# Perch



## sneakypete1 (Sep 26, 2014)

Need perch reports!!!!


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## tnt1958 (Sep 20, 2014)

Don't we all !!!!!


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## Had a Bite (Apr 15, 2012)

17.99/lb at meijer.


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## island troller (Nov 14, 2007)

The most petch I have seen lately have been in Walleye bellies. Seriously.


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## joebertin (Mar 26, 2010)

Perch Report: The cormorants are eating all of them... They can dive 150 feet to chase fish. Central Basin is only around 80 feet, so they have access to any fish that they can swallow.

I believe that we need an open season on cormorants.


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## 9Left (Jun 23, 2012)

Cormorant? Really? Haha!! That's like saying that deer populations are being decimated by coyotes… lol

.....Commercial fishing is the likely culprit


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## OPTIMIST (Sep 27, 2007)

Fished twice for perch. The first time I caught 2 and the second time never got a bite.

Until the netters are gone their will be no perch for the sportsman.


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## Super G (Oct 3, 2012)

island troller said:


> The most petch I have seen lately have been in Walleye bellies. Seriously.


same here! 6" perch in walleye bellies! Should have cleaned them - tenderized perch!


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## Super G (Oct 3, 2012)

Commercial netters were doing their work around Cleveland about 4 years ago. Since perch are not migratory like walleye, the remaining population is left to reproduce and that takes time. Add to that the explosion in the walleye population and with the food source they (the perch) provide - bam suppressed perch population. Looking forward to the comeback!


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## wave warrior (Oct 2, 2005)

Perch are still available , but gotta change tactics , last year we got them 8-12 foot off bottom , I used my vex to catch them , they are suspended , unlike most past years.......

Look up Travis Hartman , some good articles and videos on perch and lake Erie


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## Eyes on te ice (Dec 7, 2018)

joebertin said:


> Perch Report: The cormorants are eating all of them... They can dive 150 feet to chase fish. Central Basin is only around 80 feet, so they have access to any fish that they can swallow.
> 
> I believe that we need an open season on cormorants.


Why would they chase the perch with all those bait balls out in the lake. Face it people we have a very healthy lake right now and the food is so abundant that the Perch are not schooling like they used to. Lets be happy with all these Walleye! Six walleye fellets are more then 30 perch felleted! and a lot less time to clean yourself.


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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

I hate to admit that but you are right.
It sure would be nice to get a couple limits of perch once a year though. That's not asking for much.
Rickerd


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## Eyes on te ice (Dec 7, 2018)

rickerd said:


> I hate to admit that but you are right.
> It sure would be nice to get a couple limits of perch once a year though. That's not asking for much.
> Rickerd


I agree it's nice to get the kids out there to do some perch jerkin, but I think that is a thing of the past and we have to get them in the inland lakes now.


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## Triple Trouble (Aug 13, 2018)

Best producing spoons for us last year and so far this year have been homemade perch colored spoons. Last year, I don't think I even tried other patterns.


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## STRONGPERSUADER (Nov 5, 2006)

wave warrior said:


> Perch are still available , but gotta change tactics , last year we got them 8-12 foot off bottom , I used my vex to catch them , they are suspended , unlike most past years.......
> 
> Look up Travis Hartman , some good articles and videos on perch and lake Erie


Spot on! Sure the commercial boats don’t help the population but they are there. Think ice fishing tactics and bug patterns.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

the perch is in same place where is blue pike.
who put them there ?


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## joebertin (Mar 26, 2010)

Some of you might want to read this:

https://greatlakesecho.org/2018/04/12/people-can-once-again-kill-cormorants/


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## dwmikemx (Mar 22, 2008)

Walleye are now the new TRASH fish of lake Erie. I'll take perch any day over walleye..... if I could find any.


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## s.a.m (Feb 22, 2016)

dwmikemx said:


> Walleye are now the new TRASH fish of lake Erie. I'll take perch any day over walleye..... if I could find any.


Awful tasty trash fish that is!!


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## kdn (Apr 27, 2015)

Picture in Ohio Outdoor News last year showed a Cormorant with like 350-400 perch in it's guts. Yes. don't say no way. The picture was there and there were a mess of perch in the guts....I saw it and I believe it.


