# Perch - Port Clinton - PIB - Kelleys are Western Basin



## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

Guys, we're all aware the perch fishing is a bit off this year in our neck of the woods.

Lets help each other out, share tips here and see if we can still fill the freezer over the next 4-6 weeks.

Any reports would be good.

Thanks

Steve
Bass Haven Marina 
Marblehead, Ohio


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## Whopper (Apr 28, 2006)

Last Friday two of us fish three different spots between the Marblehead light house and southeast corner of Kellys tons of white perch, small yellows and Sheepshead, we ended up with twenty keepers.
Saturday five of us went out afternoon about a 1/4 mile northeast of the green buoy that is north of Ballast again lots of white perch and sheepshead, lot's of small perch but we did get some bigger fish up to 13 inches. Only ended up with two limits that weighed 17lbs at the cleaners


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## Wdw0718 (Dec 31, 2013)

We fished the clam beds off Lakeside this past Saturday. Ended up with 29 having about 25-30 throw backs. Was able to find smaller shiners at Channel Grove. We wanted to go out further but did not want to get beat up with the wind.


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

Wdw0718 said:


> We fished the clam beds off Lakeside this past Saturday. Ended up with 29 having about 25-30 throw backs. Was able to find smaller shiners at Channel Grove. We wanted to go out further but did not want to get beat up with the wind.


Good info, nice short trip for me.

Without using gps coordinates, how can one find the "clam beds" off the lakeside? Where is this in relation to the Lakeside Dock maybe?

Thanks guys, appreciate the input!


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## Wdw0718 (Dec 31, 2013)

Head about 3.5 miles out of east harbor towards Kelly's. Line yourself up just northwest of the pier. We fished in 26 feet of water. You dont grt as big of a pack of fish but usually is steady fishing. Hope that helps.


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## perfcetion (May 3, 2006)

Friday we fished off of Cedar Point with nothing. Moved up to the pack on the dumping grounds and moves around it a few times and only had 3 or 4 in the cooler. Than moved to the outside (east) of the pack between marblehead and SE corner of Kellys and managed to finish the day with 35 (3 guys) and plenty of throwbacks and junk. Had them going good for about 15 min than back to slow pick.


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

Alrighty, good stuff and nice reference points. Thanks guys, I appreciate the input. Well described points. Seems that line between the Marblehead Lighthouse and SE of Kelley's is something I'll explore in the evening (when I only have a couple hours). 

I set up about 1/4 mile off the lighthouse last night about 530pm, slow 1st half hour, then it picked up. Caught 14 perch, 12-15 white perch and a handful of white bass. Oddly enough, not a single sheephead. The wind was out of the NE at about 10mph, so it was a bit choppy but not all that bad. Not bad for two hours work considering I set up WAY closer to shore a week ago (12-14' of water) and didn't catch anything BUT sheephead. Not a single perch that night.

Also, there was a mini pack still going at it last night when I arrived. I snuck in behind a guy who was leaving, I never get "in" the pack. He was about 300 yds east of the pack, I set up alllll alone. Sat there for 2 hours, the guys that were there when I arrived fished through the night as well. So the bite was likely consistent. 

I'm gonna try and locate that clam bed as well, I know the PC charter captains are simply heading out and fishing 3-4 miles out of the Portgage, but that's a much longer run for me. Not long, just "longer" 

Ok, that's all for now. Oh, the perch came in waves. Of the 14 I caught, 8 came on doubles. The breakdown is probably what you'd expect, half being 7-9" and a couple 10"ers. Won't win any awards, but the cooler looked good after two hours (good enough). 

Lets keep sharing, the forecast doesn't look like its gonna change. I'm hope for a stellar 10 days of fishing


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

Wdw0718 said:


> We fished the clam beds off Lakeside this past Saturday. Ended up with 29 having about 25-30 throw backs. Was able to find smaller shiners at Channel Grove. We wanted to go out further but did not want to get beat up with the wind.


Channel Grove eh, I've always preferred Highway Bait....but only because of the quantity.

Oddly enough, and I like the smaller minnows as a rule, but last night the larger perch I caught were taken when I damn hear head hooked the absolute LARGEST minnows I could pull from my bucket lol.

I'll see if I can locate the beds for sure.


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

perfcetion said:


> Friday we fished off of Cedar Point with nothing. Moved up to the pack on the dumping grounds and moves around it a few times and only had 3 or 4 in the cooler. Than moved to the outside (east) of the pack between marblehead and SE corner of Kellys and managed to finish the day with 35 (3 guys) and plenty of throwbacks and junk. Had them going good for about 15 min than back to slow pick.



