south dakota perch??

Well me and a buddy are going to make a trip to south dakota for tomorrow probably going to leave in the middle of the night. So anyways we are going to be targeting perch and my question is what to use? I am mainly a crappie fisherman and all i really have is a tucr noodle and other ul rods all with 2 lb mono jigs of every size and a small box of spoons. my question is what would u use with what i got? i could buy a lure or two if theirs a hot bait this year to.

Sounds like you are on the right track to me but maybe someone else will respond with specific info.

When you buy your bait there you can also get quality lure info from them. Good luck. I am heading there for the first time in two weeks.

Your TUCR Noodle will work just fine

Use it with a yellow/orange tunsten jig tipped with a minnow head.

Use another for a dead stick with a small spoon also tipped with a minnow head. Jig that one once in awhile to get their attention but don’t be afraid to then just let it sit over a bucket cause they will come up and slam it that way too.

Try deep

Good luck

What about plastics? Like a trigger x wax worm I think it’s called? We are looking for numbers not monsters..

Or an impulse minnow I think they are 1.5 ich? On a glow jig head?

Well, part of your answer is in where you plan on fishing here. Check in with the local bait shop where ever you go for the latest details. The ice is 36″ plus in most locations, the lake surfaces are rough and the weather has been up and down.

The fish have been finicky one day and fast and furious other days. 2-3lbs mono is perfect and your rods are exactly as I would use.

For starter’s, I’ve been successful with CJ&S slender spoons tipped with red maggots or minnow heads. Northland, Lindy and VMC small rattle baits tipped the same have also produced very well this winter. Gold, red, & chartreuse have been my go to colors. Also look to Clam speed spoons or other pilkie/hali style baits with dropper chains.

As for jigs, I’ve been mainly using tungsten jigs from Skandia, Fiskas and a variety of the Clam epoxy drop jigs. Tip them with lip hooked tiny minnows or red maggots/eurolarva.

When it come to plastics for the jigs, I’ve had really good success with the Maki plastics from Clam. The Maki and Jamei in purple, motoroil, red and pink have also been producing.

Also, don’t look past a good deadstick setup with just a plain small hook, split shot and dorsal hooked tiny minnows. Use small slip bobbers like the Thill Center Slider Floats, but make sure you weight them with enough split shot to make them neutral in balance.

I like to duck hunt my perch… Call’em in with a rattle or flashy spoon and those that don’t take that always seem to grab the deadstick.

But more importantly, move around until you locate the school.

Good Luck!

We fished a shallow slough bite last weekend in NE So Dak and drilling and moving with the fish was key. Had my best luck plucking off the active fish with a 1/8th oz slender spoon tipped with a minnow head 4 lb floro and a ML action rod did the trick!