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## Alwaysanglin (Nov 4, 2019)

dwmikemx said:


> Walleye are now the new TRASH fish of lake Erie. I'll take perch any day over walleye..... if I could find any.


Trash!?...... hahahha. Take what you can get. And the gettins good.


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## Super G (Oct 3, 2012)

wave warrior said:


> Perch are still available , but gotta change tactics , last year we got them 8-12 foot off bottom , I used my vex to catch them , they are suspended , unlike most past years.......
> 
> Look up Travis Hartman , some good articles and videos on perch and lake Erie


I sat in on a talk Travis gave about 6-7 years ago. He was sharing walleye fishing data and the migration patterns of walleye. Two things stood out: 1.) walleye tagged in the western basin were found near Niagara falls, Near Chatham Canada (Thames river) and near Bay City, MI! (amazing amount of travel!) and 2.) at that time the average was 2 hours of fishing per walleye! Or as he put it 1/2 a fish per hour of fishing! (Compare that to today!)


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## Basshole28 (Aug 29, 2015)

There’s a lot of factors that have changed perch fishing. Every one will have their own opinion and most will think they’re experts. All I know is,I changed with the times an adapted...I’m still seeing results. Might not be 2 man limits but I’ll take 40-50 quality jumbos of 12-15 1/2” fish.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

Basshole28 said:


> View attachment 362983
> There’s a lot of factors that have changed perch fishing. Every one will have their own opinion and most will think they’re experts. All I know is,I changed with the times an adapted...I’m still seeing results. Might not be 2 man limits but I’ll take 40-50 quality jumbos of 12-15 1/2” fish.
> 
> View attachment 362983


cooler is impresive.
haw many perch you catch every day when you go 20 times perch fishing ?
that will give us unser how is perch fishing.


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## Yeada (May 21, 2013)

Basshole28 said:


> View attachment 362983
> There’s a lot of factors that have changed perch fishing. Every one will have their own opinion and most will think they’re experts. All I know is,I changed with the times an adapted...I’m still seeing results. Might not be 2 man limits but I’ll take 40-50 quality jumbos of 12-15 1/2” fish.
> 
> View attachment 362983


Nice cooler-thanks for the non report


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## Basshole28 (Aug 29, 2015)

I only focus perch fishing from July til October with maybe 12 trips a year. Every trip is 40-50 jumbos on a good day,25-30 on a bad day when I only dedicate 3-4hrs of the day locating and fishing for them. That’s well more than enough to fill my freezer for a years worth of perch along with walleye.


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## kdn (Apr 27, 2015)

Are you fishing central basin waters or western basin? Ashtabula waters?

Thanks


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## Basshole28 (Aug 29, 2015)

kdn said:


> Are you fishing central basin waters or western basin? Ashtabula waters?
> 
> Thanks


Fishing Fairport on East,never fished the central and western basin for them much since the size is much smaller over that way


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## STRONGPERSUADER (Nov 5, 2006)

Yeada said:


> Nice cooler-thanks for the non report


He just wants to get em all himself before they put the nets back on the hump at Fairport.
Seriously, nice job on the fish.


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## plainolhunter (Nov 15, 2007)

Basshole28 said:


> View attachment 362983
> There’s a lot of factors that have changed perch fishing. Every one will have their own opinion and most will think they’re experts. All I know is,I changed with the times an adapted...I’m still seeing results. Might not be 2 man limits but I’ll take 40-50 quality jumbos of 12-15 1/2” fish.
> 
> View attachment 362983


I'm new to the lake and have done well (like everyone else) on Walleye. Have no idea where to even start looking for perch (bait, water, what makes good perch habitat, time of year,...) so may questions. If anyone would like to share some basic info, I'm sure it could help other as well. If not will review old post/external data to see if I can find some perch at some point this year.


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## ress (Jan 1, 2008)

I got to ask a question. Where you been sense 2007?