I also need to familiarize myself with the Cedar Point area, that's also a very doable, modest run from Bass Haven. I've fished the Foghorn over that way, when people say "dumping grounds", which come up a lot, still not exactly sure where or why, but I'll locate those soon enough as well Would be nice to develop 5-10 spots I can work my way through, that's the goal. Even 5-6 (cuz who wants to move 10 times!!?!!).

Also, believe it was you that mention catching a ton of bluegills INSIDE East Harbor this past June. You and another gentlemen (who supposedly caught hundreds) mentioned Harbor Haven and "off the dock". Care to share a little more, would definitely like to try those spots (this year) and certainly next spring


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

Wdw0718 said:


> Head about 3.5 miles out of east harbor towards Kelly's. Line yourself up just northwest of the pier. We fished in 26 feet of water. You dont grt as big of a pack of fish but usually is steady fishing. Hope that helps.


Is this the location of those clam beds? I'll give this a crack as well.

Thx man, I always see people sitting alone in "their spots", always wonder....why?? lol. Now I'm starting to get it!


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## gdakis25 (Jun 8, 2013)

Last Saturday afternoon caught about 10 in 28ft off cedar point, moved east of dump to 38 and picked up a few more. A lot of white perch mixed in also.


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## boatnut (Nov 22, 2006)

Dynasty, are you keeping 5-7" perch?


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

boatnut said:


> Dynasty, are you keeping 5-7" perch?


Oddly enough, I "thought" I was keeping 5-7" perch!

Until you asked, it made me think, why is he asking. So, I am at work and have the fish still on ice. The answer is no, the smallest perch I kept is 7". 

I pulled a tape measure from the drawer, and pulled out 5" (there's a joke in there somewhere). Once I realized just how small 5" was, I knew better.

Guys, I LOVE perch.....but I don't love them that much 

I am keeping the 7" perch I catch, yes. 5" perch....good lord that's the size of my cell phone. Sorry to send out the red flags guys! I'm NOT THAT GUY 

Glad you asked....


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## Bitz (May 23, 2010)

I will be fishing tomorrow afternoon thru monday morning out of portage river. Ch 18 or 68, Little Bit. Call me if you're in the area, happy to share good or bad info 
Bitz


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

Thanks Bitz

I was planning on lots of fishing this weekend, ran into engine trouble last night so I'm out for now.....mechanic to squeeze me in as soon as possible.

Keep us posted Bitz, I'll get out on someone elses boat so the info would be good.

That east wind is really creating some chop on the East side of kelley's Island and the Marblehead Lighthouse....be safe.


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

Engine back in action (my dumb ass pinched off a vaccum line??) while checking the oil reservoir Thursday prior to heading out.

Anyway...

Fishing report, caught nothing at the Lighthouse on Friday, then moved up NE of Kelleys, no bite there either and it was treacherous conditions 4' to 6' waves out there. Moved in and took cover over by Ballast Island, that's where the magic happened. 4 of us hit for God near 180-200 perch, we were choosy on size and managed to grab our limit with only 8" perch or better. Some junk, but the ratio was doable. Only in the last 45 minutes did we grab a few we had been tossing because we were running out of minnows.

P.S. Friday night after figuring the boat out i only caught 7 perch in 2 hours in 26' 3-400 yds off the Marblehead lighthouse. Conditions were terrible, but I like that spot. Better days ahead....

Sunday looks to be stellar weather for being on the lake doing WHATEVER you like to do


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

Anyone else?


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## aquaholic2 (Feb 17, 2010)

Going to give it a go Monday morning, where were you in relation top Ballast..?


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

1/2 mile NW of Ballast.

But, we hit the same location today and it was deadly slow with the few we did catch coming in the too tiny to keep range. 

We had heard (Highway Bait) that the spots were NW of Kelleys, Weather Buoy and the Green buoy in PC. We headed NW of Kelleys first, got there before a pack could form. Then we made a mistake. We were in 42' well short of the pack (1 mile away), we hit for a dozen the first hour and 15 minutes, nothing GREAT but the size was nice. We thought, why not move into the pack and see if we can pickup the pace. Wrong. We caught the dozen in the first spot, then only 12 more over the next 4.5 hours. Little to no wind, bugs and flies were horrible.

Let me know how you do Monday, evening trips are bound to happen this week so I'd be curious to know if that spot heats up. So far hit and miss.

Thx


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## lyman68 (Mar 1, 2008)

Small fish but alot of them west side of rattle snake saturday, A littie better two miles south of green sunday.


