First Perch Limit Of The Season

Had an interruption to the fishing season due to a spinal surgery 1st week of June. After a 30 day recovery, I've had a few sporadic Perch trips and caught some Perch but nothing to write home about, Went out Saturday July 14 at 7:30 AM with a buddy out of Turtle Point Marina, headed west and set up at 8:00 AM in 21 FOW off Wards Canal, in a nice cloud cover. I was using a spreader with chartreuse and gold bling, my buddy was using a straight inline rig. First fish came in less than 10 minutes, by 12:18 had 47 nice sized Perch (mostly 10" some 11"s in the box. Then it happened, the wind died, the lake went flat and not soon after the cloud cover broke. I personally didn't catch a fish for the next hour. After I changed my setup and went with a spreader no bling I caught the next 10. We ended the day with a two man limit, 25 lbs at the cleaners. Three of us tried to duplicate the same program today but conditions would just not allow it, there was no cloud cover, the heat was brutal and to make matters worse there were these little gnats everywhere, they weren't biting but they were everywhere and very annoying, face, eyes, nose, mouth, nothing worked in trying to get rid of them, tried Off, citronella candle, etc. Ended the day with 26, not as nice as yesterday but 14 lbs at the cleaners. Can anyone tell me where and why all of a sudden the lake is full gnats? How long will they last? and is there anything that can alleviate them? Any advice will be gratefully appreciated.Attachment 5111

[QUOTE=My Way;64241]Had an interruption to the fishing season due to a spinal surgery 1st week of June. After a 30 day recovery, I've had a few sporadic Perch trips and caught some Perch but nothing to write home about, Went out Saturday July 14 at 7:30 AM with a buddy out of Turtle Point Marina, headed west and set up at 8:00 AM in 21 FOW off Wards Canal, in a nice cloud cover. I was using a spreader with chartreuse and gold bling, my buddy was using a straight inline rig. First fish came in less than 10 minutes, by 12:18 had 47 nice sized Perch (mostly 10" some 11"s in the box. Then it happened, the wind died, the lake went flat and not soon after the cloud cover broke. I personally didn't catch a fish for the next hour. After I changed my setup and went with a spreader no bling I caught the next 10. We ended the day with a two man limit, 25 lbs at the cleaners. Three of us tried to duplicate the same program today but conditions would just not allow it, there was no cloud cover, the heat was brutal and to make matters worse there were these little gnats everywhere, they weren't biting but they were everywhere and very annoying, face, eyes, nose, mouth, nothing worked in trying to get rid of them, tried Off, citronella candle, etc. Ended the day with 26, not as nice as yesterday but 14 lbs at the cleaners. Can anyone tell me where and why all of a sudden the lake is full gnats? How long will they last? and is there anything that can alleviate them? Any advice will be gratefully appreciated.Attachment 5111[/Q

Just a bad midge hatch...here today gone tomorrow! usually only last a few hours.

nice report.
sounds like your second day you had a better average size though at 14# for 26 fish.
Rickerd

We also tried around Wards Canal Sunday morning. Couldn't get anything going so we moved out a couple miles north of the island where we had caught a dozen perch while trolling for walleye on Saturday. Nothing fast but we got a 3 man limit by noon. Bugs weren't as bad out there either.

We got 60 perch at Wards Sunday morning in 3 hours

Those midges can be annoying and drive you nuts, that's for sure. I keep a couple of light weight head nets on board. just keeping them out of your face and ears will allow you to continue fishing without going mad. Just put the net over your head and put your hat back on and you'll be able to tolerate em. they'll still get all over everything but you can keep fishing.

Guys do not be afraid to go closer got 24 at 21 feet and at 10am moved deeper but did not like the marks at 24 feet. Too many bug or bait balls So moved back inside around Ward’s yesterday and from 10am to 1pm got 60 at 19
Feet. The pack was north of us 1.5 miles. I moved
From them. Ended up with 84