Mid-Severn Perch

[Fishinfool]

Sunday 7/21 to beat the heat, I launched at about 5:30 am at a north side creek about a mile upriver from the Rt. 50 bridge. I've been making a concerted effort to at least partially ween myself off of my live bait habit and dedicated one rod to a 1/8 ounce jig head with a chartreuse curly tail Gulp. Last Monday 7/15 I caught a couple of nice croakers on it, but no luck yesterday slowly trolling, and jigging the edges, near piers, and creek channel.

Incidentally, there was always a bait ball visible, maybe two or three. Probably peanut bunker. I am thinking of investing in a cast net like Kayak 456 has and wonder if its possible to use it off a kayak? Any experience with that would be appreciated.

For my top and bottom rig, I've been netting fresh grass shrimp to supplement my usual razor clams. This time I also happened into a couple of minnows who got caught in the net. Just for fun I put a medium sized minnow on the top plain hook above the clam on the spinner bait below. I caught one of the largest perch of the day with it! Maybe they are attracted by the clam smell, but prefer a fresh live minnow. I will file that switch for future use.

I hit the usual piers with drop-offs and under vacant boathouses to get eight perch in the 9 - 11 inch range. Was off the water by 10:30 am. Just as well, boat traffic was heating up, as was the sun.

Perch July 21, 2013.jpg

[Shady]

Nice, I was out saturday afternoon for a couple of hours. There were so many schools of bunker out there I bet you could have netted them without problem with a regular landing net.

[kayak456]

they are menhaeden if they are very easy to see and about 5 - 7 foot diameter school.

all i use for perch is small twister tails and live minnnows

i use my minnows on size 6 or size 4 owner mutu light circle hooks, fished under a bobber or with some split shots.

[imagine29028]

Perch love minnies....


Dunno how far up you go, but check out Brewer Pond on the west side of the river, just north of Sherwood Forest....

[Mark]

Fishinfool,

I noticed you used the word "slowly" in your description of how you trolled the curly tailed Gulp. I've never used Gulp baits but I've used Mister Twister curly tailed grubs on 1/8 oz. jig heads and I find that I cannot retrieve them fast enough to outrun a hungry white perch or striper. Perhaps if cast near structure and use a speedy retrieve you will attract more perch with artificial baits.

Good luck,

Mark

[Fishinfool]

Gents,

Thanks for all the tips on locations, rigs, and techniques. Just think where we'd be without our beloved white perch, IMHO the best eating fish in the Bay. I've been keeping only perch 9 inches and above, and I am very careful with the dinks I send back.

Incidentally, I never realized that Brewer Point listed in the Tide Finder service through the DNR web site (http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/tides/index.asp), is quite close to where I actually fish!