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## fishdealer04 (Aug 27, 2006)

lyman68 said:


> Small fish but alot of them west side of rattle snake saturday, A littie better two miles south of green sunday.


We caught a lot of fish west side of Rattle Snake on Thursday. Had to really pick through them. Non stop action but a lot of small fish. Not much junk though.


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

South of Green has been producing all year, damnit....tried hard to get the guy I fished with to switch one last time. He was defeated after Ballast, perch fishing can be a lengthy battle.

thanks guys


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## Bitz (May 23, 2010)

Fished with the pack at green buoy at catawba, minimal success, moved south of the pack and caught some big ones few and far between. My better half caught her biggest ever, 13 1/4". Enough fish for our Sunday fish fry with another couple. Weather was weird when the fog rolled in!!!


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## Hawghead (Jan 15, 2009)

We've been making trips from Indy for 25 yrs, used to be walleye trips, the last 10 or 15 have been for perch. Highway Bait suggested weather buoy, so we headed out of Marblehead and started south of Kelleys with little to no action. Made our way east of Kelleys, was slow there. We headed NE stopping at a few small packs with the bite pretty slow. Decided to bite the bullet and make the long haul toward the weather buoy area and noticed a nice change in water clarity. Set up, started off slow and then things picked up in size and bite tempo. Ended up with 4 filled tickets, caught em up to 13 in, had some smalls too, but a real nice mess of fish. We used perch and crappie spreaders with extra weight to get the bait to the bottom quickly. Highway Bait had gorgeous shiners and we appreciated the tip. Perfect waves, water, weather and a bag of fillets made our last trip before the boat comes out for winter another one for the memory book.


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

Thanks Lyman, South of Green was our next move Sunday ..... a move that never happened (regretfully). Seems that area has been holding fish all year, good thing to keep in mind on that slow of an afternoon (for us).


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## lyman68 (Mar 1, 2008)

Lots of smalls with some decent fish mixed in between g&h can monday after work. Fast and furiuos up down fishing with some junk.


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## LooseCannon (Mar 1, 2014)

Went out for a few hours NE Kelley's by the shoal tonight and got 16 keeper perch. It was slow for awhile. Not a lot of trash and I was surprised how many of them were 10-11 inches. From the radio traffic it didn't seem like anybody was really getting into them. Nice day on the lake though.


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## aquaholic2 (Feb 17, 2010)

Thanks for the honest report.......Hey ODNR......are you listening.... The best fishing report today was 16 perch for a boat load of guys........how about putting that in your fish per hour calculator , pat yourselves on the back, and give everyone another pep talk about how great a job you are doing managing our freshwater fish populations.......! Your best management plan sucks.........get up to speed and figure this out with the money you take from us to keep "our" perch and walleye populations healthy.....!


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## boatnut (Nov 22, 2006)

aquaholic2 said:


> Thanks for the honest report.......Hey ODNR......are you listening.... The best fishing report today was 16 perch for a boat load of guys........how about putting that in your fish per hour calculator , pat yourselves on the back, and give everyone another pep talk about how great a job you are doing managing our freshwater fish populations.......! Your best management plan sucks.........get up to speed and figure this out with the money you take from us to keep "our" perch and walleye populations healthy.....!


sounds like more your problem then ODNR. We limited today as we did Saturday/Sunday/Monday. Maybe YOU Need to get up to speed and figure them out.


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## WalleyeWiz (Jun 18, 2004)

Fished the past 4 days south of West Sister with 4 man limits every day. Lots of sorting with the small perch which tells me the numbers are there as the ODNR say . 

Always seem when people don't catch fish, they blame everyone but themselves. 

Dwayne


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## KPI (Jun 4, 2011)

odnr does a great job!!!! aqua you need to stop complaining!!!!! we went to the 33/33 last sat and did good nice size also


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## hunt-n-fish (Jun 19, 2007)

aquaholic2 said:


> Thanks for the honest report.......Hey ODNR......are you listening.... The best fishing report today was 16 perch for a boat load of guys........how about putting that in your fish per hour calculator , pat yourselves on the back, and give everyone another pep talk about how great a job you are doing managing our freshwater fish populations.......! Your best management plan sucks.........get up to speed and figure this out with the money you take from us to keep "our" perch and walleye populations healthy.....!




Must be someone looking for GPS numbers to find the fish.


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## Jim11h (Apr 2, 2014)

Outside looking in comment: perch fishing nothing like last few years! Lots of small throw backs on my boat. Nothing under fat 7". Group I get info from has 25+yrs at western basin. Not everyone finds them but pickins can be slim. Seen many with" limits" but their tiny that I wouldn't keep...

