Suspended Perch?

[smontague]

Hey guys,

The last few times I`ve been out fishing pike, I usually make a few deeper holes ( 26-32 FOW ) to jig for perch.

I`ve been catching all my pike from 18-25 FOW, and near dark, I mark a bunch of fish on my sonar, ( fishing in 27 FOW ) anywhere between 22-15 feet.

I can only assume they`re perch, but try as I might, I can`t get a hit out of them. I`ve tried everything. Buckshots, jigs, slender spoons, bro bugs, everything. Tipped with minnows, naked, everything, and nothing. I`m going to take out the aqua view on Monday, to verify that they are in fact perch, but my question is, what tricks do you guys have for tricking suspended perch?

[GCD]

Suspended fish can be difficult because they're resting and inactive.

Let us know what they are when you take the camera out, and if you get them to bite.

[jeffro9023]

A lot of times in a lake towards dark bugs like scuds begin to get active and can clutter your sonar...and u can't rule out smelt, alewives, emerald shiners  gizzard shad red fin shiners or golden shiners ill be curious to find out as well

[CharlieBrn]

Suspended fish can be difficult because they're resting and inactive.

Let us know what they are when you take the camera out, and if you get them to bite.

Exactly right when they are horizontal in the suspended column very negative.  Now if they were suspended and verticle in the column, then you'd have your answer already. Please do let us know what you see cause they could also be crappie.

[GCD]

Please do let us know what you see cause they could also be crappie.

Not too many Crappies in Q-beck Charlie, I'm thinking maybe Tullibees.

[laclabiche walleye hunter]

Im also wondering if there not tullibees as well let us no when you find out i have not seen alot of perch suspended in the colom but never no.

[smontague]

The only available forage in the lake in question is smelt, perch and pumpkinseeds.

My lake is devoid of shiners.

Are perch more apt to travel to shallower water during the pre dusk period? I can`t wait till monday to find out. May pop out tonight after work if time permits.

[smontague]

I`ve never seen/heard of a tulibee ( cisco  for those who had to google it as I did ) in the lake, and I`ve lived next to it my entire life.  But, you never know.

[GCD]

Could it be Troot suspending side by each down there?

[gillyman]

IN a lake I fish regularly perch come off the bottom right about dark and you are right, tough to catch

[smontague]

Went out yesterday, not a single flag, marked some fish in the middle of the afternoon, but couldn`t get those suspended ghosts to come up near dark. I will try again though.

[slipperybob]

Only one lake I've fish was there suspended perch that didn't bite.  All other lakes I've encountered with perch roaming mid-water column, they were active feeders.

[Jigmup]

My experience has been that suspended perch are much more aggresive than the ones holding tight to the bottom. Your situation sounds unique and I would guess that the other poster describing forage becoming active at this time is what is happening. On my local reservoir where I walleye fish, small shad bunch up and litter my vex screen at the twilight periods. Of course the walleyes are right there with them (suspended) but differentiating between several shad and one walleye can be frustrating......until l the mark flies up and crushes it. I've jigged shad many times hoping that it was an eye....comes with the territory I guess!

[pot-belly-perch]

They are alewifes    I see it all the time      thease fish wont bite the hook     I got one  with-on my  ice skimmer  lol     laying flatside

[smontague]

They are in fact perch. Confirmed last week. Still can't get em to bite.