM
I think it depends on the water you fish; a lot of lakes around here 10'' is pretty common so that's what I'm looking for. Obviously if 9.5 is the top end I'll adjust. I also like to throw back the big females on the rare occasions when I find more than one of them.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: junobeans on Dec 07, 2013, 07:55 PM
8 and above I fillet em
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: filetandrelease on Dec 08, 2013, 07:48 AM


depends on the body of water I fish and how hungry I am ,
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: tightliner812 on Dec 08, 2013, 10:54 AM

depends on the body of water I fish and how hungry I am ,

X2
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: bart on Dec 08, 2013, 11:00 AM
It's relative...
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Micro-Ice on Dec 14, 2013, 03:02 PM
8" is the cut off.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: SeisMec on Dec 15, 2013, 06:39 AM
For around here

Perch 10" - 12"
walleye 18" - 22"
Pike 18" - 24"
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: VDueslerIV on Dec 19, 2013, 09:23 AM
IF IT'LL MAKE ME A NICE LIL SAMICH......we will keep em..otherwise its catch and release
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: cleatus on Jan 11, 2014, 05:29 PM
i like the smaller ones...they go on a hook

Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: cleatus on Jan 11, 2014, 05:36 PM
anything that tastes good
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Cphill72 on Jan 18, 2014, 10:10 PM
8" in the lake I fish most often.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: fishingPole on Jan 20, 2014, 07:03 AM
Like most, about 8 inches is the minimum length.  For the most part, roe filled females go back down the hole, especially the bigger ones.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Super-ice-bird on Jan 20, 2014, 02:30 PM
Usually 8 inch plus, but some lakes a fish are deep and the fish blow up(swim bladder). In those lakes if it gets reeled up it goes on the ice.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: conesuscrab on Feb 14, 2014, 11:44 AM
8" and above. Smaller just aren't worth filleting.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: soduswaternut on Feb 14, 2014, 01:28 PM
There's have been times on Seneca where if it's not 12" it's going back. Ya it's that good  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Sikaman on Feb 17, 2014, 08:46 PM
14"
These two where close to 16"
(http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac355/sikaman_photos/047E0596-C0CC-496A-9919-65BC6941E204-4323-000004410B30ECD5_zpse7a525cd.jpg)
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Townie on Feb 18, 2014, 01:42 PM
Removing 14-15" perch will negatively affect a trophy fishery.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Sikaman on Feb 19, 2014, 01:59 AM
Removing 14-15" perch will negatively affect a trophy fishery.
Jealous much.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Townie on Feb 19, 2014, 01:51 PM
Lol not at all; my pb is 14"-- I treat 'em like any trophy fish, back down the hole to breed. I have plenty of perch fillets in freezer. Are those jumbos common in your spot? Seems like a waste... BTW those fish are some of the best perch I've seen on IS.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Sikaman on Feb 20, 2014, 08:02 AM
Lol not at all; my pb is 14"-- I treat 'em like any trophy fish, back down the hole to breed. I have plenty of perch fillets in freezer. Are those jumbos common in your spot? Seems like a waste... BTW those fish are some of the best perch I've seen on IS.
I was only trying to be funny .
This lake is loaded!!!! With yumbos 14-16"
And the few I keep every year has "0" effect on population.
I can say that beacause , I've been catching them every year like this for a long time.
They are in water so deep no one else even try's.
And they can't be released . They are blown up when I finale get them on the ice.
I've never caught one under 14" in this deep water.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Townie on Feb 20, 2014, 12:13 PM
Now I am jealous! Sounds like heaven...
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: OBIce on Jan 17, 2015, 06:21 PM
7+
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: fowl_language on Jan 31, 2015, 11:01 PM
Depends on what body of water I'm fishing.

One lake I fish a keeper is 12" plus.  Most common fish come around 14.5".

Another lake it's 10" plus, hardly ever find a jumbo, you're lucky if you get one over 12", so you take what you can get.

On the Mississippi river back in college it was 9-10" for a keeper but those fish had backstraps like an Elk!

It all depends on the fishery and how slow the day is, some are stunted, some are prolific! Just depends.  It's extremely hard to over fish a perch fishery unless you live in a very densely human populated area, or there has been some sort of strain on natural reproduction...i.e. spiny water flea, goby etc.

I love perch, catching them, eating them, letting them go... It all depends on the fishery IMHO.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: 870comp on Feb 25, 2015, 08:02 AM
7"
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: stones21 on Feb 27, 2015, 11:12 AM
We go with, if it's 8 then it's ate.
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Jigmup on Feb 27, 2015, 12:37 PM
I was only trying to be funny .
This lake is loaded!!!! With yumbos 14-16"
And the few I keep every year has "0" effect on population.
I can say that beacause , I've been catching them every year like this for a long time.
They are in water so deep no one else even try's.
And they can't be released . They are blown up when I finale get them on the ice.
I've never caught one under 14" in this deep water.
Same scenario with the lakes I fish. Super deep and 90% of the fish are hogs! Can't let them go...they will just die. Haven't seen any impact on the fishery. I usually keep 20 or 30 from each lake I fish, all of them pigs!
Title: Re: what do you consider a keeper?
Post by: Super-ice-bird on Feb 27, 2015, 11:01 PM
9 inch plus