Sent from my Z796C using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## hudsons2020 (Jul 15, 2012)

Fished yesterday East of West Sister, North of C can, 3 man perch limit kept,
probably a 6 man limit of dinks thrown back, no trash all day.


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

Aquaholic, you shoulda known in a group of fisherman that people who show up to shred you for that comment. 

I don't have 25 years consistent fishing on the Western Basin, I started the thread for some help locating the fish. Not because I'm lazy, more because I typically get one evening and MAYBE one day each weekend to venture out. 

I just assume, if you want to share...you will. If you don't, you won't


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## lacywbosu2 (Dec 20, 2011)

Research shows the warm water white perch are thriving and having a major impact on the yellow perch. Fellow fisherman, never throw back an invasive white perch. Put in a bucket (without water), splash well, or something to turn the tide on these fish. Thousands of fishermen doing this will help.


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

lacywbosu2 said:


> Research shows the warm water white perch are thriving and having a major impact on the yellow perch. Fellow fisherman, never throw back an invasive white perch. Put in a bucket (without water), splash well, or something to turn the tide on these fish. Thousands of fishermen doing this will help.


Good post, I myself was unaware. 

Done, I'll eat em or treat em like the invasive fish they appear to be, the seagulls will love me


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

Thread sorta died, weathers been terrible during the days I've had a chance to get out.

Now, this weekend sucked (but TODAY is ideal for fishing). We're giving it a shot out by the lighthouse in Marblehead. If not fish, we'll enjoy the sunshine and lack of waves the point of Marblehead hasn't seen in weeeeeks.

Later guys


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## justbobber (Oct 13, 2008)

Same here off port clinton. Beautiful day.1 perch.2 big whites. Good to see the sun again


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## Bohanan66 (Apr 19, 2012)

Water temperature is in the low 50's by now so the perch should be jumping in the boats (if the boats can get out on the water before going into winter storage). This coming weekend is my last chance.


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## rnewman (Mar 25, 2013)

Was at bays edge fish cleaning to get our one walleye cleaned after Trolling off Huron this past Thursday.Was a basket and half of perch that weighed 134lbs from a single charter.Biggest perch have seen in some time.Think said caught off Pelee but could be misinformation.Do not know name of charter.


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## Jason Pelz (Mar 6, 2012)

There were a lot of nice perch marks today outside of the Huron river between the two green cans. I may try there one day this week. I've also heard North of KI around Gull shoal was good last weekend so that is another option as well for me.


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## hearttxp (Dec 21, 2004)

rnewman said:


> Was at bays edge fish cleaning to get our one walleye cleaned after Trolling off Huron this past Thursday.Was a basket and half of perch that weighed 134lbs from a single charter.Biggest perch have seen in some time.Think said caught off Pelee but could be misinformation.Do not know name of charter.


Yep I know who that was ! And there where more that one Charter there also.

There are BIG perch in the western basin. 

Sorry can not share the info since I wasn't there this week. Not my fish !


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

Great day out in Marblehead, Highway Bait told us "a group of boats did well just off the Coast Guard station", we set up shop there in 2' chop and caught 1 nice white bass before taking cover from the wind in a nice spot just off the Marblehead lighthouse.

300 yds out, 13 yellow perch, 1 20" Walleye and about 45 12"-13" whites. Cooler full, lotsa fun tonight as we fished the night away.

Water temp off Marblehead 57.8 deg F


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## Jim11h (Apr 2, 2014)

Several boats and campers winterized last week including mine.... perchin sucked this year but shows a great year next season by all the dinks throwin back, best of luck to all remainder of year!

Sent from my Z796C using Ohub Campfire mobile app


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## LEfriend (Jun 14, 2009)

Jim11h said:


> Several boats and campers winterized last week including mine.... perchin sucked this year but shows a great year next season by all the dinks throwin back, best of luck to all remainder of year!
> 
> Sent from my Z796C using Ohub Campfire mobile app


Looked at weather forecast and calender and work schedule and recent reports (lack of) and reluctantly pulled my boat too. That should insure some beautiful weather and a hot bite the next ten days!


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## lacywbosu2 (Dec 20, 2011)

I pulled mine and am thinking the same thing. Duck season and archery deer needs to be fitted in somewhere. I also believe that the white perch are devastating the yellows and we will never have it like it was last year. If every fisherman kills every white perch they catch, maybe we can curb them some.


