# Perch Caller



## ERIE REBEL (Jan 28, 2006)

I have had some of you guys asking me what a perch caller is through various PMs.So again this year I will describe what it is and why it works.A number of years ago I attended a LECBA conference In Sandusky.There was a guy there trying to sell this piece of pipe with a base welded to the bottom of it and rod sticking out of a hole in the top of the piece of pipe.Roger Knight from the Ohio Sea Grant happened to be one of the speakers that day and told us that the perchcallers do work.While he and some of his companions were diving off of the artificial reefs at Cleveland every now and then their tanks would hit some of the debris from the old Browns stadium.Every time this would happen Perch AND smallmouth bass would come up to their location just to see where the noise came from.Smallies and perch are attracted to NOISE.This is why you see the headboats that are perch fishing leave their motors run while they are fishing.A caller consists of a square piece of metal maybe three to four in. square.A piece of pipe somewhere around fifteen in.long and maybe two in. in diameter.You need a cap for the lenght of pipe with a hole drilled through it.Hole dia. one-half in.Now you take a piece of steel rod 3/8 or 7/16 Dia. 17in.long.insert one end of the rod through the cap before it is welded on.On the lower end of the rod you weld a nut or washer to act as a striker.once this is done the cape can be welded on.On the other end of the rod you weld another washer big enoug so that you can time some light rope around it.The square bottom can also be welded on at this time When this is done you now have your caller.Add your rope it does not need to be heavy.I think mine is quarter in. Just make sure you get enough to go from your boat down to the bottom of the waters you fish.When you go to your desired perching spot let the caller down to the bottom and tie it off so that as the boat raises and lowers as the waves rock your boat thus allowing the striker to do the same you can hear the striker from fifty ft.below as it goes clunk clunk clunk.The only place that I know that sells them is Butch and Dennys on the western basin.I made my own and used Stainless steel.And yes I will sell it.The ones at B and Ds run around $26.00 and are made from regular steel.Hope all of this makes sense.


----------



## Gju42486 (Mar 7, 2005)

any pics of these?


----------



## Fishpro (Apr 6, 2004)

Do you have a picture?


----------



## Hook N Book (Apr 7, 2004)

Do a search...seems like someone had posted a picture of this a while back.


----------



## Fishpro (Apr 6, 2004)

Hook N Book said:


> Do a search...seems like someone had posted a picture of this a while back.


I don't want to do a darn search!


----------



## Hook N Book (Apr 7, 2004)

Fishpro said:


> I don't want to do a darn search!


Neither did I...!


----------



## Gju42486 (Mar 7, 2005)

Hook N Book said:


> Do a search...seems like someone had posted a picture of this a while back.


hook was right---good memory! http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/community/showthread.php?t=55732&highlight=perch+caller


----------



## Fishpro (Apr 6, 2004)

Hook N Book said:


> Neither did I...!


 

It definitly interesting. I'm gonna have to try it sometime.


----------



## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

Dang you guys are getting lazy!


----------



## Fishpro (Apr 6, 2004)

> Dang you guys are getting lazy!


What do you mean "getting"?


----------



## boatnut (Nov 22, 2006)

let's see more pics


----------



## Bobinstow90 (Apr 13, 2006)

pichers.....thought we were talkin fishin here?

pichers is awesome tooooo.........might be better on another site?


----------



## ERIE REBEL (Jan 28, 2006)

Hey boatnut which one of those guys is you?The one in the middle or maybe the dude onthe right??


----------



## Searay (Feb 12, 2007)

And all the time I thought when we make a move and drop anchor that it stirred up the bottom but it is the noise it makes very interesting...


----------



## coolerzfull (Oct 15, 2007)

I think the guy on the right is peple of the perch


----------



## boatnut (Nov 22, 2006)

Bobinstow90 said:


> pichers.....thought we were talkin fishin here?
> 
> pichers is awesome tooooo.........might be better on another site?


i'm the guy on left ...in disguise LOL


----------



## peple of the perch (Sep 13, 2004)

i look more like the guy on the left W/0 the beard.


----------



## BlueMax (Dec 3, 2006)

I use minnows to attract them.
Right to my hook!


----------



## mach1cj (Apr 11, 2004)

mine's a sheephead caller, works great


----------



## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

mach1cj said:


> mine's a sheephead caller, works great


Need more CowBell!


----------



## capt S (Sep 5, 2007)

when perchin is slow run your motor. all that needs to be said. Capt.Scott


----------



## lskater (Mar 19, 2007)

capt S said:


> when perchin is slow run your motor. all that needs to be said. Capt.Scott


A piece of pipe is a lot cheaper than burning gas.


----------



## NorthSouthOhioFisherman (May 7, 2007)

lskater said:


> A piece of pipe is a lot cheaper than burning gas.


Good Point LOL


----------



## capt S (Sep 5, 2007)

it's not my diesel!


----------



## brick (Sep 17, 2007)

so any noise near the bottom attracts perch?


----------



## ERIE REBEL (Jan 28, 2006)

Basicly,yes.But I feel the closer that your bait is to the noise source the better off you are.


