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.