Erie perch?

[Vex]

Soon, (March 1, I think), the 'eye bag will drop to 3 or 4, I forget which, a day. Any perch being caught through the ice? Anybody know of some good perch areas?
Being able to include some jumboes in the bag would be better than driving from mid state for just 3 'eyes.

[Wojo1]

It's four ! And you can always catch and release. To Me it is never about putting food on the table vs. $$$ Spent. Because if that is the case might as well buy it ! It would be cheaper. I would hate to add up what I spend per year on my fishing Habit ????? Becasue lets face it we are all addicted to it ???
Oh yes Late ice perch can usually be had close to shore. We got them good one year off Crane Creek in like 10'to 15' of water. It was so warm that day we all had light sweatshirts on. Good Luck !!

[tlshealy]

I've hit them several times out of Catawba state park not quite out as far as the walleye, and sometimes I'd catch both. 2 years ago I caught a 15" female 1.5lbs and about a dozen almost that big. Haven't heard of any this year though.
Tad

[Vex]

If it wasn't about putting at least some food on the table per $'s spent, then may as well fish only for carp as they fight much harder and, at least the big ones, are tougher to catch/land.
Thanks for the CC info.

tishealy, did you catch those perch using shiners or lures? If lures, which ones? TIA

[Buckeye]

The problem is carp are one of the hardest freshwater fish to get to bite!

Let us know if you get any perch going at Crane Creek.

[tlshealy]

I was basically fishing for walleye, but the perch liked the shiner loaded pimples just fine.

[Vex]

Thx, healy... I've been catching a few inland perch with tipped Vibe-E's.

[S]

use a small pimple or buckshot rattle jig with a short dropper (2-4") and a tiny treble tipped with 3 small shiners. Lift/drop to draw them in, hold still to get them to bite. Bite often gets better over time if your in a good spot. 8 lb mono works
fine. 6 lb will handle 30" eye's but I've never noticed any increase in catch rate for perch or eyes. I tried 4 lb a few times but didn't see any increase in catch rate using the dropper rig.

SOP is to remove the treble from the lure when rigging the dropper but I don't bother cause I like it there when an eye slips for a shiner snack.

If eye fishing and it's slow, I sometimes keep a perch rig ready for if I get a few minnows skinned by perch on bigger pimples or have a bunch of lookers.

Tip-ups with little trebles will take perch but if your on them, tip-ups are a waste of time. For my best bites, caught perch usually spit up some kind of larva (worm?) that has a lot of black colored parts.

Little history: In the old days (pre-flasher), they used perch spreaders attached to cord that was hung from an eye hook in the shanty by a rubber band. a 2nd band was attached at water level as a "bobber". The weight on the spreader was flat and you pointed it away from other lines when setting and it would "swim" out to the side and swing back below the shanty.

[smouth]

#3 rapalas for perch & walleyes . firetiger & crome/blue . I had to use a stinger or I missed to many perch . I just barely move them . Bounce alittle then pick them up REAL slow . The perch seems to like a harder bottom . 2 years ago I got them off starve & 3 years near the reefs .