Where Do You Catch Perch In The Winter?

At first ice, perch can be scattered anywhere, but by mid-winter most will be on mid- to deep flats. They’ll stay there until the last weeks of the season, before moving close to their spawning sites. Shallow flats, weedy bays and reedy shorelines will produce some of the year’s best perch fishing during ice out.

What month is best for perch fishing?

During late spring and early summer, early morning and early evening hours are best. During late summer, late afternoon and evening is best. In autumn, the best times are morning, and late afternoon evening. During the winter, the low light of late afternoon-evening is good.

What is the best place to catch perch?

Fishing piers and docks are especially some of the best yellow perch fishing spots during warm months. If your favorite lake has one, pick a comfortable sitting spot, bait a lightly weighted hook with a small live minnow, release the bait to the bottom, then relax until a perch bites. Most times, that’s all it takes.

What time of day do perch bite best?

The best time of day to catch perch can change suddenly on any day. Perch fishing is usually best in the early morning or evening hours during late spring and early summer and late afternoon or evening in late summer. In autumn, both morning and late afternoon-evening provide excellent fishing.

How do you attract perch?

Perch are also very attracted by color and flash. If using a slip bobber setup (or dead sticking), add a small colored bead just above the bait on the main line. The bead acts as a beacon to find the natural bait. This will increase catch rates greatly, especially in stained water.

What colors do perch like?

Perch typically respond well to bright colors like white and chartreuse, but they may also bite more natural brown and green tones that imitate crayfish and other prey.

Are perch bottom feeders?

Angling: Yellow perch are day feeders and are primarily bottom feeders with a slow deliberate bite. They eat almost anything, but prefer minnows, insect larvae, plankton, and worms.

What depth of water do perch like?

Perch prefer to spawn in shallower water of between 3 and 10 feet with an optimal water depth of 6 feet.

What size lures for perch?

6cm-9cm
Use lures in the 6cm-9cm range, as these are ideal for perch, and pay attention to the diving depth of the lure. The bigger the vane on the front of the lure, the deeper it will dive. By far the best shape of crankbait for perch is a short, stumpy body that produces a really fast wiggle action.

What temperature do perch like?

Perch spawn in the spring , in shallow waters (usually 3 – 12 feet deep), where they lay strands of eggs over weeds and structure. Water temperature is often the trigger for spawning – around 50 degrees. The preferred temperature range for perch is 63 to 77 degrees, but the optimal temperatures are 70-75 degrees.

How do you get perch off a pier?

Perch really like mealworms during the winter but you can still catch big perch during the warmer months too with them. Hook a mealworm or two behind the head and allow them to suspend in the water column near dock pilings and lily pads. You can even tip a jig or small spoon with a single mealworm for added appeal.

How deep should you ice fish for perch?

Ice anglers typically target perch on flats in 20 to 35 feet of water during most of the winter season. Although, early season perch can be caught in 12 to 15 feet before the aquatic plants start to die off.

What is the best depth to ice fish?

3-to-20 feet deep
In my experience, I’ve found that most of the best ice-fishing action comes in water from 3-to-20 feet deep. I like to set up my traps so that they cover a variety of depths. Areas with rock piles, weed beds, or dramatic contours are all good spots.

What time do perch bite ice fishing?

For most of the year, the early morning and late afternoon are the best times to catch perch in good numbers. During the winter, especially when ice fishing, I would say mid-to-late afternoon until sunset is the best.

What depth do perch like in winter?

19 to 36 feet
The typical depths are 19 to 36 feet. Shallower mudflats in 8 to 12 feet are used primarily when the vegetation is still green. If plants are dead, perch move to deeper flats.

What do perch like to eat the most?

Insects play an essential role in the yellow perch’s diet. Insect larvae, midges, mosquitos, scuds, smaller mayflies, and bloodworms are the primary food source for young yellow perch. And even when fully grown, yellow perch will continue to feed on aquatic insects in many water bodies.

What size hooks for perch fishing?

Use a smaller #6 or #4 for 1-2″ minnows and small leeches to target Perch and Crappie. Use the medium size #4 & #2 on larger 3-4″ minnows and jumbo leeches for Walleye. Lastly, the 1/0 is great with larger 4-6″ minnows used to target Pike and Bass.

What scents do perch like?

Perch aren’t big on scent. Things like the size of your lure and sometimes color will be much more important. Maggots, mealworms, minnows, even perch eyes will all work.

Why should you not eat bottom feeders?

Bottom feeding fish, like catfish, buffalo, carp, drum and sturgeon are more likely to have high levels of harmful chemicals like PCBs. These harmful chemicals are concentrated in the mud.

What does the Bible say about bottom feeders?

“`Every creature that moves about on the ground is detestable; it is not to be eaten. You are not to eat any creature that moves about on the ground, whether it moves on its belly or walks on all fours or on many feet; it is detestable.

What is the healthiest fish to eat?

6 of the Healthiest Fish to Eat

1. Albacore Tuna (troll- or pole-caught, from the US or British Columbia)
2. Salmon (wild-caught, Alaska)
3. Oysters (farmed)
4. Sardines, Pacific (wild-caught)
5. Rainbow Trout (farmed)
6. Freshwater Coho Salmon (farmed in tank systems, from the US)