As a toddler, I used to be consumed by fishing and absorbed all the things I may from any fishing journal I may get my fingers on.
My grandpa had a pleasant choice of Eighties and 90s magazines that I learn many instances. After I was eight, 9, and 10, I even used to go knocking on doorways in our neighbourhood asking for fishing magazines. I’m certain many individuals thought I used to be bizarre, however I grew my assortment.
Studying them, I discovered it odd to see perch-fishing tales. Rising up round Lake of the Woods — which I nonetheless name house — I noticed many perch sacrificed to the fox that hung across the ice fishing spot or the eagle sitting within the white pine close to dad’s favorite walleye gap. You wouldn’t be caught useless with a perch in your bucket or in your stringer. It was walleye nation, in order that’s what of us ate.
The notion was that perch have been wormy, smooth fleshed, and easily no good to eat. So, once I noticed folks writing about perch fishing and holding up stringers stuffed with them, I believed possibly they simply didn’t have a superb place to fish different species.
As I grew older and began working as a fishing information at resorts throughout northwest Ontario, I observed that the skilled guides I emulated have been bringing perch in to shore for lunch, to eat with walleye. As I watched carefully, these guides have been saving the perch fillets to prepare dinner final, so they may eat them. That’s what first received me considering these fish deserved a greater fame.
Perch fishing in northwest Ontario
My long-time fishing buddy Dave Bennett additionally grew up on the shores of Lake of the Woods and was most likely the primary of my mates I noticed protecting perch whereas walleye fishing. At first, I can bear in mind giving him a chirp or two about protecting “the wormy perch” however it didn’t take me lengthy to lose that perspective for good. A few Friday evening fish fries confirmed me that skinny perch fillets cooked quick and the marginally firmer flesh was very good. They have been certainly good to eat.
Bennett is a full-time information on Lake of the Woods (davebennettoutdoors.com) and whereas most of his efforts give attention to muskie and walleye, he is aware of the place to search out perch year-round.
“Lake of the Woods is clearly a giant physique of water, however all through the totally different sections of the lake that I fish the one factor that is still per discovering perch is that they like to high school over mud or sand backside areas,” he mentioned. “We catch them on high of construction like humps and factors as properly once we’re walleye fishing, however the large teams can be over the mud.”
The identical areas are sometimes good all through the summer time, fall, and winter, he defined.
“I believe that perch prefer to be close to conventional walleye construction, however they’ll hold simply off of those locations over the softer backside. I believe they discover extra of the invertebrates and bugs that they prefer to eat in these areas and possibly the larger predator fish push them off the construction.”
Getting larger
Rising up, most of my perch catches have been incidental whereas walleye fishing, however up to now decade, perch in my house water have grow to be larger and extra ample. Higher electronics are most definitely serving to us discover extra teams of perch that have been missed up to now. I’m always watching side-imaging and down-imaging on the sonar models on the console on my boat. After I see a college of perch, I’ll typically drop a waypoint. Fish aren’t glued to a bit of construction, so they’ll transfer round from everyday. When you discover a good flat they like, nonetheless, it’s typically good on return visits. Typically you simply should spend a couple of minutes idling round once you pull as much as a brand new spot to search out the place the group is situated earlier than you begin truly fishing.
One measurement doesn’t match all in relation to the most effective depths to search out perch. Electronics assist anglers discover faculties. I prefer to focus my efforts between 15 and 25 toes in open water, whereas sliding barely deeper within the fall and winter, all the way in which to 35 toes. These guidelines may be utilized to most waters throughout northwestern Ontario with sturdy perch populations.
Baits that ship
On most days, perch are aggressive. The most important ones will typically chunk first once you drop your bait into a college. I like to make use of baits that may get their consideration and choose for larger fish. That may imply utilizing a barely bigger swimbait, within the 2.5-inch vary, to forged at teams of fish you discover on flats or it may imply utilizing a 1⁄4 oz spoon on the ice, a bait measurement frequent amongst walleye anglers.
My expertise is that once you get round a college of perch, an even bigger bait will catch larger fish. That’s to not say there isn’t a time and place for finesse baits, in the event you’re confronted with heavy fishing strain or inconsistent climate, all the time let the fish inform you what they need. Mild line goes to permit your baits to get right down to the fish faster and provides your baits a extra pure presentation. I exploit a braided foremost line on all my spinning reels, then connect an roughly eight-foot fluorocarbon chief in 4 or six-pound check. This provides me an invisible hyperlink to the bait, however the braid permits me to really feel precisely what’s going on with my bait always and never miss any refined bites.
Southern Ontario
OOD contributor Tim Allard is a multi-species knowledgeable who spends loads of time on the water chasing all species, together with perch. Rising up, he says he by no means thought-about perch a trash fish.
“I didn’t goal them too critically as a teenager as a result of I used to be extra desirous about pike, bass, and walleye,” he mentioned. “After a few journeys to Lake St. Clair with my uncle, I used to be launched to perch and proven the efficiency of the perch rig. After these journeys I had extra appreciation for catching large perch.”
Allard advised me that certainly one of his favorite actions every spring is spending a day fishing from shore for perch. “Discover a protected, heat water bay with some brush or weeds and forged a small jig tipped with plastic or a hair jig. If there’s a tributary or culvert bringing in heat water, that’s even higher.” One factor about perch is that if they’re round they’ll often present themselves fairly rapidly.
We did agree on fishing smooth backside flats for perch all through the summer time, fall, and winter — throughout the province. Allard has had some nice days in September, fishing close to construction on flats, much like our findings within the north. He appears for faculties of fish on his electronics then drops small bladebaits, spoons or a swimming jig. He says that backside transitions round structural parts like factors and humps are sizzling spots to gather perch.
Easing walleye strain
One of many optimistic features of extra anglers focusing on perch is that it takes some strain off walleye on waters the place their inhabitants is likely to be careworn from fishing strain. This can be a related subject on Lake of the Woods and different waterbodies throughout the province the place walleye are the extra standard species.
Many anglers in Ontario who, like me, are spoiled to reside in walleye nation most likely want the identical perspective adjustment that I wanted about perch. They’re plentiful and supply an incredible choice for harvest, particularly the place walleye are careworn from fishing strain. They’re additionally a species that we will chase year-round all through the province, so they’re an choice any day of the 12 months.
High perch waters
- Lake Simcoe
- Lake St. Clair
- Lake Nipissing
- Lac des Mille Lacs
- Lake of the Woods
- Wabigoon Lake
Initially printed within the Nov.-Dec. 2022 subject of Ontario OUT of DOORS
