3 questions

**Mark** · 07-31-2015, 06:37 AM

I usually keep 2 types of rods on board for Perch. An Ultra-Light 5' with 4 Lb test mono,and a 6' Ugly with 12 Lb mono. Usually you'll find the smaller Perch at this end and as the weather cools the bigger ones start to move in. I'll start the day with the UL and if we're over the Farm I'll either move or switch to the 6'er. Tell me more about the soft Claws, are they from the Crawfish? Are they sold frozen, fresh? What size hook and how do you rig them? Thanks

Originally Posted by noonthirtyjoe

1. What line/size/type seems best for perching on Lake Erie? I have perch fished my whole life on lake Michigan and 4 pnd mono has done me well, but them are bigger perch and the bite is not as lite as I have been experiencing on Erie. I'm fairly new to perching on Erie and there seems to be a big difference in techniques here. 2. is anyone using small spinners here for jumbo perch. That is how I always got the jumbo's back home. (chitown) 3. softclaws? back home this is all we used and I can't find them here. softclaws are the claws only and come 50 to a container. They out produce minnows bigtime (back home). Thanks in advance for any answers.

**noonthirtyjoe** · 07-31-2015, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by Mark

Tell me more about the soft Claws, are they from the Crawfish? Are they sold frozen, fresh? What size hook and how do you rig them? Thanks

Yes they are claws from smaller clawfish. They come in little round containers of 50. They are soft and partly frozen. They sell them all over lake Michigan for perching for about 4 dollars a container. They consistently out produce minnows for both numbers and size. The rigging is the same as minnows, just a plain 2 hook and weight off bottom or a standard crappie rig. Now I personally would switch to a Mclurch spinner to get jumbos casting/dragging. The Mclurch was a very small spinner dragged across the bottom slowly. I never anchored when using the spinner rig.

**Mark** · 07-31-2015, 12:19 PM

I tried going on line to look up Mclurch Spinner, no results yet. A McLurch Bait/Tackle Shop did come up out of Hammond IN. Are they the makers of the spinners you're talking about? Could you tell us how to make one? Also, I'll be in Holland, MI....wonder if they use the soft claws there on L. Michigan. Can they be kept over a period of time if frozen. What is the "shelf-life" if they can't be frozen? I wonder if any of the Bait Shops might be interested in trying to harvest/sell them here?
For what it's worth....If I run out of Emerald Shiners I'll cut a thin strip of belly meat from a white perch, work's good, or you can use their eyes too.

Originally Posted by noonthirtyjoe

Yes they are claws from smaller clawfish. They come in little round containers of 50. They are soft and partly frozen. They sell them all over lake Michigan for perching for about 4 dollars a container. They consistently out produce minnows for both numbers and size. The rigging is the same as minnows, just a plain 2 hook and weight off bottom or a standard crappie rig. Now I personally would switch to a Mclurch spinner to get jumbos casting/dragging. The Mclurch was a very small spinner dragged across the bottom slowly. I never anchored when using the spinner rig.

**noonthirtyjoe** · 07-31-2015, 04:31 PM

[QUOTE=Mark;49538]I tried going on line to look up Mclurch Spinner, no results yet. A McLurch Bait/Tackle Shop did come up out of Hammond IN. Are they the makers of the spinners you're talking about? ..... Yes Mike Mclurch in Hammond IN hand makes and sells the Mclurch at his bait store. He is where I buy my soft claws too. As long as you keep them frozen they last a longtime. Infact he might ship you some. I guarantee both have been amazing for me and many many others. I can't see why they would not kill here too. I would give them a 5 to 1 ratio on perch over minnows. I have used both my whole life and it is not close. There has been days where minnows did better but far and few days. I'm going back to Chicago on vacation in 10 days and plan on stocking up on both.