Downsizing for stubborn perch

  • Andy Fiolka
    Boise, Idaho
    Posts: 543
    January 11, 2014 at 8:15 pm #1359593

    This morning was very humbling out on the old hard deck.

    The weather seemed ok, the bite was just, well, off a bit. The fish were there and we were seeing them on the flashers, but getting them to take the baits we had been fishing was rough. An assortment of larger spoons and darters had been money lately. No mas today.

    The change up:

    After a solid hour of my own unwillingness to change my offering, I consulted the otter case for the next option. I grabbed one of my TUCR Noodles rigged with 2 lb Sufix mono. I then tied on a gold tungsten CJ&S Chekai and added a Trigger-X Mustache Worm. I dropped it down to the same red lines that were uninterested just a few minutes prior and bam, fish on!

    It wasn’t an “epic” day on the ice, but downsizing the offering put some jumbos topside for us. For the record, perch are actually pretty darn fun to catch on the noodle rod! I also changed up my pose because I misplaced the other fish I’d been dragging around the past few weeks.

    Andy

    belletaine
    Nevis, MN
    Posts: 5116
    January 11, 2014 at 8:31 pm #1379084

    How many pounds of air do you put in those? Nice perch Andy!

    joe e
    Medford, WI
    Posts: 30
    January 11, 2014 at 8:40 pm #1379086

    Our Wisconsin perch can’t hold that kind of air lol Hats off to you, you can really catch some monsters

    Andy Fiolka
    Boise, Idaho
    Posts: 543
    January 11, 2014 at 8:48 pm #1379089

    Thanks fellas, but it’s more just the luck of being in the right spot at the right time. When the stars line up, good things happen.

    BBKK
    IA
    Posts: 4033
    January 11, 2014 at 8:50 pm #1379090

    Wow that is a huge perch! The perch down here are food for that thing. The only way the perch around here can get the jig in their mouth is if you downsize

    Andy Fiolka
    Boise, Idaho
    Posts: 543
    January 11, 2014 at 8:53 pm #1379092

    Funny you say that. Last week, they were puking up baby perch on the ice as I was unhooking them. I guess when perch are eating baby perch, fish with perch (colored lures, that is)

    joe_the_fisher
    Wisconsin Dells WI
    Posts: 908
    January 12, 2014 at 7:50 am #1379138

    All i can say is WOW!! Massive perch! What is the measurment on that thing?

    Frenchman
    West Central Indiana
    Posts: 414
    January 12, 2014 at 8:18 am #1379144

    Andy,

    Good Job adapting to what the fish want. I am with Kevin, in Indiana on our in land lakes most are happy when an 8″ Perch come through the hole and PRAISE JESUS! when they reach 10″. Would love to fish Perch the way I currently fish Gills and Crappie!

    scmelik
    South Dakota
    Posts: 238
    January 12, 2014 at 8:32 am #1379148

    nice work Andy, I have been a big fan of fishing small jigs for perch for years but I don’t think I have ever caught anything like that on a small tungsten.

    Steve Thompson
    Sioux Falls, South Dakota
    Posts: 185
    January 12, 2014 at 6:44 pm #1379233

    Andy,

    It was certainly a tough bite out there today, and with such good weather. We also had to downsize for some really finicky perch.

    We worked a small body of water a little off the beaten path, about halfway up to your neck of the woods. There has been a lot of fishing pressure on Thompson, Whitewood, 81 Ponds, and other lakes.

    Mistake #1 for a lot guys I saw this weekend, join the big crowd of guys until it looks like a herd of cattle. You want catch some nice fish, leave the crowd behind or better yet, go find a new area or lake and give it a shot. You never know what you’ll find….

    But hey, my son is going to start carrying his perch around too and see how many places they can visit.

    BBKK
    IA
    Posts: 4033
    January 12, 2014 at 6:48 pm #1379234

    Quote:

    Funny you say that. Last week, they were puking up baby perch on the ice as I was unhooking them. I guess when perch are eating baby perch, fish with perch (colored lures, that is)

    Today I cleaned 3 small perch that were packed full of tiny bluegills. So maybe we could have a bluegill inside a perch inside a perch?

    BBKK
    IA
    Posts: 4033
    January 12, 2014 at 6:48 pm #1379235

    Quote:

    Funny you say that. Last week, they were puking up baby perch on the ice as I was unhooking them. I guess when perch are eating baby perch, fish with perch (colored lures, that is)

    Today I cleaned 3 small perch that were packed full of tiny bluegills. So maybe we could have a bluegill inside a perch inside a perch?

    Andy Fiolka
    Boise, Idaho
    Posts: 543
    January 12, 2014 at 6:55 pm #1379239

    Those are some dandies aiathompson! I bet your son had a blast!

    Andy

    Steve Thompson
    Sioux Falls, South Dakota
    Posts: 185
    January 12, 2014 at 6:56 pm #1379240

    Quote:

    nice work Andy, I have been a big fan of fishing small jigs for perch for years but I don’t think I have ever caught anything like that on a small tungsten.

    Scott,

    Small #10 & #12 tungsten jigs with Makiplastics Jamei, Maki or Shrimpi is one of my favorite tactics for jumbo perch. Especially when you are on a body of water where you know the perch regularly are feeding on fresh water shrimp or other small aquatics.

    Steve Thompson
    Sioux Falls, South Dakota
    Posts: 185
    January 12, 2014 at 7:10 pm #1379246

    Andy,

    He had a blast again today. Wasn’t a lot of fish, but everything we caught was over 11″ with a few pushing 14″.

    He’s really getting the hang of it this year. He’s even landed several crappies 14″ and over this winter. It cost me a new Vexilar FL-8SE just for him this year. He was starting to eye my FL-X28.

    Quintin Biermann
    Member
    Webster, South Dakota
    Posts: 436
    January 12, 2014 at 7:37 pm #1379261

    Nice fish Andy. I have gone through this as well. Sometimes downsizing it all it takes funny how a big perch will on occasion only eat a tiny jig. Keep it up- QB

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