Bait for Perch this time of year

[Moneray]

I've been fishing perch all winter long and find this time of year they seem to be feeding on smaller bugs and leaving the minnows and larger baits alone.  Now this could be different on each lake due to the aquatic life in the water but I would like to get you take on this.  On the weekend I put a minnow on and nothing for 2 hours.  I fished maggots less than 3 feet away and caught 20 nice perch with lots of sorting.

Your thoughts...

[poorfisherman]

I will go meal worms and eyes before anything else. Then minnow heads and rum.

[anglerbrian]

I will go meal worms and eyes before anything else. Then minnow heads and rum.

Sounds good  how long do you soak the minnow heads in the Rum?

[captain54]

Simple,give them what they want,try different baits and go with whats producing.

[silvah]

Coctail shrimp, eyeballs, minnows, mealworms, maggots, power bait.

[darkwater777]

You also have to look at where you are fishing. Certain spots on a lake such as a muddy or sticky bottom is a breeding grounds for all sorts of water bugs/worms. I usually try and find an area like this with my flasher and load my jig with maggies or mealworms and usually have a great day of decent sized perch. If Im fishing an area that's rocky thats stacked with minnows I throw on a minnow head and usually do well. I always follow the motto of trout fisherman "match the hatch" and it works well. Of course one can always throw a trusty perch eye on and do well just about anywhere and not have to worry about the little buggers bait robbing.

Cheers!!

[The Beachcomber]

Corn has worked well for me at Blackstrap in the past!

[silvah]

Corn has worked well for me at Blackstrap in the past!

I have seen someone get a ticket from a CO on crooked lake many years ago for fishing off a dock with corn. I don't think this is legal unless something has changed.

[ran7ger]

 i'd have an awful hard time believing that there silvah.  corn is widely used for perch and trout and i've heard all the bs fish can't digest it and then i've heard it argued the other way and could care less.  bottom line, no way is it illegal to use corn as bait in sk.

[pawlukja]

i'd have an awful hard time believing that there silvah.  corn is widely used for perch and trout and i've heard all the bs fish can't digest it and then i've heard it argued the other way and could care less.  bottom line, no way is it illegal to use corn as bait in sk.

never thought of corn for perch before might have to try it......i do know that nothing can digest corn....sounds gross but eat some corn and the next time you have a crap you will see that all of the corn looks exactly like it did before....can't remember why but it can't be digested.....oh well if it works and i aint going to go to fish jail for using it i don't see a problem

[silvah]

i'd have an awful hard time believing that there silvah.  corn is widely used for perch and trout and i've heard all the bs fish can't digest it and then i've heard it argued the other way and could care less.  bottom line, no way is it illegal to use corn as bait in sk.

After looking it up, I don't see it mentioned at all in the guide book or on the government website. Perhaps my memory has failed me.

Thanks for the correction.

[The Spoon]

Beef heart, and any scrap meat of deer,moose,ect. havent had luck with duck tho. I even heard on Jon Goremly (sp?) on morning once in the summer that raisins work. I personally think on some days u could throw almost anything to do with meat on the end of a hook and it doesnt matter. Ive witnessed people that Ive been fishing with catch walleye on hotdogs at Dunnet reservoir. Its ok Silvah i beleive you

[Natwild]

Piece of bacon melted to the hook with a lighter so they cant steal it as easy.

lol this was the first way I learnt to catch em on hanley and bradwell and it does work good.

[MYATUK]

Thats funny I never used bacon untill I ran out of liver last year on a trip and I cought more perch with the bacon that weekend. I still love using a homemade bait made of shrip pellets from a fish store blended up with egg and liquid powerbait to make a dough, sticks on the hook well and for the price you get alot. Works great for trout too!

[poorfisherman]

I think we could all agree that perch even though small are garbage guts hungry only when I'm not fishing and will take anything. Except a DSI.