Advice for big White Perch

[azmdted]

Hi,
Last year was my first year here, and it seems to have set some unrealistic expectations as to what to expect this year. So, I've been concentrating on White Perch for now mostly around Weems Creek and the Bay Bridge pilings. This morning I was back out at Weems and worked my way to the flagpole across from Jonas Green. I spent 7 hours between the entry, the flagpole and both sides of Weems and did not a catch a single keeper perch (9 inches or more). I had a lot of little Perch, a Bluefish, a Blue Crab, and a Pumpkinseed (yep, had to look that one up as I had never seen one before). Last time there I even caught an eel.

weems crab.jpgweems pumpkinseed.jpg

I have one pole rigged for bottom fishing night crawlers and another for a lure (Gold or Silver Kastmaster 3/8 oz is my favorite). Both catch fish well. Today I also tried the micro spinner and 3/8 oz spinners as mentioned in another thread but to no luck.

So I'm curious, do you find that the large perch hold to themselves or are they interspersed with the medium sized guys? Do they have a favorite topography? At the bay bridge I find them in the same places I find the littler ones. But at Weems my luck the last 3 or 4 times has generally been that I only catch small or middling perch with no large ones mixed in.

Any advice on finding the big ones?

Thanks.

[Longtrav]

I have pulled up many doubles and the perch were varying sizes. I have not run into a school of small or large perch. In my area they seem to be mixed sizes medium to large. Not sure that this helps too much. I have been focused on blues/rock as of late.

[kayak tony]

Bring a variety of baits with you. I find that the bigger perch often like peeler crab, cut perch, or cut spot.

[gillplate]

White perch need to be 9"? I had no idea. Is that the law or your personal standard? I fish for White perch in PA. lakes alot and there is no minimum length. though 11" perch are not uncommon in lake marburg, I keep em all.(illegally introduced invasive species in the lake) even the small ones are excellant fishsticks!

[Mark]

According to the MD DNR, most white perch remain in the river of their birth throughout their lives. They're not big travelers.

I catch a variety of sizes per location. But what has been missing on my outings this year are stripers in 12 to 14 inch range intermixed with the perch. A striper among perch catches happened often last year but not this year.

I've never used live or cut bait for white perch but I've caught two over 12 inches this year and in each case they hit larger 1/2 oz. lures I was using while searching for stripers. Although I've caught many over 10 inches while using 1/8 oz. jig heads with Mister Twister grubs, most I catch with smaller jig heads are 9 inches or under. So I do believe larger lures attract larger perch.

This guy hit a 1/2 oz. Rat L Trap:

D.jpg

I was actually casting for stripers.

By far, I catch most perch while casting to shoreline structure.

I rig a perch rod with smaller lures just for the action they bring. I don't care much about their size. Perch are usually willing to entertain when other fish are not in the biting mood. That's why I like them.

[gillplate]

these where all caught trolling at lake marburg.(from a boat) In the summer months the fish tend to suspend at the thermocline, maybe 25' to 30'. normally in at least 40' of water. I catch small medium and large out of the same schools. since this is fresh water, it probably wont help you much, but I just learned how to post pictures, and It seemed like a good time to show this one. I think there are 86 here.The limit is 50 per person, there were two of us.006.jpg

[john from md]

these where all caught trolling at lake marburg.(from a boat) In the summer months the fish tend to suspend at the thermocline, maybe 25' to 30'. normally in at least 40' of water. I catch small medium and large out of the same schools. since this is fresh water, it probably wont help you much, but I just learned how to post pictures, and It seemed like a good time to show this one. I think there are 86 here.The limit is 50 per person, there were two of us.[ATTACH=CONFIG]13169[/ATTACH]

That's a weekend of cleaning!!!

John

[azmdted]

White perch need to be 9"? I had no idea. Is that the law or your personal standard? I fish for White perch in PA. lakes alot and there is no minimum length. though 11" perch are not uncommon in lake marburg, I keep em all.(illegally introduced invasive species in the lake) even the small ones are excellant fishsticks!

Just 9 inches or more is my personal standard. To me the smaller ones don't seem to have enough meat to warrant killing them so I'll gladly let them grow bigger for next year. There's no size or bag limit on perch caught with a fishing pole in Maryland Tidal waters so to each their own.

[azmdted]

According to the MD DNR, most white perch remain in the river of their birth throughout their lives. They're not big travelers.

I catch a variety of sizes per location. But what has been missing on my outings this year are stripers in 12 to 14 inch range intermixed with the perch. A striper among perch catches happened often last year but not this year.

I've never used live or cut bait for white perch but I've caught two over 12 inches this year and in each case they hit larger 1/2 oz. lures I was using while searching for stripers. Although I've caught many over 10 inches while using 1/8 oz. jig heads with Mister Twister grubs, most I catch with smaller jig heads are 9 inches or under. So I do believe larger lures attract larger perch.

This guy hit a 1/2 oz. Rat L Trap:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]13147[/ATTACH]

I was actually casting for stripers.

By far, I catch most perch while casting to shoreline structure.

I rig a perch rod with smaller lures just for the action they bring. I don't care much about their size. Perch are usually willing to entertain when other fish are not in the biting mood. That's why I like them.

Thanks for the info. I know there's a huge difference body size for a 10 incher vice a 9 incher, so I imagine that 13 you have pictured must have seemed like monster. Good job. I will have to try using a bigger lure/hook to see if that separates out the little guys from the bigger ones. You are right, they are entertaining. It's also interesting to me that the biggest fights I've had with Perch seem to come from the smaller ones.

[azmdted]

these where all caught trolling at lake marburg.(from a boat) In the summer months the fish tend to suspend at the thermocline, maybe 25' to 30'. normally in at least 40' of water. I catch small medium and large out of the same schools. since this is fresh water, it probably wont help you much, but I just learned how to post pictures, and It seemed like a good time to show this one. I think there are 86 here.The limit is 50 per person, there were two of us.[ATTACH=CONFIG]13169[/ATTACH]

Wow, that's a whole bunch of fish. Congrats.

[Cowpokey]

Trolling or casting next to rip rap is just about guaranteed to produce white perch for me. Toll in line with the rip rap so the lure is in 3-4 foot of water, or stay back and fan cast to the rocks.

Norman Middle N is my go to crank bait for everything fresh or salt.


Targeting white perch I use an inline spinner, 1/8oz, white, silver or gold with some black or blue mixed in; Rooster Tail and Blue Fox are the ones I prefer.
Blue Fox


Roostertail

[gillplate]

Just 9 inches or more is my personal standard. To me the smaller ones don't seem to have enough meat to warrant killing them so I'll gladly let them grow bigger for next year. There's no size or bag limit on perch caught with a fishing pole in Maryland Tidal waters so to each their own.

These fish come from lake marburg in PA. they were ilegally stocked there sometime in the 80's. DCNR encourages the removal of them from the lake. Though they are small fish, in a lake enviroment they can be devastating to gamefish such as bass and walleye. They are vicious little predators that tear up the spawning beds, and consume many of the hatchlings of larger fish. DCNR has signs posted encouraging there removal and the sign states that they spawn twice a year. None of these fish went to waste.I fillet them, and If I recall correctly it did take close to 3 hours to clean them. They rank very highly with me as table fare.broiled on the grill in foil. Left whole on the grill. Deep fried in beer batter. Good eatin!

[Mark]

Other lakes in PA have white perch and they are indeed considered to be an invasive nuisance.

I recall reading an article in "PA Angler and Boater" magazine years ago that spoke of white perch in the same terms and with same dire predictions used in recent years for snakeheads.