Do perch always sallow a minnow head first?

[FISH2163]

Do perch always sallow a minnow head first?

On Saturday, the group that I fish with caught about 50 to 60 perch. Better than half of them were caught on minnows below a bobber. All the ones that I unhooked had the minnow head first down the gullet. I just don’t remember noticing this when I've caught them in open water. I'm curious if any one with a camera system has noticed this or whether it's just a coincidence.

Don't get excited, the majority of them were dinks.

[FISH2163]

swallow

[JJ]

Pretty much every fish that swallows another fish whole does so head first. Fish swim head first and everything folds backwards: fins, spines, gill plates, etc.; they just go down easier head first.

[sodussut]

i always hook my minnows through the eyes or the lips. Seems to work great for perch, walleye and pike!

[BigJay]

Not always, but usually.  When perch are feeding extremely aggresively they often go for the biggest part of the body they see first.  Outside of those occasions, the head is where its at.

[Dull Hooks]

 Always head first for me... All live bait , and when I use a small jiggin rap I almost always get them on the front hook. Very rarely on the back hook or the small treble on the bottom. I take the small treble off though , tired of it tangling in the weeds nearly loosing it.

 I think when a larger fish goes to eat a smaller one the eye acts as a target. JMO

[skidplate]

Almost all fish will almost always try to eat fish head first.  They are streamlined that way for swimming and it works out well for the gullet.  They all seen to know that.  That being said if the fish being eaten is tiny in comparison to the eater, they'll just suck em' in.

[FrankM]

That's why I always hook my perch minnows in the back with the hook point coming out just behind the head.

[GDominy12]

Most fish will eat another fish head first.

[JJ]

While we are talking about how a fishes swallows a baitfish, I'll add an interesting note. Several times(at least 4) while trolling stickbaits off downriggers for lakers in the spring I have had two fish on one lure. Every time it was a perch on the back hook and a largemouth on the front hook. I'll have to look for a pic.

[CrappieAssasin42]

THEY DO IT THE SAME WAY I EAT MINNOWS...HEAD FIRST!!! IM TELLIN YA SOMETIMES I GET HUNGRY OUT THERE!!!




KEEP ON JIGGIN'

[fishinfurkarma]

Ive herd that sometimes they will chase them and therefore catch em tail first n then run wit them and kill them then drop them so they can take them head first to eat them.  Some say to wait for the second run on a laker for this reason.  I myself am switching to a quick strike rig with small hooks on the advice of a friend... that way i hook em no mater what end they take first

[fatboy8]

Most fish will eat baitfish head first for the simple reason that it goes down easier.

[Sullymon]

Pretty much every fish that swallows another fish whole does so head first. Fish swim head first and everything folds backwards: fins, spines, gill plates, etc.; they just go down easier head first.

I agree ... ask any fish biologist and they will tell you the same.  They swallow head first 99% of the time.  I catch many fish where you can see the tail fin of thier previous meal, like a shad tail sticking out of a bass's throat.

[PERCHKILLER30]

Yea I'm a firm believer to that they hit head first I always hook my minnow 2times first 1 is middle back than just behind the head leaving that by the hook so when they hit the head a hook isn't far behind it always works for me open water and hard water but I do have the camera and watch em hit they go for head first but a lot of time the camera keeps em away there scared I think so I preffer my vexilar get more fish wit it

[IFISHY]

they always try to swallow them head first because of the physics of the situation but will catch them anyway they can as baits get bigger and faster you often see predators grab them sideways because thats how they catch them and hold on and run to wound the fish than turn it to swallow it interesting side note my mudpuppy (pet) swallos them however i have seen a pike minnow go down sideways he had to fold it in his mouth to do it impressive and a little scary yes I love having a mudpuppy as a pet.

[howesfc]

When I fish Crappie and Perch I use a horizontal Jig and hook bait up through the head and have caught plenty!
And most of the lures I own have the head with eyes in the front and the hook at the tail?

[Grady95]

I agree ... ask any fish biologist and they will tell you the same.  They swallow head first 99% of the time.  I catch many fish where you can see the tail fin of thier previous meal, like a shad tail sticking out of a bass's throat.

Sullymon,
I'll have to agree with you.  Thinking back to all the fish I have ever caught with something in the mouth, I can only remember it one way, and that is head in the throat with the tail section up in the mouth.  Not a very scientific way to answer the question maybe, but my "Good ol' boy" logic says they generally go for the head.
I have had some exceptions though.  Surfcasting for Stripers is one.  We throw 3 oz bottle plugs and swim them back to shore.  On many occasions, the stripers will come up under the plug and bat it out of the water with their tails then whack it when it hits the water.  Quite a sight.  Also, trolling muskies on the St Lawrence, I have had them leap up while trailing a trolled bait and dive back down onto the thing.  Now that's a show!  Can't tell if they are trying to get a good shot at the head or not.
As a rule, if I am using small minnows for perch, i will hook the body behind the dorsal fin.  I do think perch like to hit up.  I think a minnow hooked this way swims down, head first.  I get a lot of hook-ups and the hook is most often in the roof of the mouth.
Just thought I'd throw my useless two cents in!  Good luck out there
Stay Sharp, Be Safe
Grady

[FISH2163]

I do a lot of open water site fishing for them on Tully Lake. For the most part it's just a fat head hooked through the lips; no bobber, no added weight. Almost every time the perch will swim up behind the minnow and stop short, watch it for a couple of seconds, and then hit it from behind. That's usually when it set the hook. I have never seen one swim around to the front of the minnow to line up on its head. I just wondering if they do a hit and spit to stun them so they can take them head first. That could explain why I'm missing so many when I'm ice fishing for them.