Perch fall into the panfish species and many anglers young and old enjoy catching them. A group of them can make a nice meal but you do need several to make a meal because they normally average about 2 pounds each. If you are going fishing with your family and friends to enjoy a fun filled day on the water, fishing for perch is an excellent choice.
They are so easy to catch that this species is prefect for the beginner fisherman and for children. Perch fishing is for the angler that wants to have a good time without pressure or the expense of buying fancy equipment. The basic fishing gear will work just fine in all circumstances.
It doesn't take a lot of skill to catch perch or any special technique to reel them in by the handfuls. You mainly need a good fishing rod, a bobber and some bait and you are ready to get started. However, there are a few things that you can do to make each perch fishing trip a little more productive.
Perch fishing tips:
The best rods to use are the medium action rods combined with either a casting or a spinning reel.
When fishing for perch small hooks are recommended.
4 to 8 pound test line is recommended for the best results.
You can usually get better results when fishing with live worms instead of artificial lures.
When using artificial lures the metallic plastic minnows, spoons or other shiny models work best.
Start with the smallest size hooks when fishing for perch. Usually sizes 14, 12 or 10 are the best choices.
When netting a perch to bring him on shore or onto a boat, do so head first.
Fish different depths until you find where the fish are located then concentrate on that depth for the remainder of your fishing trip.
Only use sharp hooks at all times when fishing for any species but especially the perch. A dull hook does more harm than good.
Sometimes sinkers can be more productive than using a bobber so give it a try to see if it improves your success.
Check your line often throughout the day for damage or weak spots. You don't want to lose a catch because your line broke.
Perch will steal your bait if it's too large so stick with small pieces of bait on small hooks.
Search for areas with weedbeds, lily pads and around piers, boat docks and harbors because these are the areas where the perch will be located.
Set the hook with a sharp snap but avoid jerking the line too hard or you will pull it completely out of the mouth of the perch.
When ice fishing for perch using minnows, maggots and wax worms seem to work very well.
You will find perch to be very fruitful all along the Atlantic Coast, Midwest and in the Northwest Territories but they can be found in other locations as well. They can be caught any time of the year by simply coaxing them to take your bait. However, like most all species they are more aggressive during the spawning season.
It is important to remember that speckled perch, or black crappies, can be caught in several different ways, and it really is a matter of finding what works for you best in whatever special conditions you are fishing. The best thing you can do is a little research. Once you are familiar with the area in which you will be fishing, and the variables caused by conditions in which you will fish, you are ready to make some decisions regarding the type of tackle you will use to catch speckled perch.
You can start out with a couple of Shakespeare Wonderpoles. These are telescopic, fiberglass versions of the classic cane pole. Choose sizes from ten to twenty feet long. You can use these versatile poles for applications anywhere from putting a bait in the water beneath the low branches of a tree, or for fishing in the midst of lily pads. One of the best things about the wonderpole is that even the slightest nibble on your line will be easily evident on a Shakespeare Wonderpole.
Try rigging your wonderpole with anything from a five to ten pound test line, and make the line about as long as your pole. Tie on about a #6 size Daiichi Round Bend, Aberdeen, long shanked hook. Add a couple of split shot and a tiny cigar cork slip rig, at a one to six feet depth. Now, all you have to do is hook a mud minnow or even a Missouri minnow through the lips, and you have one of the best set ups you can get for catching specs.
Another approach is to use the exact, same line and float rig, but rather than using the same hook, use a little jig, a lead head in 1/32 to 1/64. To this, add a little soft plastic lure. A good one to use is a Mr. Wiffle in a two inch size. You could also try Exude hair or feather crappie jigs, or even a small piece of Fishbites. All you have to do is cut it to look like a curly tail on a soft plastic. Chartreuse is the color of choice, but white also works well. Another option, if you have it, is adding a spinner blade to this presentation.
Once you get this set up you can just put your poles in rod holders and troll at a slow speed. This works really well when you are trying to find where it is the fish are holding. Just set your baits at different levels, and try different colors of bait. Once you have established where it is the fish are holding and what it is they are biting, you can set your poles wherever they are holding and use the lure that seems to appeal to them the most. Just remember to adjust your depth for the speed of the boat. It holds true that if you are going faster, it will pull the bait up higher in the water. You will have to adjust that depth when you stop the boat to get into some serious fishing. Another approach is to tie more than one lure on each pole, one a few feet down from the other to pin point at what depth the fish are biting.