Perch Fishing

[Norco]

I have gone out Perch fishing this last week and what happens is I drill my hole drop my hook to the bottom raise it about 2'' and get a jumbo but after that all I get are dinky little perch. What are some good tactics to nail the Jumbo's, which there are alot in the lake I fish on. How High should I have the hook off the bottom?? Thanks

[Guest]

First off, where are you fishing? On larger lakes the school can move rather quickly and a bite may only last a minute or two. Sometimes only one fish is all you're getting out of these holes.

Try using a larger presentation. Smaller perch won't attack a small jigging spoon or small swimming lure as much as larger perch will. Try a more aggressive approach or drop a whole minnow down. Small teardrops tend to attract those little perch. But on the other hand, going smaller might be the trick as well. Search lures are another option.

Typically you can find perch close to the bottom but sometimes the larger perch will suspend a few feet of the bottom chasing forage. Try jigging a little higher and see what happens. Try bouncing the lure off the bottom too, that works when nothing else does sometimes. Also, try pausing longer inbetween sequences. Often times after you bang the bottom and raise it and hold you get a strike.

If I had to break it down I would say...

1)Stay mobile
2)Change technique (could be a small change or a big change)
3)Change size or color of presentation
4)Fish different depths

There are a few more details but these are the things that help me ice perch when nothing else works.

Good Fishin, Matt.

[Norco]

I am fishing on a lake in Central Saskatchewan Canada, Last Mountain Lake. I usually use hauger spoons and do bounce alot off the bottom. I will try a foot higher and see what happens! What do you guys use for perch lures??

[Guest]

I use small 1 to 1.5 inch jigging spoons packed with maggots. Small jigging rapalas tipped with a minnow head or maggots works too. I did real well on Mille Lacs last year with search lures and ratfinkee's. Depends on the situation and where I'm fishing for what lure I use.

Good Fishin, Matt.