What is the best way to catch perch through the ice?
The top finesse baits for perch are ice fishing jigs, and it’s tough to beat maggots as tipping bait. To work ice jigs, slowly lower the bait towards bottom. Be sure to work the bait down the water column using small hops and pauses to make it dance like a tiny aquatic morsel.
How deep do perch go in the winter?
19 to 36 feet
The typical depths are 19 to 36 feet. Shallower mudflats in 8 to 12 feet are used primarily when the vegetation is still green. If plants are dead, perch move to deeper flats.
What depth is best for perch fishing?
Small perch can usually be caught in fairly shallow water year-round, but large adults head toward deeper water as spring turns to summer. By June, rocky areas in 8 to 12 feet of water are prime targets. By August, you can expect to catch perch as deep as 25 to 35 feet.
What depth is best for ice fishing?
3-to-20 feet deep
In my experience, I’ve found that most of the best ice-fishing action comes in water from 3-to-20 feet deep. I like to set up my traps so that they cover a variety of depths. Areas with rock piles, weed beds, or dramatic contours are all good spots.
What colors do perch like ice fishing?
In dark water (or when perch are scattered in clear water) flash lures work well. The bigger the lure, the more flash and vibration. Most flash lures for perch weigh 1/8 to 1/4 ounce. Phosphorescent or metallic lures, like gold-silver, green, and orange attract perch.
What is the best bait for perch in the winter?
- SPOONS AND BLADES. Straight blade baits and straight or slightly bent spoons are great for both attracting and catching yellow perch.
- SINKING PLUGS.
- JIG HEADS.
- LIVE AND SOFT BAITS.
Where do perch hang out in the winter?
At first ice, perch can be scattered anywhere, but by mid-winter most will be on mid- to deep flats. They’ll stay there until the last weeks of the season, before moving close to their spawning sites. Shallow flats, weedy bays and reedy shorelines will produce some of the year’s best perch fishing during ice out.
Do perch like deep water in the winter?
How do you catch big perch in the winter?
Big perch thrive on neglect, so it pays to search every part of the river you may be targeting, watercraft is key. Look for deep, slow-moving parts of the river, snaggy overhangs, bridges, locks. Keep an eye on the river too, look for shoals of bait fish, if you can pinpoint them, predators won’t be far away.
How to catch perch on the ice?
You can then head over to the line once a fish has caught, allowing other lines to stay in the water and attract even more Perch. Some ice fishermen, though, prefer a hands-on experience. Take a small ice fishing rod and sit above the ice, jigging your bait into the water, as you would to when fishing from shore.
What is the best bait for perch fishing?
Ice Fishing Perch Bait Perch feed on insects, freshwater shrimp, and smaller baitfish. Start with an ice jig and soft plastic tipped with a waxie to mimic insects and shrimp. This smaller presentation generates the largest catch count of average sized Perch.
What is a perch pounder rig?
The perch pounder rig is also known as the double minnow rig, and was originally developed by great lakes anglers targeting big perch in deep water. How to tie it: The whole rig is tied with one piece of leader line, which needs to be heavy enough to make it relatively stiff (in order to avoid the baited hooks getting tangled with the main line).
Where is the best perch ice fishing in Canada?
Lake Simcoe, Ontario. Crossing over into the “Great White North,” Lake Simcoe is arguably Canada’s best Perch ice fishing spot. Jumbo varieties offer up a more intense fight than elsewhere, with plenty of delicious rewards afterwards. Saginaw Ba y, MI. We couldn’t talk about ice fishing without mentioning the Great Lakes.