----------



## reel (Dec 15, 2004)

OK, I made one.
Now what is the optimum depth setting ?
Bottom (since that is where the perch are), Near the surface (where a motor running attracts), or Halfway down (where the farm animals are) ?
...


----------



## freyedknot (Apr 10, 2004)

how bout just lowering a cow bell over the side?


----------



## KI Jim (Aug 3, 2005)

Interesting thread. Up here in Michigan, they use "mudders" which are used to stir up the bottom-I've never heard of a "caller" before.


----------



## ERIE REBEL (Jan 28, 2006)

Reel if it is not on the bottom it will not work.The base has to hit the bottom in order for the rod to slide up and down.If you are fishing on one of those nearly flat days you can adjust the rope to either have the rod hit the botto or the top of the caller.


----------



## lskater (Mar 19, 2007)

I can't believe all the time I've spent in Butch and Dennys that I never saw that thing. I'm gonna have to ask them about it next time through. Thats my regular bait shop. It looks like I haven't been shopping too well .


----------



## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

> I can't believe all the time I've spent in Butch and Dennys that I never saw that thing. I'm gonna have to ask them about it next time through. Thats my regular bait shop. It looks like I haven't been shopping too well .


LOL...I mean, would you really have asked if you saw such a thing laying on a shelf???

I wouldn't have...and someone needs to convince me that it actually works!


----------



## Lady Bridge (Jul 30, 2007)

I have a caller that was made by a friend. Used it once last year and that corner of the boat did catch more perch. I just don't get into perch fishing so haven't really tested it other than that one time. 

I'm hoping to leave the dock at 3 pm today to try lskaters walleye spot.


----------



## BFG (Mar 29, 2006)

Thanks for the call Rick!!! LOL


BFG


----------



## lskater (Mar 19, 2007)

Yeh BFG, if I saw something like that I'd definately ask what the heck it was. I used to run the engine and it seemed to help so why not? If Rebel says it works I have to believe him. I've seen stranger things then that work. Hey Lady Bridge, let me know how you did, I may try in morning if the festival doesn't wreck me.


----------



## Lady Bridge (Jul 30, 2007)

We didn't do very well friday evening. Only one legal walleye in about three hours. I didn't fish saturday but a dock neighbor got a two man limit a bit further north.


----------



## Lake Erie (Jun 20, 2008)

The idea of stirring up the bottom to increase perch fishing success is very old. My Granfather used to use a window weight. It was common knowledge back in the 1950's and many LE anglers have heard the stories.

Does it work?

Some of the old timers swear by it. Others just laugh. Probably just like other fishin' methods, probably more "fish story" than real.

I'll give you a scuba divers perspective. I dove once off a boat when we were perch fishing. We had been fishing for well over an hour, slow but steady perch bite. I got in the water. What did I find down below?

Since the 4 or 5 perch rigs had been hitting the bottom for over an hour, the bottom was all stirred up around the boat, almost zero visability. I used my compass to navigate around underwater. When I came out of the "cloud" the visability was about 4-5 feet. The slight current was drifting the sediment cloud east. Point is that when perch fishing, you are stirring up the bottom anyway with your perch rigs. If you are fishing a mud type bottom, it will stir up real quick to zero visability (one very important lesson in scuba diving - Stay Off The Bottom!).

I've seen fish underwater be curious and check out stirred up bottom, especially smallmouth. I'm sure yellow perch are the same. The learning experiece here is that when a yellow perch school hits a "cloud" of stirred up water (much less visability), they might go in to investigate. Stirred up bottom often means food opportunities, so naturally the fish would be interested.

Add to that the perch rig's blades, and other perch being caught, with the vibrations that sends out, and you've got a good argument that stirred up bottom is a plus for perch fishing.

Your perch rigs will stirr up the bottom by themselves. If the fish are there and biting, I don't think any contraption is going to help much. On slow days, who knows, it might help.

Lake Erie.


----------



## nauti boy (Aug 3, 2008)

Are these callers sealed and airtight or is the rod sliding up and down? I fabbed one yesterday that is sealed. Hope to water test this weekend.


----------



## jennis9 (Jun 13, 2008)

my uncle said they used window weights as stated above or a brick tied to a thick rope. I know that some use two 1oz sinkers so they clink together....

let us know how your caller works.


----------



## wanderin_eyes (Jan 14, 2009)

The rod slides up and down when it hits the bottom and then lifts with the boat on waves it travels top to bottom


----------



## rickerd (Jul 16, 2008)

why not just try a dozen links of heavy chain tied to a nylon rope? No need to go to the trouble. I also use 2-4 half ounce sinkers on a crappie or spreader rig. Bang them on the bottom to get them started. 

Now maybe we can all increase our catches of perch from 10 to 15 in an hour per person. Maybe even call the bigger ones in too and raise the average half an inch or so. Now go fishin.

Rickerd


----------



## Binks61 (Apr 16, 2006)

OR.....if you have a downriggers, zip tie a couple glow sticks to it ( and maybe a mesh bag or sock with holes punced in it) with a little dog/cat food in it.