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## plainolhunter (Nov 15, 2007)

Ress, 

Mainly fished the Ohio river (Not much posted on OGF related to fishing the Ohio River) and a few small central Ohio lakes from time to time. First year fishing Erie.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

plainolhunter said:


> I'm new to the lake and have done well (like everyone else) on Walleye. Have no idea where to even start looking for perch (bait, water, what makes good perch habitat, time of year,...) so may questions. If anyone would like to share some basic info, I'm sure it could help other as well. If not will review old post/external data to see if I can find some perch at some point this year.


when we had planty perch,you went on lake any place and start fishing and many times you would have limit.
now you have to find fish to catch them,if you find fish you have to identify them with camera,or you may be siting on shad try to catch perch.
why all the perch charters went out from perch busines ?and they were beter equiped than regular fisherman.that was busines what they know how to do that.
simple anser No perch


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## plainolhunter (Nov 15, 2007)

HappySnag, 

Thank you for the reply and good to know. Have only ever fished for perch once on a charter about 20 years go. Hope there is a recovery at some point but until then will try to learn as much as I can about the lake and what works at different times of the year.

Thanks,
Will


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## Rob Fitch (Jul 31, 2014)

9Left said:


> Cormorant? Really? Haha!! That's like saying that deer populations are being decimated by coyotes… lol
> 
> .....Commercial fishing is the likely culprit


How about 92 fawns pulled into 1 coyote den last spring. That just 1 pair of coyotes so laugh all you want coyotes do desamait deer populations and commercial fishing has been around for ever . Last yr they where catching perch higher in the water column. Once the temps dropped in November the perch moved back down off the bottom and people that were still fishing were slaying them


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## Softshellcrab (Aug 31, 2016)

kdn said:


> Picture in Ohio Outdoor News last year showed a Cormorant with like 350-400 perch in it's guts. Yes. don't say no way. The picture was there and there were a mess of perch in the guts....I saw it and I believe it.


350-400 perch in one medium duck-sized bird? Really...?


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## miked913 (Feb 29, 2008)

Rob Fitch said:


> How about 92 fawns pulled into 1 coyote den last spring. That just 1 pair of coyotes so laugh all you want coyotes do desamait deer populations and commercial fishing has been around for ever . Last yr they where catching perch higher in the water column. Once the temps dropped in November the perch moved back down off the bottom and people that were still fishing were slaying them


Every year when that story hits the internet it gains a few more fawns, it was only like 50 some 5 years ago

Sent from my SM-A205U using Tapatalk


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## Freebie (Sep 12, 2004)

I actually caught one fishing for perch from shore in the Lorain Boat harbor. Exciting fight, bummer when I pulled it up. Had to cut my line. Damn birds!


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## eyecat (Sep 17, 2018)

Thats finny, bet that was a good fight. In Canada had a Loon chase my smallie. It swam around us putting on a show while we fed it stunned large minnows.


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## Mattiba (Apr 7, 2020)

Softshellcrab said:


> 350-400 perch in one medium duck-sized bird? Really...?


Man! That’s a lot of perch.


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## Moozboy (Mar 31, 2017)

*Coyotes, make me laugh, the deer population on my farm in East Ohio out numbers the perch in Erie AND there are coyotes, more media garbage *


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## wave warrior (Oct 2, 2005)

Moozboy said:


> *Coyotes, make me laugh, the deer population on my farm in East Ohio out numbers the perch in Erie AND there are coyotes, more media garbage *


Been hunting the same farm since the 80's ,yotes a plenty and I seen more deer last season than I ever have


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## JBD's Regina Marie (Jun 11, 2016)

joebertin said:


> Some of you might want to read this:
> 
> https://greatlakesecho.org/2018/04/12/people-can-once-again-kill-cormorants/


2018 was the case, I heard Ohio authorities didn't get their permits in with Federal authorities to have a shoot. Thus the population has exploded.


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## JBD's Regina Marie (Jun 11, 2016)

Softshellcrab said:


> 350-400 perch in one medium duck-sized bird? Really...?


I saw that picture, can't seem to find it now, of course they were small but watch this:


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## All In (Mar 19, 2013)

wave warrior said:


> Perch are still available , but gotta change tactics , last year we got them 8-12 foot off bottom , I used my vex to catch them , they are suspended , unlike most past years.......
> 
> Look up Travis Hartman , some good articles and videos on perch and lake Erie


You may have something here. Caught one 10" perch Tuesday 6/23 off Lorain while trolling.


