Canyon Ferry perch help!

[hunting-bum]

Been up to canyon ferry 4 times in the last week, we have only caught 10 perch, I am not going to fish this weekend because of the Perch Derby, too many people. We have been fishing 35-54 feet dropping everything I own still no luck. Any ideas?

[jagmt]

Been up to canyon ferry 4 times in the last week, we have only caught 10 perch, I am not going to fish this weekend because of the Perch Derby, too many people. We have been fishing 35-54 feet dropping everything I own still no luck. Any ideas?

Fishing CF can be tricky. We caught a few on Sunday in 48 feet of water. We implement the 30 minute rule, if you don't mark a fish or get a bite in thirty minutes move.  I wish i could give a a definitive this works, but the fish we caught were on all different set-ups. The only thing that they had in common was that they glowed, both orange, blue, and chartreuse...Good luck...

[MTwalleyehunter]

Its tricky out there.  Sunday they were changing bites all through the day.  Early morning they wanted eyes and wouldnt touch a maggot.   Mid-day they would only touch a secret sauce I have and nothing else.  Early afternoon they wanted spoons with ratsos dropped under them and nothing else.  By evening I was fishing big meaty throats from earlier catches and they wouldnt eat a damn maggot for nothing.   We moved once off the main ridge 42 feet instead of 46.  that was at nine thirty.  Then never moved again.   Seems like we outfished most guys that I talked too.    Yesterday, they only wanted secret sauce and we never left 42 feet all day, the big jumbos just kept coming in about every half hour.  Bite was super super soft on dead stick if you werent there on second tug they were GONE.   Couldnt buy a perch jigging.  Trout loved it though.    If you zoom in close on this fish, you will get a little clue as too what shes been eating its stuck on her side. 

[montanabob]

Nice perch!!

[iceholer]

nice fish

[kensmeat]

Nice Perch MTwalleye Hunter

[spear1]

How many post's do i need to get the secret sauce recipe .. nice fish walleye hunter..

[dabyrd]

    MTwalleye hunter,Thanks for the great report!!

[fish to live]

If I wanted to learn that lake.I would go out on derby day to see all the secret spots. GPS areas and you will learn more in one day just scouting

[lookinforpanfish]

If I wanted to learn that lake.I would go out on derby day to see all the secret spots. GPS areas and you will learn more in one day just scouting

You raise and interesting point. How do people feel about this technique of learning new spots?  We used to joke about bringing our "Butte fish locator" which consisted of a pair of binoculars to "spy" on neighboring fisherman. (People from Butte should not take this the wrong way) Another technique that has gotten popular is to do fish survey, talking to fisherman,  usually on a ATV, usually a young lad, who can quickly cover a large area. Finally another technique is to have a bunch of fellow fisherman fishing different areas, then calling each other on their cell phones to hone in on the hot spot with their vehicular mode of travel.

Personally I get more satisfaction finding a new area on my own and fishing it in relative seclusion.

[MTwalleyehunter]

On another note about this lake.  Im not sure there are too many "secret spots"  for perch in the winter.  Especially on Jumbos.  From what I can tell, and its very little. The big fish are hunting in small packs.  And not so much in great big schools like other lakes.   I have played the run and gun game alot and sometimes it definitely pays off.  But mostly I put myself in the "zone" mostly I believe has to do with depth contours. And stay put for a couple hours   Its a relatively flat  boring lake.  South puts you shallower, North deeper.    So if anything I will move either of those directions.  But I will share two major successes I have out there.  One is I change up baits ALOT if I have fish on the flashers, or if my neighbors are getting them and Im not.  If the bit goes slow, I change, if its hot on something I change all rods to that bait.   And here is another thing I have been noticing and this one is purely theory.  And its pulling at me a little to give this away, but I figure I learn as much as I tell on here so here goes.   I know where there are a few big piles of trees on the lake now.  I have been going to these piles and fishing the perimeters, maybe 50 yards away on the DOWN stream side.   And getting some real consistent fishing.  Not because I think the fish are using the piles so much.  But I think the things they are hunting, especially the bug life is.  And for some reason if I fish too close to the piles I dont do well.  But if I move off I find hunting fish.  Its not a sure thing by any means.  But the percentage seems to be high. 

[Born Late]

Good info and nice yeller there, MTWH. I left the ice early Sunday to make it home by kickoff time but it was tough sledding for a lot of folks (including me).

[Shakedown St.]

Great info guys, thanks for sharing.   I am trying to figure this lake out too...soft water included.

[hunting-bum]

I keep hearing about piles of trees on the bottom of the lake, but no one seems willing to share their location. Heading up on Friday to try to catch some fish before the dreby, I don't like fishing close to others, or I would hit up the deeby .

[Born Late]

There are Christmas tree piles all over our neighborhood in Helena although hooking a perch seems unlikely.     Not sure who is supposed to be picking them up for bundling but it sure as heck isn't getting done this year.