----------



## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

I have friend that scuba dives. He said that some sounds attract the fish better thatn others. He said rocks clicking together were the best. For what it's worth.....


----------



## FishON32 (Jun 26, 2006)

I have a little extra time at the shop today. Think I might have to weld one of these up and test it out this weekend.


----------



## surffishn (Jan 20, 2010)

The real deal is! Your caller must have A good rythem.Two callers better than one.Four better yet.All must have a different beat.But must be in rythem.The perch then come to dance school!Ouga Ouga Ouga Chucka is the best I have found yet. Calls the Jumbos only.


----------



## Lightman (Jul 22, 2008)

How about you just use your fishfinder, find a school, and catch them. lol


----------



## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

Lightman said:


> How about you just use your fishfinder, find a school, and catch them. lol


Agree, once you find them they always bite and are always easiely identified on the fishfinder.


----------



## eyecatchum2 (Mar 30, 2010)

Is that a lanyard?? looks heavy to me. What end do you blow into??


----------



## fishslayer (Aug 31, 2007)

Does anybody know were to grab a perch caller around marblehead, Or a website to order one. Thanks.

May the fish be with you!


----------



## Mad-Eye Moody (May 27, 2008)

Can you feel when it is set properly? Or will a little bit of the sound carry up the rope?


----------



## Dark Cloud (Aug 21, 2009)

Mad-Eye Moody said:


> Can you feel when it is set properly? Or will a little bit of the sound carry up the rope?


You can hear them "clanking" and feel the rod hitting the top and bottom of the pipe as you pull on the rope.


----------



## Dark Cloud (Aug 21, 2009)

fishslayer said:


> Does anybody know were to grab a perch caller around marblehead, Or a website to order one. Thanks.
> 
> May the fish be with you!


You can call Butch & Denny's Bait Shop (419/836-7351). They will ship it to you. As I recall the callers cost $26.95, plus shipping.


----------



## roger23 (Mar 7, 2007)

My grandfather would put minnows in a old moon shine jug, and lower it in the lake to attract the fish, it worked in clear water the fish would come up to the jug and look at them,,,he used this on inland lakes where we could see the bottom,,,he also did it when ice fishing,,


----------



## ReelTimeWes (Aug 20, 2009)

surffishn said:


> The real deal is! Your caller must have A good rythem.Two callers better than one.Four better yet.All must have a different beat.But must be in rythem.The perch then come to dance school!Ouga Ouga Ouga Chucka is the best I have found yet. Calls the Jumbos only.


I wonder which is best...4/4 time or 3/4 time? Think I'm gonna try a syncopated beat.


----------



## wanderin_eyes (Jan 14, 2009)

surffishn said:


> The real deal is! Your caller must have A good rythem.Two callers better than one.Four better yet.All must have a different beat.But must be in rythem.The perch then come to dance school!Ouga Ouga Ouga Chucka is the best I have found yet. Calls the Jumbos only.



Then they start singing I'm hooked on a spreader


----------



## bttmline (Apr 7, 2004)

mach1cj said:


> mine's a sheephead caller, works great


Does this one have a slide or a bell type clanger? And is it open on the bottom?


----------



## KaGee (Sep 8, 2006)

bttmline said:


> Does this one have a slide or a bell type clanger? And is it open on the bottom?


It doesn't clang, it makes a muffled "Baaahhh" sound.


----------



## FISNFOOL (May 12, 2009)

I had a charter captain tell me that when the bite stops, he idles the engine. This calls them back and triggers the bite.

I just downloaded a yacht engine idle sound from a sound effects site. Then I made a 45 minute cd of it. Converted this to cassette tape for the old stereo on the boat. Speakers are mounted to the inside of the hull. Saves the gas of running the main engine. Worked great.


----------



## Gepetto (Sep 23, 2009)

I suspect we're finding a way to complicate a simple concept. 

A small mushroom anchor snugged up off the stern so that wave action lifts and bounces it on the bottom has worked pretty well for me. Whether it drags or bounces, the perch are seriously attracted to the sediment it stirs or the mud clouds it creates, simulating the effects of their feeding frenzy. It no doubt makes noise, esp. on rocky bottoms, but I think the stirring is more important.

I'm willing to sell a few I have sitting around, and for an extra five bucks I'll print Perch Caller on it with a broad Sharpie. Extry 2 dollars if you want a fancy script.

These can be purchased through Boatnut, my middle man. I owe him money, and this would be good payback.


----------



## roger23 (Mar 7, 2007)

this one in the lower 2" there is a sealed chamber with 2-- 5/8" ball bearings,,the top section has a 1" pipe in side on a slider,, I made 2 of them a friend uses it all the time and swears buy it I have not tried it yet ,,have not needed it,,


----------



## roger23 (Mar 7, 2007)

Here is what we used in Canada Ice fishing,,we put oily Tuna in it or any other oily fish in it ,seemed to work,Pike would come in and hit it,,neat to watch


----------

