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Poiching on the lakefront 5/24

7K views 39 replies 19 participants last post by  RangerPaul 
#1 ·
I gave a sneak peak in a limited access forum on Thursday, but the bird is the word. And so are the perch -

Here's my first report of Spring 2009 -

***Note***
Not a single minnow was hurt or even used in the production of this thread or the catching of our fish


So fellas, if you haven't heard, here it is - The perch are starting to show up. I've collected positive reports from Montrose Harbor down to 63rd Street (aka Jackson). Time for me to put some fillets in the freezer!

Over the last week, the action has been sporadic. Some guys clobbered the perch on Thursday, but a shift on winds and a 25 degree temp drop (which actually occurred in the matter of 15 mins; guys who were out there know what I'm talking about) cooled the perching action off. Lake temp is currently about 56 degrees (was 58 on Thursday).

I hit the lakefront this morning (as I have done the last 4 mornings) looking for some of those tasty little buggers. Fished with Rootpro from 530 - 830 am. Action was best between 6-7am.

Highlights of the day -

-55-60 total fish caught
-17 fish carved into fillets and stowed in the freezer (keepers were 9" - 13") between the two of us.
-I might have caught my biggest perch from shore EVER today. The thing pulled some drag on me too
-Action was pretty much on all morning
The really fat perch were LOADED with alewives.





Methods of perch delivery -

-FIN-S shad rigged in tandem on 1/32 and 1/16 oz jigs (#1 bait this morning)
-Chartruese and green paddles bugs rigged in tandem 1/32 and 1/16 oz jigs
-BPS XPS shad rap knockoffs




BEAST!



JUMBOS!!







Great day to be on the lake. Next weekend should have better numbers of spring time jumbos. Good luck guys


Mike
 
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#3 ·
Nice fish.

tis fun to use an assortment of lures when apprehending the perches off the front of our glorious lake.

I think a on " the light side" med light spinning rod might be a touch more suitable than a bait caster for perch. Either way, good going.

The flukey puke and meself will be trying later on this aft/evening to see if you left any behind.

Wind has picked up is going pretty good out of the N.E....Who knows?

Nice fish. See you out there.

Courtney
 
#5 ·
CourtneyLovesPerch said:
Nice fish.


I think a on " the light side" med light spinning rod might be a touch more suitable than a bait caster for perch. Either way, good going.

agreed. i brought the baitcaster because it was rigged with the power pro (and also the only other reel i had in the house ready to go)

good luck. you should do alright later today
 
#6 ·
That's amazing man... I don't understand/haven't tried casting w/ the jigs in tandem that are "so small." How do you get 'em out far enough in these waves? Also, do you find the two jigs in tandem twisting together on the line?

Great job on those perch... amazing...

Couldn't head to 63rd this AM due to Lake Shore being closed for biking this AM. Tried a little bit on the lakefront but was too "wavy."

Last night I went to BPS and purchased some artificial "stuff" a la RonG-
1) Zoom Tiny Flukes
2) Jigs
3) More bass casting sinkers
 
#7 ·
Glad to see the water isn't too cold for cranks.

Weather pretty rough wind kind of ripping out of the N.E.. Plenty of other days to chase the menace.

It will settle down soon and we can concentrate on doing God's work and harvesting limit after limit.

I never take anything under 10" and most are 11 or better.

Interesting thing about perch that I heard. That in collecting the scales of fish it ihas been determined that size has little to do with the age of the fish. Obviously a fish did not hatch at 14 inches....However, many 6-8 inch fish can be five years old or greater.

So when someone says they like the "smaller ones better" there is just as likely a chance that it is older than dirt.
 
#15 ·
Nice Job Rootpro...

Oh, and Mark - nice job as well. Glad to see you've been able to break those those bad live bait habits of yours.

CLP said:

Glad to see the water isn't too cold for cranks.
Anyway, I know you had stated to Courtney (formerly Kurt Kaboom) and questioned him this past Friday at the pier that you were under the impression that "Is'nt it too early for shad raps?...or "Is'nt the water too cold to catch them on shad raps?" (paraphrasing here of course). Based on your results in this post I'm assuming you found out first hand that is indeed not too early :)2 .

The irony here is incredible...in spite of his diatribes and other garbage that spews from his mouth, Courtney/Kurt Kaboom actually knows a thing or two about shore perch and salmon fishing...glad you were able to apply another good piece of information in your perching tactics (minus the baitcaster of course :oops: ). In fact, probably the only time it was considered too early for perch on shad raps was prior to 1983, the year that this lure was introduced to the US market.
 
