B can perch

[LEfriend]

Started NW of B Can this AM. Very milky still. Talked to another boat there that had fished all day Tues - (there and war buoy) - and got only 2 perch! Not encouraging. Great marks under us - lots of fish - but after 25 minutes with not one tap, decided to move out to find clearer water. Headed out to War buoy. Same milky water and same result....half hour with not one bite...and a second conversation with boat that had been skunked Tues. Ready to head to the dock and go home and paint, but heard some guys on radio saying they were doing good off rattlesnake. Decided to run east towards there and give it one more go. Maybe 3-5 miles east of war buoy noticed big change in water and passed a single boat anchored, with else nobody in sight. Decided to slow down and look for marks. Water looked best/cleanest I have seen all summer and saw some marks so decided to set down. Dropped two lines and two nice perch! Good bite was on and we picked up our 2 man limit in about 2.5 hours. Not many big fish but very uniform grade at 8-9 inches with not a lot of throwbacks. 60 went 15 lbs at cleaners.

This was most aggressive and constant bite I have seen this fall. Drop to bottom and better be ready when you tightened line...or your bait was gone. We did have emeralds. But some of best fish also came on 1/4 inch perch belly strips I had saved from my last catch. Fished my skipper nine rig with perch strip on one hook and emerald on other on, and at times they hit the perch strip over the emerald! Five of the nicest fish were a back to back boom boom triple and double on a dead stick in a rod holder that was baited with all perch strips! As a bonus, you could catch 5-6 fish before the perch strips ever came off or needed replaced. Will cut and freeze a few more strips when I work up today's catch.

On way in there were a dozen boats in on the reefs...we wondered if they were perchin or trolling eyes?