The perch fishing is looking up after our outing this afternoon. I meet up with a couple of friends Mark and Glenn in search of some perch action. We fished the Boot flat off of Hunters Point Resort road on the eastside of the lake. George Nitti from Hunters gave me a direction to head and it worked out well for this group! We managed to keep a half bucket full of perch with 25+ exceeding 3/4lb. The two largest of the day came in at 1.1 and 1.3 lb’s shown here with Mark holding the two jumbo’s!
Hunters Point Resort has roads out to the Boot, Fishers, Center Bar areas. The area we fished was easy to access without even the need to put the truck in 4 wheel drive. We started off the flat in 32 feet and found our active fish on the edge in 28-29 feet. The lure of choice for me was jigging a JB weasel with just a piece of minnow.
We caught most of the perch from 1pm to 4pm. We also managed to keep 6 walleye. We caught a number of small walleye in the 10-14 inch range. I used the aquaview to help locate these perch. The schools of perch were large in number with as many as 20 fish in view of the camera. I once looked at the Vexilar and thought it had gone wacky when I looked back at the camera and saw why. The screen was full of perch…….
The perch fishing should only get better now that we are in the month of February. February is the start of the second season on Mille Lacs. It’s the start of perch fishing! The resorts should have road access open for perch fishing into late March. Make sure to mark your calendar for the up coming perch contest at Hunters Point Resort on Febuary 19th and the Liberty Beach Perch Extravaganza Feb.26th
Nice fatties Bob!!
My left hoof is getting better. I should be able to make it up in March!!
Thanks for the report Bud. Nice perch and nice pics. Sounds like you are having tooooooooo much fun up there.
Thanks, Bill
Holy cow!!!! them are some big perch – bet them were fun to reel in.
Great report! I’ll be up on Saturday after some of those good eatin’ jumbos!! My only problem now is — how do I catch perch from 1 to 4 when he meat raffle starts at noon?!?!
If you are heading to Mille Lacs stop in and see George at Hunters Point Resort. He will send you in the right direction……..he sure helped me yesterday! Tell him Bob Carlson sent ya!
One point I would like to add to my report is what I found in the fish I cleaned. While I maybe handled a large number of perch Thursday afternoon….none of these perch were spitting up any bugs, and no helgermites, which I would normally see from perch caught in the mud areas we were fishing. Some had minnows in them others nothing. I think these fish are going to be feeding very soon……and I plan to be there feeding them a hook or two!
Well I made it back out today for some perch action. Puddlepounder and I managed a few keepers a lot of smaller fish bit today. We did catch 2 jumbo’s that went over a pound. What a nice day to spend on a bucket in the middle of a lake. Might have to do it again tommorrow…….
Bob, would you please cut it out? Just because you get to go fishing doesn’t mean you have to torment us less fortunate folks.
I am just giving you crap. I wish I still lived at home (only 90 min. drive, instead of 4 hours). Weather permitting, I am shooting for the big pond on 3/5. Love to see the detailed reports and good luck in the contests.
I did’nt make it out on Saturday but my buddy Travis did. He just sent me a picture of the nice perch he caught. The biggest was weighed at Lundeen bait at 1.6 lbs.
Nice fish Travis!!
Bobber-
You have got me pumped up, buddy!
8-9 of us are heading up Friday(18th) for the weekend, rented a house from Twin Pines!
We’re looking forward to one hell of a weekend!
Thanks, you should get over to Hunters Point Resort and buy a button for the contest Saturday. You just never know if your lucky, ya might win a gun or an power ice auger!!!!
Good luck,
Just got off the lake from an afternoon perch run. Two of us managed around 15 keepers. The biggest was caught by my friend Bob at 1.3 lbs. I started out deep in around 33-34 feet and found no active fish. I think I may have moved 5 times before I found some fish in 29 feet. I had a good run at around 3:30-4pm. We had a lot of 8 inch perch today….cookie cutter ones.
sounds like working the edges of the flats is the thing to do. I’m also renting a shack from twin pines this weekend. hoping to chase some pike and perch in the weeds and get some eyes at night. what baits have been the best for perch?