Where's a decent Perch bite this week?

[fishNtails]

Anyone doing any good this week on Perch? I'm new to Lake Erie fishing and havent done very well so far. I've been out for Perch 3 times over the last month and the most we caught was 36 last Saturday between 4 of us over a 6 hour span. Just can't seem to locate a good school. We tried by Marblehead lighthouse, out by the gravel pit and intake, and most recently the Catawba buoy. Any tips on where to try would be greatly appreciated.

[Gerry D]

Best reports I've seen is right around toledo light house. I took my parents there Sunday and we got 73 in 2.5 hrs. Lots of smalls though. Bring plenty of bait.

[drift fisher]

H can was lousy today very rough waves

[Eyezcrazy]

Have your hooks been getting cleaned? Maybe you are on the fish but haven't quite mastered feeling the bite or keeping the hook on the bottom. I know when I first started perch fishing it took a while for me to learn the subtle things that lead to catching them. Now I catch 2 to 1 over some of my rookie buddies.

[kjgee]

I took the family out last Saturday. We fished roughly midway on a line between the Toledo light and the water intake along with a pack of 10-20 other boats in 18 fow. We ran out of goldies at 112 perch (3 of us fishing but 4 on the boat). We threw about 30 back that were tiny but kept anything over 6 1/2". Only one farm animal and a couple of white perch. Ended up with 22 lbs at the cleaners so obviously they were pretty small on average.

[fishNtails]

Have your hooks been getting cleaned? Maybe you are on the fish but haven't quite mastered feeling the bite or keeping the hook on the bottom. I know when I first started perch fishing it took a while for me to learn the subtle things that lead to catching them. Now I catch 2 to 1 over some of my rookie buddies.

No clean hooks. I'm using a light action with 6 lb braid and a spreader. I can feel every little tap with the braid and keep my rig on or very near the bottom. I'm jus having a tuff time getting on the fish it seems.

[Drifter]

Fished by myself Tuesday evening SE of Kelleys in 35 feet of water. Caught 20 perch, mostly 8" with a couple 7"s and 9"s perch thrown in. Only had one 6" throw back and a little trash. Then a big black cloud blew in North of the islands and brought stronger N winds and big waves to chase me in.

Fish are right on the bottom, none of the two cranks off stuff. Super light bite. On live shiners.

[wakina]

Anyone doing any good this week on Perch? I'm new to Lake Erie fishing and havent done very well so far. I've been out for Perch 3 times over the last month and the most we caught was 36 last Saturday between 4 of us over a 6 hour span. Just can't seem to locate a good school. We tried by Marblehead lighthouse, out by the gravel pit and intake, and most recently the Catawba buoy. Any tips on where to try would be greatly appreciated.

36 perch tells me that you were on perch so you may be on the fish but not presenting your bait in a way that satisfies the perch.

Have you tried fishing in the mud? Here are the general instructions for that technique, vary it some with more or less slack to get your best results.

Let the line down to the bottom with about 4 or 5 inches of slack, enough so that the rocking of the boat does not lift the sinker off of the bottom but not so much that you have to raise your rod up a foot or two in order to feel the sinker. After getting it set with the slack just raise your rod tip slowly and pick the weight up off the bottom then back down and wait another couple of seconds and repeat with any added wt. set the hook. This keeps your bait right on the bottom(in the mud) and it seems that over the last few years that the perch prefer that over other methods, at least that has been my experience.

[fishNtails]

36 perch tells me that you were on perch so you may be on the fish but not presenting your bait in a way that satisfies the perch.

Have you tried fishing in the mud? Here are the general instructions for that technique, vary it some with more or less slack to get your best results.

Let the line down to the bottom with about 4 or 5 inches of slack, enough so that the rocking of the boat does not lift the sinker off of the bottom but not so much that you have to raise your rod up a foot or two in order to feel the sinker. After getting it set with the slack just raise your rod tip slowly and pick the weight up off the bottom then back down and wait another couple of seconds and repeat with any added wt. set the hook. This keeps your bait right on the bottom(in the mud) and it seems that over the last few years that the perch prefer that over other methods, at least that has been my experience.

That's pretty much what I've been doin... stir the mud and slow lift and feel the light bite or extra weight

[MJB]

Wakina nailed it. That method seems to be preferred by perch lately.
We use large spreaders, 15-18" leaders, no bling, line on bottom
and slow lift, drop and repeat. Good luck.