PERCH ON ICE

      Pretty much everyone who goes ice-fishing likes to catch perch.  Perch are plentiful throughout the Midwest, they can be easy to catch, and they are absolutely great on the table.  There are lots of anglers who drive hundreds of miles to fish for perch for a day or two.  There’s no doubt about it; perch are good stuff when it comes to ice-fishing.
 When the perch are active, there is no real secret to success.  Put a spoon in their face and most of the time they are going to take it.  However, there are a few things you can do to catch even more perch when they’re biting, and there are also a few things you can do to catch a few when they aren’t so active.

 Perch will almost always be near the bottom, frequently in twenty to over thirty feet of water.  When they’re hungry, I like to use a heavier than necessary spoon.  One of my favorites is the new Buck-Shot Rattle Spoon.  This spoon is available in several sizes.  When the perch are hungry they will hit the big spoon just as readily as the small one.  The advantage of the big spoon is that it will sink to the bottom quicker, therefore getting in the fish zone faster.  I’ve seen quite a few times when the person using the bigger spoon caught more fish simply because their spoon got to the fish faster.  Also, instead of using a minnow head on the spoon, use a couple of Power Wigglers.  You won’t need to re-bait as often.

 If, after catching several perch through the same hole, they slow down, change lure color.  The perch will at times become conditioned to a particular color.  Changing colors will sometimes help you fool a few more fish.

 When fishing is tough, watch your depth-finder very closely.  If you see a fish follow the bait up off the bottom but not hit, do something differently.  Maybe go to a smaller bait, a different color, work it slower, just alter what you’re doing.  If what you’re doing doesn’t work, do something else.

 If you’re using a sonar device and it is tuned properly, it isn’t going to lie to you.  If you’re not seeing fish, move to another hole.  Don’t spend too much time in an unproductive hole.  I have used a Zercom LCF-40 ever since there has been an LCF-40.  It is a great ice-fishing tool that has helped me catch lots of perch through the ice.
 When the fish are finicky, light line will help you catch a few more.  I don’t like to go lighter than two or three pound test Cold Weather Line though.  4/1 FireLine is my favorite for perch.

 Perch populations are like any other fish population.  They can be fished down, especially in small lakes.  Certainly keep a few for the table, but also put a few back if they are in good health.  They’re good to eat, but if we keep them all, it won’t take long for the numbers to decrease dramatically.  And that would be a bad deal for a fish that can provide so much enjoyment for so many people.

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