OK, what am I doing wrong...

[branhamautomotive]

i will be a witness to the perch skills of skipper 9 i think he just have to look over the boat and the fish just jump in the cooler. Something we have done to help get the bit going is a simple jar witha lid many hole in it fillt full of water and a dozen or so shinners drop it over the side with a small rope tied around the jar....nothing like a free meal on bottom they cant get to. not a 100% thing but has helped before

[LAST CAST]

This might help.
Make sure you use Emerald Shinners either frozen or alive.
Use a #6 gold sharp hook.
I always insert the hook from the tail then back towards the head. Perch almost always swallow the head first so if the hook is in the head area the better.
I start with gold blade spreader and if not bitting I go to small silver blade spreader or no blades at all.
Drop to the bottom let sit for about 1 or 2 minutes then raise your rod very slowly if you feel a small tap or just a tug set the hook if you feel a fish on the other end reel up if not back down to the bottom.
Sometimes you might have to let on the bottom for a longer time.
If you do not catch anything in 30 minutes or nothing on your screen, move.
Hope this helps.
LAST CAST.

[skipper9]

If any of you guys plan to go out on a perch charter any time soon and you are a really good perch fisherman. You may want to go out with wayne to give him some pointers for our perch off. LOL

[ENGINERIE]

When is the big fish off?

[skipper9]

I am still having to much fishing for walleye to switch over to perch when i do we will get something together

[Wolverine81]

Guys,
Wasn't trying to stir things up, if salted/frozen minnows work great for you, then by all means, use them. I did fish alongside a friend once who had salted minnows and ended up with 6 fish to my boat limit of 60 during the same time frame in the same place. I had bait left over from the previous day when no else could get minnows. Pieces of fresh bait work as well as whole for me and I do just as well with goldies as emeralds. I generally fish after 3:30 PM and after you pull a school of fish to the boat, the bite is almost always up & down. I don't know how many times 2-3 fish come up with the hooked fish. Perch are like schoolie dolphin (maui-maui, 3-6 lbs), hooked ones keep the school around. I talked once with Gary Parsons at the Cleveland Sport Show after one of his seminars & he said his father used to bang an anchor on the bottom to draw a school of perch. I think they are a very aggresive fish when schooled up. I have seen underwater video of them just swimming around constantly opening & closing their mouths.

[assassin]

What a great thread. Everyone has excellent ideas on perch. Colors,noise, mud, engines ect. -here's one more. Take a spare rod,rig it,and wait for perch bite. Once hooked-leave close to bottom and the perch will try to escape becoming very erratic and act as an additional attractant. Once you get em there it's open season.

[Bryan]

Wow! This thread really caught fire today!

Thanks to each one of you for giving me tips, I really appreciate it!

I grew up in the middle of farm fields in Indiana so fishing in Lake Erie is a new experience. Matter of fact, a few years ago I never even heard of a Walleye or perch, and even less than that time I didn't even know what they looked like!
That all changed two years ago when I tasted them for the first time, I never knew anything that good could come out of the lake! This past Feb I went ice fishing and caught my very first walleye and perch...and caught the madness...fishing fever!! I cant get enough of it!

I'll be hitting the lake this weekend, so I'll be sure to give a report!
Thanks again everyone!!

[ReelTime]

OK all this perch smack talk has got me interested. Haven't done alot of perchin myself but definately up for a good time.

[RUSS]

Was out last night..and i mean night...went to fav spot n of b can,,not to much going on so made a move got into some more but no size..moved towards home and stop just out side of turtle reef. Still getting fish but no size... But just as the dark came on the fish size went up and count did too..could not see any other boats out at all...2 guys 46 fish..thnik they might be moveing in to skinny water..think i am going to niagra reef next time...i did real good there last year late in season...

Eyes have it ch 9...russ

make sure the light in your gps works too...