Jumbo perch

Ive been targeting panfish more extensively this year and am trying to get a general sense of what type of habitat, food, and depths these fish need. Ive had success with sunfish and crappies to a certain extent but have not been able to figure out the perch. just wondering what type of environment perch do the best in? We’ve been fishing a lot of smaller lakes trying to find less pressure and i’m wondering if the sizes of these lakes might be part of the problem. The only places i’ve found really good perch is lake Michigan and lake Mille Lacs. Do perch grow to size in smaller lakes or is it mostly big deep lakes? Any tips on how to pattern those perch would be appreciated. -TC

In my area they are found in the Eau Claire river system including Lake Eau Claire and Altoona. These lake are created by dams so the fish can be found in extensive flats or around the deep river channels that run through the lakes. The fish also make a run up the rivers in the spring. First ice I have found them up on the flats. Generally speaking I get them on jigs and minnows or jigs and crawlers. Jigging spoons work good first ice. Check with your local DNR guy and ask him about the best lakes to fish in your area.

I know of a few small lakes that have kicked out some large Perch in the past. I think large perch need either a really big lake or a lake without much pressure and a lower predator fish population. The few smaller lakes that I know of that had big perch were low pressured lakes until it got out they had big perch – They were wiped out rather quick.

I would agree with the last post on smaller lakes. I know in the Dakotas, perch are found in good number and size in the smaller lakes. But, those lakes, even the well known ones, don’t get as much pressure as a lake around the Twin Cities.

ET

Check out Leech Lake

Photo from Oct 2010
Jig & Minnow in 6-8fow

Perch were 6″-14″, we only kept enough for a good fish fry 9″ and up…

Western bay areas of Leech should be kickin out old orangefin about now. Springtime, any muddy flat near a creek in upper st. Croix River/Lake around Afton has been cycling into jumbos lately.

I haven’t had much success on big numbers of perch, but the perch I find on the Mississippi River in NE Iowa seem to be sand flats just off the main current. Typcially it is 8-12 FOW. I have only had success on a jig 1/16oz or less typed with only a minnow. Hopefully this will give you a tiny bit of advice. I’m seeking the old orangefin myself

I did well on perch this summer in a few lakes in Iowa best results were floating jig head tipped with a night crawler but drifting minnows in flats works good also best areas sand flats and mud flats I know some of the bigger perch on river have been caught out of dredge lines