#16 ·
Superfluke said:
Oh, and Mark - nice job as well. Glad to see you've been able to break those those bad live bait habits of yours.
flukey, my name is mike, not mark. and i also don't have live bait habits 8:)

Superfluke said:
glad you were able to apply another good piece of information in your perching tactics (minus the baitcaster of course :oops: ).
like i had previously said, that was my ONLY other reel that had line on it and i really wanted to get out and throw the raps. i wanted to bring two outfits to the lake that morning.


but thanks for the comments. see you around
 
#17 ·
Mike:
Them are some nice, fat perch!
Thanks for the report, hoping all this bad weather don't mess things up to bad. Keep 'em coming! May try to get some of them delicious fillets for the freezer friday, if the weather cooperates.
 
G
#18 ·
F that.


I've seen well respected crappie fisherman use baitcasters. Thay aint just for bass ya know.


After all, if Mike can get a decent cast out with a lil shadrap on a baitcaster, more power to him. I have a hard enough time doin it pitchin a 1/2 oz. jig n' craw!


Dissing someone's gear is weak anyway (unless it's line wrapped on a beer can - then blast away :lol: ), I thought we all learned how to be better than that when we were growing up.

Superfluke: :)3
 
#19 ·
EdMC - No problem with your reply but most here on this site including the mods could do without your course language reference. That is just a lazy way of expressing how you really feel. This is something I did learn when I was growing up.

After all, if Mike can get a decent cast out with a lil shadrap on a baitcaster, more power to him.
Interestingly enough, if you read the thread, you will see that Mike ostensibly agreed with the earlier comments from KurtKaboom/CLP regarding the usage of the baitcaster/powerpro, insofar that it was a less than optimal setup but convenience played a role in his selection of this outfit for the day.

Dissing someone's gear is weak anyway (unless it's line wrapped on a beer can - then blast away).
So you draw the line at the level where someone using a beer can wrapped with line is fair game? In the unlikely scenario that Mike did indeed think his best option was a baitcaster/heavy powerpro combo for perch, the thinking is that he might benefit from getting an alternative suggestion such as that mentioned earlier by Courtney. Nothing more/nothing less.

Kurt Kaboom and I met Mike the other day out there. We both agreed that he seems like a nice enough guy who is new to fishing lakefront perch and is quite enthusiastic about learning everything he can about perch fishing. Sharing my opinion about the baitcaster use in a manner where some playful ribbing was involved should not be perceived as a threat to him or especially someone not involved in the situation period.

I have a hard enough time doin it pitchin a 1/2 oz. jig n' craw!
Everything is possible with practice (oh, and the right gear)...keep at it and good luck.
 
#21 ·
I'm really amazed at ALL the wonderful perch knowledge I've obtained as of late from a few on this site. Thank you so so so nuch for enlightening me that live bait is no longer any good to use. And also thanks for letting me know that my 5500C and musky rod will not get perch at the lake. I now know that I must bring at least 7 rods of various lengths with different line weights, 70-80 different cranks, tubes, plastics, and assorted other gear in order to catch a limit of perch...........ORRRR

I can bring one falcon 6 footer with 4# test, a #2 long shanked gold hook and a couple dozen fatheads and fish 'em under a slip bobber and do just as well---or better. Yep I think I'll do the latter.
 
#22 ·
I don't know why you feel so threatened that others are doing quite well with artificials.

No one said perch can't be caught on minnows!
No one said you need 7 rods!
No one said you need to bring 70-80 cranks plus whatever else!

Are you reading this on some other website and thinking you read it here?

You people complain about lack of reports and information. Then when there are good reports and voluntarily-shared detailed tips and info, you gripe about that too. :cry:


I can show up with one rod, tackle that will fit in my shirt pocket and completely outfish MYSELF had I come armed with minnows. What's wrong with that? Thanks for pooping on mplant1's nice post. :)3
 
#25 ·
Gents-

I'm new to shore perch fishing out of Montrose. I've spent most of my time salmon and perch fishing offshore in Michigan.

What the best method and/or presentation for perch at Montrose? And where is the best spot to start at?

I've been up there once and fished the eastern most area opposite the docked boats. Should I try to semi circle wall north of the harbor or the southern most wall.

Thanks and good fishing.
 
#26 ·
So when someone says they like the "smaller ones better" there is just as likely a chance that it is older than dirt.
"Better" could have more than one meaning. Would you disagree that smaller perch are easier to fillet and are generally more tender than true jumbos?


Sweet catch mplant1!!
 
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