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I got out on the water yesterday for some yellow perch hunting. The tide was low at launch, but the canal was 2' in the center. I started to paddle out, but once I realized I had more than enough depth, I dropped the motor in. Passing the pier in my "magic kayak" generated the usual silent, blank stares lol...never gets old.
I headed downstream where I saw a friend of mine fishing from shore. After chatting with them, I fished near where they were. I used minnows that I picked up from Bay Pro Sport, down on Rt 260. After a few drops, I had my first YP. Small male. I had a constant pick of undersized YP. Unfortunately, this structure that I was fishing created constant snags. It had to have been a tree down there. As soon as I drifted I was often snagged. I picked two keepers from this location, but after losing rig #5, I decided to motor downstream to see if I could find a better spot with bigger fish. I motored about a mile down stream, but never found anything that looked particularly fishy. I fished a couple of locations with no luck. I motored back to snag city where I left them biting earlier.
At this spot I had a pretty constant pick with a few keepers mixed in. I got tired of losing sinkers. I purchased two packs of hooks that morning. Lost them ALL on snags as the day progressed. I got a little bit creative with my rigs as the day went on. I had success in tying two jig heads in tandem directly to my mono leader. This provides better bite detection that having dropper loos, or any bottom rigs with arms of any sort extending to the side. The jig heads were small, unpainted. Their combined weight plus the action of the minnows was enough to get my lures down to the fish (only 13 feet down). I just had to drop a bit up current, so by the time the bait made it down there, it had drifted into the desired area.
I ended the day with 8 YP. If I wanted to stay out longer, I am confident that I could've had my limit. Size on them was not much to write home about, ranging from 9" to 12". It was a great day on the water. I watched the guys fish on the pier...I didn't see anything come over the rail. I also caught one on a gulp alive minnow (pumpkinseed color). I came back in as high tide approached. The canal was 4 feet deep then.
Here are some pics
I cleaned the perch using the "10 second" method.
I headed downstream where I saw a friend of mine fishing from shore. After chatting with them, I fished near where they were. I used minnows that I picked up from Bay Pro Sport, down on Rt 260. After a few drops, I had my first YP. Small male. I had a constant pick of undersized YP. Unfortunately, this structure that I was fishing created constant snags. It had to have been a tree down there. As soon as I drifted I was often snagged. I picked two keepers from this location, but after losing rig #5, I decided to motor downstream to see if I could find a better spot with bigger fish. I motored about a mile down stream, but never found anything that looked particularly fishy. I fished a couple of locations with no luck. I motored back to snag city where I left them biting earlier.
At this spot I had a pretty constant pick with a few keepers mixed in. I got tired of losing sinkers. I purchased two packs of hooks that morning. Lost them ALL on snags as the day progressed. I got a little bit creative with my rigs as the day went on. I had success in tying two jig heads in tandem directly to my mono leader. This provides better bite detection that having dropper loos, or any bottom rigs with arms of any sort extending to the side. The jig heads were small, unpainted. Their combined weight plus the action of the minnows was enough to get my lures down to the fish (only 13 feet down). I just had to drop a bit up current, so by the time the bait made it down there, it had drifted into the desired area.
I ended the day with 8 YP. If I wanted to stay out longer, I am confident that I could've had my limit. Size on them was not much to write home about, ranging from 9" to 12". It was a great day on the water. I watched the guys fish on the pier...I didn't see anything come over the rail. I also caught one on a gulp alive minnow (pumpkinseed color). I came back in as high tide approached. The canal was 4 feet deep then.
Here are some pics
I cleaned the perch using the "10 second" method.
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