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## hearttxp (Dec 21, 2004)

lacywbosu2 said:


> I pulled mine and am thinking the same thing. Duck season and archery deer needs to be fitted in somewhere. I also believe that the white perch are devastating the yellows and we will never have it like it was last year. If every fisherman kills every white perch they catch, maybe we can curb them some.


My last two trips oct 10 & 11 we had hardly any white perch 

Sometimes it is hard to explain ?

Plus the bite off weather buoy had very few whites ? More White bass at times ?


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## hudsons2020 (Jul 15, 2012)

Fished last Thursday, then pulled boat for the season that evening. (Yea, weather now looks great for this coming weekend!!) Tried again North of C Can, real slow bite here, went 5 miles East and finished SW of NW reef. Nicest perch for me this season! All Yellow's, but had to sort some, maybe up to 2 throwbacks for each keeper.


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## jshbuckeye (Feb 27, 2005)

I will be using the last punch on my seasonal ticket i got for the sassy sal for christmas this coming weekend. It has been a dismal bite alot of perch but small hope this is the weekend some nice ones show up in my bucket.


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## Bitz (May 23, 2010)

I will be up Sunday - Tuesday for my final trip of the season. It would be nice to put a little more fish in the freezer for the long winter. Good luck all that make it out!


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## Jason Pelz (Mar 6, 2012)

We pulled our 2 man ticket of very nice perch north of the middle can on KI shoal. We had to move 4 small moves to keep up with them as they moved but the quality was well worth the trip. On our way back in there were 10X the marks .42 miles west off the NW corner of the Marblehead dumping grounds. If I had seen them on the way out we would have been stopping there instead.


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

Jason Pelz, was that today?

Awesome work sir!

Question, how does one without a GPS locate (visually by landmark) the Dumping grounds off Marblehead? Makes me look like a novice, but that's ok....I'm learning 

Thanks!

Steve


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## 01kingfisher (Nov 8, 2008)

We went out yesterday for perch what a bad day fished most of the day for them trying a lot of spots around the islands and Marblehead water was dirty in a lot of spots all that time and only caught 5 perch fryer for some smallmouth could not catch any what a bad day


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## Jason Pelz (Mar 6, 2012)

laker, yes that was this morning. We fished from 9am-1:15pm to get our limit. 

I'd say the Marblehead dump is 2 miles directly south of the SE corner of Kellys Island. Once you get close the fish finder will light up with the perch marks. I marked them solid for a half mile or so and randomly for another mile or so.


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

Jason,

Thanks a bunch, I'll try and locate this area and keep it for future use next year....and hopefully some more this year. 

Appreciate the visual, well played.


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## laker-dynasty (Jun 18, 2014)

Jason Pelz said:


> laker, yes that was this morning. We fished from 9am-1:15pm to get our limit.
> 
> I'd say the Marblehead dump is 2 miles directly south of the SE corner of Kellys Island. Once you get close the fish finder will light up with the perch marks. I marked them solid for a half mile or so and randomly for another mile or so.


Is there a notable depth change Jason?

Gracias!!


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## tambora (Jun 15, 2008)

hearttxp said:


> Yep I know who that was ! And there where more that one Charter there also.
> 
> There are BIG perch in the western basin.
> 
> Sorry can not share the info since I wasn't there this week. Not my fish !


Really!Not your fish,they are everybodys fish. It,s not like they are in shallow water &boat traffic will spook em! The more bait you have down there the longer they will stay in 1 spot!This time of year with all the wind we have had we need to help people out ,nobody is in a perch tournament!


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## hearttxp (Dec 21, 2004)

tambora said:


> Really!Not your fish,they are everybodys fish. It,s not like they are in shallow water &boat traffic will spook em! The more bait you have down there the longer they will stay in 1 spot!This time of year with all the wind we have had we need to help people out ,nobody is in a perch tournament!


My comment was about the guy who saw Big perch at cleaners ! I knew where they came from but I wasn't fishing that day so I wasn't giving out the spot and info ! Just isn't right. I knew the Charters who got them.

And No they don't spooked But these perch don't move and stay where they are and they can and will get fished out.

Not many perch fishermen are willing to travel almost 50 miles round trip for perch ?


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## jshbuckeye (Feb 27, 2005)

Nice cooler of perch.


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## Gringo Loco (Mar 5, 2005)

I was out with Captain Mike (Wojo) this week-end and could not believe the size of the perch. All the perch over 10 inches and half the fish 12 inches to 14 inches. I can understand why a great locations is not publicized as they would soon be cleaned out.


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## hiddenlake (Dec 29, 2004)

D-can is holding big perch. 2 man ticket in 4 hours. Kept nothing under 8" friday. Several 12"


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