Lures for Perch

[archeryrob]

I am not much of a bait fisherman. I just don't like sitting around and going to get it. So what lures are you guys using for perch? I caught a couple yellow perch on 3/8 oz spinnerbaits on Mattawoman chasing the snakeheads and bass. Had a bunch of misses when the perch where around. I figure, the bass baits where a bit large and the water was a bit cold.

So I hit the work bench tonight and twisted some lures up for Saturday.

1/4 oz spinnerbaits. Left with a $2 Colorado and a 3 willow and right just a single #3 Colorado. Middle is nickle body inlines with an inline blade


There is a jig with a 2" Houdini shad in case I have to go deep, or I can change to a twister tail.

and a couple more Roostertail type with #2 willow blades. They are still drying on the hackles before I add the treble hook.


What lures are you guys using?

[Southerly]

white beetlespin is my go to but 1/4 oz (i think) chrome/blue ratLtrap scores big too. the problem is it comes with trebles that cause too much damage if not changed. a plain white grub/jighead if you can cast it as far as you need will always get bites. a new favorite last year for piers was jignrap, vertical jigging minnow. it's an ice fishing jig. move up/down and it swims in a circle and perch love it. also roadrunner and mepps aglia (i think) the one with silver blade and br/blk hair.

the beetlespin really seems to pull the bigger ones out of a group. a friend talked me into super-dupers as being a winner but i haven't tried them in a heads up yet.

ps - any one of your lures look good! i have a couple of that style but keep coming back to my old favorites.

[ictalurus]

For white perch, I like white 2" twin tailed grubs on an 1/8oz head with or without a spinner arm (like a beetle spin) depending on how aggressive they are. If white isn't working, chartreuse usually does. Sometimes I'll step up to a 1/4oz head if it's deeper. Since I'm usually fishing in brackish water for them, I don't bother with spinners since they often rust even if I rinse them. White perch typically aren't picky, so I stick with the cheap stuff. Hopefully, Grady Black will pipe in with his killer perch lures. He and I fished the same spot in a creek off the Pax last year, and he was pulling in monsters while I was catching hand-sized fish.

For yellow perch, I had a lot of luck with firetiger 2" Storm shads this year and 2" chartreuse Power Bait grubs. I caught several on a small firetiger floating Rapala, too.

[J.A. Veil]

I fished all summer and fall last year for white perch in the Severn creeks with pretty good success. I used a variety of small lures -- most of them had either a spinner blade or a soft plastic tail that wiggled as it moved through the water. My fishing was done primarily in the shallow shoreline areas with depths less than 5 ft. The photos below show some of the lures I used.

I posted some information last evening on the main M&G thread about the whereabouts of perch near Holland Pt (immediately to the east of our launch spot). A Deale-based fishing guide commented that the perch are still in deep water and have not yet moved up into their summer locations near the shore.

Having said that, many of the lighter lures that worked well for me in shallow water may not get down deep enough to find the perch in deeper water. It would be a good plan to bring a variety of lures or bait rigs that will allow you to fish different depths.

I plan to bring 1 or 2 double-hook bottom rigs to fish in 20 ft depth. I will also have an ultralight rod with a beetle spin type lure and another with a jighead and twister tail.

Just a comment on the beautiful spinner baits you showed in the first post. I have not had much luck catching perch on medium or large spinner baits. My best spinner type lures are 1/8-oz or 1/16-oz weights. Of course, there could be some rockfish around that would prefer a larger lure.

[archeryrob]

I was looking on the Caris Maps and noticed if you go around Holland Point this is a large flat off shore, plus your in legal Striper water, if you tripped onto a biggin.

I think the inlines will be the ticket, if its warm enough.

[nay_sayer]

I was looking on the Caris Maps and noticed if you go around Holland Point this is a large flat off shore, plus your in legal Striper water, if you tripped onto a biggin.

The possible availability of quality stripers while being able to get a decent WP catch is why I suggested May for this M&G. You have a very good chance of getting a cow out there tomorrow.

[Shady]

I caught a lot of perch last year (and some Striper) on 1/8 and 1/16 oz road runner jighead with gulp alive minnow in smelt or chartreuse, but I think these lures are best suited for shallow water. I'll bet that the yellow perch rig would work good for white perch in deeper water.

[Southerly]

I'll bet that the yellow perch rig would work good for white perch in deeper water.

if you're referrring to the jignrap ice fishing lure - i think the answer is yes but i have not been able to prove it. mostly due to not having opportunity and conditions for that so far.

but i don't think it will work well if there is any wind because it won't go straight down. if the yak was drifting with the current w/o wind, i think it would go down and get them for you. really is a hard-working little lure, and a good way to practice jigging ie getting the motion right, feeling the hits, and setting hook.

i forgot to add - another lure is the 1/4 oz kastmasters are very effective for vertical jigging WP.

my friend vertical jigs with good success using the mepps. my only real complaint with that lure is that i snag and lose them too much.

[Shady]

I was referring to the yellow perch rig that most people use fishing for yellow perch on the Susky when they are making their spawning runs. Basically a top and bottom rig with either minnows on shad darts or small softplastics. Drift and jig off the bottom.

[Excalibur]

man, I must be doing something wrong. I've yet to catch a perch (or anything) on a beetle spin on the Severn. I've always had to go to cut up pieces of bw which is a PIA

[bignose]

Lures for White Perch:

My handmade 1/8 oz. Spinner jig (see John Veil's picture #2-lower right hand corner)
1/8 oz. jig head with a 3" Powerbait Curly tail in chartreuse or yellow
1/8 oz. jig head with a beetle spin type blade add on. Size 2 blade (available at Bass Pro) 2 1/2" Gulp minnow in chartreuse on the jig
#2 Mepps Spinner-although they catch a lot of grass, tarnish quickly and aren't cost effective

Jig Heads and Curly tails are cheap!

If it ain't chartreuse, it ain't no use!
They love/hate that ugly bright green!

I use 10 lb. test braid and a short mono or fluorocarbon leader.
You will be casting into some nasty places, under docks and into submerged wood with barnacles and snags, so abrasion resistance is a premium.