# Perch fishing



## capt Hamilton (Sep 3, 2013)

What the ODNR makes sense. Last year, first week of August last year took 3 straight perch limits. I could see the bugs on my screen. Next week the flees were thicker took only a few perch. They didn't die that fast. The perched changed the way they feed. As far as the Walleyes eating them. I have cleaned over 300 walleyes this year and have yet to find a single perch. I have seen bugs and shad. Besides in the late 80's we had great walleye fishing and perch fishing. The eye population was estimated to be over 50 million at that time. We are going to have content with nature. We can't control the flee population, We are going to have to change with nature and enjoy the walleyes. The ODNR do a good job and the one times I was over on perch by one and the one time I fished with 3 rods. They were just doing their jobs to fine me. Without them we would have a mess out there.


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## aquaholic2 (Feb 17, 2010)

capt Hamilton said:


> What the ODNR makes sense. Last year, first week of August last year took 3 straight perch limits. I could see the bugs on my screen. Next week the flees were thicker took only a few perch. They didn't die that fast. The perched changed the way they feed. As far as the Walleyes eating them. I have cleaned over 300 walleyes this year and have yet to find a single perch. I have seen bugs and shad. Besides in the late 80's we had great walleye fishing and perch fishing. The eye population was estimated to be over 50 million at that time. We are going to have content with nature. We can't control the flee population, We are going to have to change with nature and enjoy the walleyes. The ODNR do a good job and the one times I was over on perch by one and the one time I fished with 3 rods. They were just doing their jobs to fine me. Without them we would have a mess out there.


Great post capt...I agree, I fished the boom years of the 80's too and never remember a shortage of perch, or emeralds....and there was -NO- limit on perch. Hummmm how do our fisheries guys categorize that...? I remember a few years ago Michigan went thru a perch shortage and had a very restrictive limit, but the size was amazing...Had a brother who fished up there a lot, and said the only way to catch the jumbos was with tiny crab pinchers....anyone else know if they ever came out of their perch shortage...?


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## Gringo Loco (Mar 5, 2005)

aquaholic2 said:


> Great post capt...I agree, I fished the boom years of the 80's too and never remember a shortage of perch, or emeralds....and there was -NO- limit on perch. Hummmm how do our fisheries guys categorize that...? I remember a few years ago Michigan went thru a perch shortage and had a very restrictive limit, but the size was amazing...Had a brother who fished up there a lot, and said the only way to catch the jumbos was with tiny crab pinchers....anyone else know if they ever came out of their perch shortage...?


I had a boat in the marina at Toledo Beach in Michigan waters 9 miles from the Ohio line from 1992 to 2009. The limit on perch was always 50 and it was rare that you couldn't catch a limit in 2-3 hours anytime from late July to late October just a mile or two offshore. The size was the same as perch elsewhere in the western basin but not as big as eastern Lake Erie. Keepers were usually 8-11 inches with most around 8-9 inches. Frankly the perch fishing was better there than Ohio waters. The walleye fishing was good but more difficult for casters than trollers due to cloudier water and there were times you had to fish Ohio waters for walleyes and run all the way to Middle Sister almost 20 miles. Also just like Ohio waters the fish went east in early July most years and the fishing for walleyes slowed way down. There was never a shortage of perch until the green slime showed up about 8-10 years ago and then I sold my boat due to the decline in numbers and the stink. My theory is the perch didn't like the slime either. I now fish mostly by chartering with Capt Mike on Eyecatcher around the island area and the fishing has been great.


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## hearttxp (Dec 21, 2004)

****** Loco said:


> I had a boat in the marina at Toledo Beach in Michigan waters 9 miles from the Ohio line from 1992 to 2009. The limit on perch was always 50 and it was rare that you couldn't catch a limit in 2-3 hours anytime from late July to late October just a mile or two offshore. The size was the same as perch elsewhere in the western basin but not as big as eastern Lake Erie. Keepers were usually 8-11 inches with most around 8-9 inches. Frankly the perch fishing was better there than Ohio waters. The walleye fishing was good but more difficult for casters than trollers due to cloudier water and there were times you had to fish Ohio waters for walleyes and run all the way to Middle Sister almost 20 miles. Also just like Ohio waters the fish went east in early July most years and the fishing for walleyes slowed way down. There was never a shortage of perch until the green slime showed up about 8-10 years ago and then I sold my boat due to the decline in numbers and the stink. My theory is the perch didn't like the slime either. I now fish mostly by chartering with Capt Mike on Eyecatcher around the island area and the fishing has been great.


Eye-Keeper not catcher 
Thanks Dave


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## Kenlow1 (Jul 14, 2012)

Eye-keeper, I think Dave was trying to pay you a compliment. (Eye-catcher)


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## HappySnag (Dec 20, 2007)

looking for guy fishing with 3 rods is waist off money,they use $200 K boat for that.
the should videotape every comercial harvest.
comercial fisherman harvesting 1 lb perch has to kill 4 perch.
how many milion pound they harvest time 4 is perch kill.


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## Camo tow (Jul 19, 2012)

HappySnag said:


> looking for guy fishing with 3 rods is waist off money,they use $200 K boat for that.
> the should videotape every comercial harvest.
> comercial fisherman harvesting 1 lb perch has to kill 4 perch.
> how many milion pound they harvest time 4 is perch kill.


4 perch 3 rods commercial fisherman 200k harvest should video


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## russh (Feb 12, 2007)

Went out Sunday and tried my usual spot on the south side of Kelley's, moved 4 times and ended up with 5 small perch, 3 baby walleye, 1 sheep, and 1 BIG catfish. There was a DNR creel survey guy that was taking surveys on fish catches and he said it's the worst perch fishing he has ever seen in the 10+ years of doing surveys.


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