johnr
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Post by johnr on Jul 11, 2017 6:31:12 GMT -5
Since the walleye fishing has been spotty the past couple days, we decided to go to the lower blackwater in search of white perch. We set out around 6pm, and after fishing one area for an hour with only a couple fish to show for it, we moved about a half mile and set up on another hump that showed a lot of activity. We were tripled up within a couple minutes and we put about 30 in the boat over the next hour. I was using a small spoon, and my wife and daughter were using the dropshot rig with only a single hook. The dropshot again was the ticket, and if we would have used double or triple hooks we could have put 75 in the boat. I put my crappie rod in the rod holder for my daughter and told her not to let me down. And she didn't. I don't know how many she caught, maybe 8-10, but she did a fine job of taking the rod out of the holder and reeling them in and even lifting them into the boat. A couple were pulling some good drag, which got her yelling for help, but she managed. All I had to do was bait it up and drop it down for her.  |
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Yam
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Post by Yam on Jul 11, 2017 7:13:13 GMT -5
Adorable.
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KB
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Post by KB on Jul 11, 2017 7:25:17 GMT -5
Great report.
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Post by quackquackboom on Jul 11, 2017 7:36:40 GMT -5
Good times!
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Post by bushwacker on Jul 11, 2017 12:21:47 GMT -5
Nice job!!! I am gonna have to get with ya sometime for some of the lower BW pointers on those guys. My wife and son would enjoy.
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Post by mwardncsu on Jul 11, 2017 12:51:13 GMT -5
John - wanting to get my son out as well and have a little Father / Son competition soon for some white perch. Can you provide any pointers for what you look for when trying to find them - any specific type of structure, depths, general lake locations? Any anything specific you're looking for on the sonar to know its likely Perch vs shad or other?
Speaking of competition - I was talking with another on the board here the other day and he suggested it might be fun to have a little summer-time white-perch tournament - $10 entry/person or something and most perch wins or something like that - meet up early one morning somewhere, fish will mid/late morning then meet up and clean and fry up those suckers at the State Park or on one of the islands or something like that..... sort of a Summer-time Meet & Greet with a little friendly / fun competition thrown in. Anyone be interested?
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Gator
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Post by Gator on Jul 11, 2017 13:23:15 GMT -5
John - wanting to get my son out as well and have a little Father / Son competition soon for some white perch. Can you provide any pointers for what you look for when trying to find them - any specific type of structure, depths, general lake locations? Any anything specific you're looking for on the sonar to know its likely Perch vs shad or other? Speaking of competition - I was talking with another on the board here the other day and he suggested it might be fun to have a little summer-time white-perch tournament - $10 entry/person or something and most perch wins or something like that - meet up early one morning somewhere, fish will mid/late morning then meet up and clean and fry up those suckers at the State Park or on one of the islands or something like that..... sort of a Summer-time Meet & Greet with a little friendly / fun competition thrown in. Anyone be interested? Great idea |
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johnr
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Post by johnr on Jul 11, 2017 13:23:32 GMT -5
I'll share all I can, there's plenty of them for everyone!
One of the first things I look for is water clarity. Perch are sight feeders, and the system works best when they can see good. Of course, they are literally all over the lake, but catching them is easier in clearer water.
In the summer, they are usually schooled up good and on the prowl for bugs and baitfish. So the easiest thing to catch them on is crawlers, small ales/shad, or minnows. I prefer a dropshot rig, just to keep the bait up off the bottom so the perch can "come up" to it. Visit "1bellcurve" on youtube and check out his method of tying up a spoon/fly dropshot rig. I do the exact same, but substitute #4 light wire hooks in place of the flies, for live bait. The dropper is essential for the bait hooks! And have super sharp hooks, so they'll hook themselves.
Any creek between Halesford, Gills, and the Dam should have perch nearly year round, and good enough water clarity. Don't forget about Craddock and Elmo too if you're in the area.Typically I start out in the back half of creeks, searching in 10-25' of water (points, humps, coves, ridges). I don't often find them relating to cover like other panfish would. Watch your sonar, and basically you're looking for bait balls with "spaghetti schools" nearby. White perch look just like stripers on the sonar, except they have smaller returns. A lot of the time I think I'm marking gizzards, and maybe I am, but there are definitely perch mixed in, because I'm catching them. So find where the bait is hanging in the creeks, and start looking for those spaghetti schools nearby. Sometimes they're tight to the bottom, and other times they are roaming in the mouths of coves and between points. Have a baited rod ready, and when you see a likely school, just drop it down through them. If it's perch, they'll eat it. If you're on perch at that point, just hang out and keep an eye on the sonar and bait in the water. Usually you can camp out on them for a while, or they'll keep coming by every few minutes.
If you prefer to troll, tie on a 3 way. On the bottom use a deep diving shad crankbait to get you down, and on the upper a white rooster tail inline spinner. Troll it around the same areas while searching and you'll get them on the spinner. This can be some good action too.
Perch can be tough on the spoon and fluke. It seems like they prefer a stationary or horizontally moving target, rather than vertical. If spooning, I like to have a dressed spoon in 1/4 - 3/8 oz. Kastmaster is my favorite with hopkins not far behind. They've got small mouths, so you need something they can pop into their mouths. The dressed hook has a purpose. Just jiggle the spoon, with a big pop every once in a while. That fluttering hook dressing is what gets them. Small Rapala Jigging Raps work well too.
To cast for them, my choice is a smaller Rat-L-Trap or Shad Rap. Chrome or shad color. Cast it out, let it get down and start swimming it back. Usually the faster the better, as they are an easy fish to draw a reaction bite. Two on one crankbait is not unheard of!
They'll be in this pattern all summer, and will even provide some awesome topwater action in the evenings in September and into October in the same areas.
I'd fish a tournament for them.
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Post by choochoo on Jul 11, 2017 15:13:28 GMT -5
I'm all up for a tournament, once I learn to catch them!!
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Post by bushwacker on Jul 11, 2017 15:20:21 GMT -5
John - wanting to get my son out as well and have a little Father / Son competition soon for some white perch. Can you provide any pointers for what you look for when trying to find them - any specific type of structure, depths, general lake locations? Any anything specific you're looking for on the sonar to know its likely Perch vs shad or other? Speaking of competition - I was talking with another on the board here the other day and he suggested it might be fun to have a little summer-time white-perch tournament - $10 entry/person or something and most perch wins or something like that - meet up early one morning somewhere, fish will mid/late morning then meet up and clean and fry up those suckers at the State Park or on one of the islands or something like that..... sort of a Summer-time Meet & Greet with a little friendly / fun competition thrown in. Anyone be interested? I am interested |
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Post by hotdog on Jul 11, 2017 15:21:17 GMT -5
Adorable x 2.
Way to go John.
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Post by craddockcreek on Jul 11, 2017 15:45:26 GMT -5
I'd try to make it.
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Post by drag4striper on Jul 11, 2017 16:19:45 GMT -5
X 3 your daughter is adorable. Great report and information on the perch. Your right on the walleye fishing being slow. It was this morning.  |
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Post by fatdaddy on Jul 11, 2017 16:34:04 GMT -5
That's as good as it gets till she gets bigg !! Then Daddys got a striper Buddy For life Now that's Special !!!
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johnr
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Posts: 1,297
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Post by johnr on Jul 11, 2017 17:45:15 GMT -5
X 3 your daughter is adorable. Great report and information on the perch. Your right on the walleye fishing being slow. It was this morning. They ain't been gettin goin till like 10 am. I think they are feasting all night on this moon. That looks like a good one? |
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