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## dgfidler (Sep 22, 2014)

We were out one day trying to use Livescope to cast for walleyes while drifting. You put the transducer in forward mode on the side of the boat where the fish are moving away as you drift and cast a heavy Erie Dearie out and let it troll. It’ll settle about 30 down, then as suspended fish are heading it’s way, you reel to bring your lure to the level of the approaching fish and you can catch them that way. Only one person can do this at a time unfortunately. My brother claimed to have seen a bird on the display and I dismissed it as a school of bait resembling a bird. Since then, I’ve seen Muskie and large gar rendered as lifelike images on the display and am convinced he observed a cormorant at work. At the time I told him birds are in the air, not 20 ft under water!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## 1bigfish (Feb 3, 2014)




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## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

So can we shoot these birds on site? I'm sure there is some sort of season right?
Rickerd


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## kdn (Apr 27, 2015)

If I can pull up the pic I will post the Perch scarfing Cormorant.

I didn't say they were Fish Ohio perch. Some of them may have been an inch or two inches long...but some were three inches long. It was a mess of perch!


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## ress (Jan 1, 2008)

Few years ago the West side of Michigan had a big problem with those evil birds!


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## kdn (Apr 27, 2015)




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## kdn (Apr 27, 2015)

The above pic is. Or the one I saw but this is the contents of a cormorants stomach. Perhaps not 300 or 400 but if you have the eyes and patience to count them I think you will agree the number is significant. They beat that much every day!


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## forrest r (Mar 14, 2020)

I guess it depends on what part of the lake people fish for perch at. Haven't really seen too many of those birds up around geneva/bula/conneaut. Haven't seen too many perch either.

Smelts gone, perch is gone both are poor mans food/fish.

At the end of the day do you think we'd be having the same discussion if perch fishing chartered out at +/- $125 a person like walleye???


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## STRONGPERSUADER (Nov 5, 2006)

forrest r said:


> I guess it depends on what part of the lake people fish for perch at. Haven't really seen too many of those birds up around geneva/bula/conneaut. Haven't seen too many perch either.
> 
> Smelts gone, perch is gone both are poor mans food/fish.
> 
> At the end of the day do you think we'd be having the same discussion if perch fishing chartered out at +/- $125 a person like walleye???


We have them just west of you in Mentor harbor/mentor lagoons. Lots of small perch in both marinas. We had so many roosting in a few tress last year that a some guys had to replace their boat canvas. Ive read where they eat a little over their weight daily and those are some pretty big birds. They definitely need thinned out.


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## Sean Ebra (Dec 6, 2017)

joebertin said:


> Perch Report: The cormorants are eating all of them... They can dive 150 feet to chase fish. Central Basin is only around 80 feet, so they have access to any fish that they can swallow.
> 
> I believe that we need an open season on cormorants.


And they can out swim fish also! It's hard to believe but I witnessed one in a lake swimming after a trout making a wake and after a few seconds he came up with it! Amazing!


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## forrest r (Mar 14, 2020)

WOW!!!

Ain't that something!!!

Those things fly 35 miles up to bula, eat their weight in fish and fly back. No wonder we ain't go no perch in bula no more.


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## EYELANDER75 (Nov 13, 2009)

There were a number of folks I talked to today that caught 5 or more perch while drifting in front of the gold coast. We also caught some


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## kdn (Apr 27, 2015)

Those are the ones that got away from the birds


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## B Ron 11 (Jul 14, 2012)

How deep were you guys drifting? Going to try for perch Monday or Tuesday.


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## EYELANDER75 (Nov 13, 2009)

36-40' of water


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## capt.scott (Jun 27, 2007)

We could use a few less cormorants and commercial fisherman.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

B Ron 11 said:


> How deep were you guys drifting? Going to try for perch Monday or Tuesday.


you can troll for them.
3 way swivel to main line,1' drop line from 3 way with 6 oz sinker,tie to metal coat hanger,on coat hanger tie in mitel 6" mono with snap and small spoon,tie to bouth sides 6" or 12" mono with snap ,make blade beeds and hook and put that on end,trol bouncing botom with one sacond 4' off botom.use minows,nightcrawler,twister tail.


