What do you do with small perch that won't go back down the hole?

[Conklin]

I usually try to stuff them back down with my laddle, but in deep water it won't work. Fertilizer for the garden I guess.

[river_scum]

Yes cat food. If your fishing perch in deep water your just killing them anyhow. Chin with them i guess.

I did some fizzing tests several yrs back on here. Didn't pan out to de feasable.

Maybe you could make one of those deals that take them back down and releases them at bottom? Seem like a pain. And im not convinced it still doesn't harm the fish.
Best to leave them be. Imo

[BeenPerchin315]

Let them swim around in the hole until they swim away or expire. If they swim away they should be fine. IMO.
It’s what I do anyways.
Best luck tight lines
Perchin

[Neil McCauley]

Never had one fail to swim out of the hole. But if they're <9" and gut hooked or something and a goner I'll put them on a tip up for pike.

[Rebelss]

Eat it.

[62&done]

Birds gotta eat    Maybe the local eagle will find them

[HWeber]

One week people are complaining about tv fisherman removing perch eyes without killing them the next week we're taking about stuffing them half dead down the hole  Personally I fillet any that don't seem like they'll make it even if I just get a potato chip off them, gotta be pretty darn small to not get anything off them

[NOT ME]

I'm not touching this one.

[Iceassin]

I'm not touching this one.

As your profile name says... But I'm with you. 

[HWeber]

https://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=385776.msg4200668#msg4200668
 

[Oldtimer]

Pickle them…

[trapper2000]

Never had one fail to swim out of the hole. But if they're <9" and gut hooked or something and a goner I'll put them on a tip up for pike.

9 inch perch  i'm eatting it

[BeenPerchin315]

9 inch perch  i'm eatting it

That’s cuz your a carnivore and a member of peta.
People
Eating
Tasty
Animals

Lol
Perchin

[krispcritter]

Use them for bait. I've put them on a bigger hook, back down the hole and gotten bigger ones off it.

[river_scum]

Use them for bait. I've put them on a bigger hook, back down the hole and gotten bigger ones off it.

x2 they make great tip up baits.  very hardy last forever struggling down there. our go to(legal here)bait for longer than i remember.

you could always do this to them and fry.  do it as soon as you catch it and toss in cooler of ice.  chum more in with the carcass(also legal in my state).
oldy but a goody.

[icecicle eddie]

usually, the sea gulls are standing by waiting to throw them one

[Conklin]

I've tried a knife to pop their bladders before but doesn't really work well. See a lot of coyotes where I fish, so better to leave them there to feed the circle of life.

[Adironzach]

perfect fertilizer. my tomato's love perch and pickerel

[missoulafish]

Dont fish that deep and wont have the issue.

[threewack]

I cleaned and cooked one the size of a #2 pencil once,Not as many bites as the 14 1/2 jumbos but tasty nun the less,I would do it again.

[Conklin]

Dont fish that deep and wont have the issue.

great idea. no need to catch jumbos and weed through a few disposable dinks. fertilizer is an amazing idea. pumpkin food for the grandkids patch.

[missoulafish]

great idea. no need to catch jumbos and weed through a few disposable dinks. fertilizer is an amazing idea. pumpkin food for the grandkids patch.

Fantastic mentality

[Gamalot]

Thiefs!

[Adironzach]

I put all my winter guts in our compost pile .... not sure if it helps the garden or not not but it doesn't hurt ....

absolutely helps. I save dink pannies and most of my cleaning scraps (head, skin, guts <i toss the spine>) and throw it all into the garden come spring. If you use them in potted plants, it will smell for a day or so but it dissipates quickly.

[river_scum]

Thiefs!

i had that happen to me.  by time i got camera out he was lifting off with it.  got the pic somewhere.  i started putting them in my bucket after that.  silver lk had a dog that would take fish too. lol