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## 68bucks (Aug 17, 2013)

I saw a fishing show a couple years ago where two guys were trolling a Minnesota lake for perch. They were getting them but they weren't huge, 10" maybe some 12's. Seemed stupid to me but now, maybe not.


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## Bluewalleye (Jun 1, 2009)

I have no idea if this is a valid report or not. But was up out of Fairport today and some guy on the radio said he had 36 nice perch in the box. I have no idea where he was or if it was even true. He just came on the radio and said that he had them. He didn't say where or how.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

68bucks said:


> I saw a fishing show a couple years ago where two guys were trolling a Minnesota lake for perch. They were getting them but they weren't huge, 10" maybe some 12's. Seemed stupid to me but now, maybe not.


if there is only few perch,you can get them only troling,you cover more water and you hook more fish.siting in one spot do not work,the big school are no more aviable.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

Oh but the Perch population is healthy and out there waiting to be caught, says the biologists and internet professionals. Horse Pucky..


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## Gern186 (Feb 2, 2010)

I believe there are plenty of perch available also. And I'm no biologist.


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## bustedrod (May 13, 2015)

i would take a guess he was out at the hump, if you fish the hump just right theres some good ones......


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## Andrew24 (Oct 1, 2015)

The bait shop said the netters are doing awesome just have to figure them out I think if you put walleye stuff away and focus on perch witch is hard to do I think you can be successful I keep saying I'm gonna do it but never do


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

Good luck, let us know how many you get.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

i got one troling big gold stinger spoon,that perch did not know from the new menu,he should eat bugs.


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## Uglystix (Mar 3, 2006)

Bought a new boat and plan to hit Erie as soon as my Bimini Top gets here (Irish...). This will all be new to me but I plan to start trolling for walleye up there. After watching a bunch of YouTube videos of underwater walleye bites, I noticed huge schools of SUSPENDED perch. I figure it would be a good idea to set a few rods for perch while trolling for walleye. In the videos the perch would chase the spoons so I’m sure they can be caught with smaller rigs. How nice would it be to pick up a few perch as a bonus to a few walleye limits!


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## Eyes on te ice (Dec 7, 2018)

We got an 8 incher drifting yesterday in Fairport,if you count the one my buddies 31 inch Walleye spit up in the live well.


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## kdn (Apr 27, 2015)

Walleye do love to eat perch


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## miked913 (Feb 29, 2008)

Think about how many lures are available in perch pattern. 

Sent from my SM-A205U using Tapatalk


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## tnt1958 (Sep 20, 2014)

kdn said:


> Walleye do love to eat perch


ME TOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## set-the-drag (Jan 13, 2013)

Let's just go pull some of them nets up take our limit and call it even! They are doing great 30 missing shouldn't hurt! I heard they are having thousands go to waste anyway. Better me eating them than the gulls


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## 68bucks (Aug 17, 2013)

How close to a net can you fish? The nets are there because the perch are. Why not fish the area?


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## fishing4eyes (Oct 7, 2011)

I get a heavy bottom bouncer and slow troll a #5 flicker shad near the bottom. You can catch perch and a bonus walleye doing so.


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## fishless (Sep 18, 2014)

fishing4eyes said:


> I get a heavy bottom bouncer and slow troll a #5 flicker shad near the bottom. You can catch perch and a bonus walleye doing so.


How much line between bottom bouncer and Flicker shad


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## fishing4eyes (Oct 7, 2011)

6 feet. nothing fancy. keep making contact with bottom.


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

fishless said:


> How much line between bottom bouncer and Flicker shad


you need 6 oz sinker,
i was drifting with 3 oz,i only tuch botom on cast whe i close bail it went up from botom.
best to controll dept 6 oz,put that on 3 way swivel,2' drop to sinker,5' mono to lure.
6 oz look like lot off weight.
if you hook 5 lb eye that is 80 oz,the rod has no problem with that weight.


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## EYELANDER75 (Nov 13, 2009)

Got some more yellow bellies again today drifting off gold coast


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## set-the-drag (Jan 13, 2013)

Any marks or was it just a few scattered


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## EYELANDER75 (Nov 13, 2009)

No fish finder just drifting for eyes


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