WI Perch chasing

Ever since last Saturday when I got my new to me LX-5 I have been anxiously awaiting this weekend so I could get out on the ice and catch some fish. Phone calls and texts were made with a couple of fishing friends through out the week and definite plans were made late Friday afternoon into the evening. Plans were set for my niece, who I was happy to have spend the weekend with me, and I to meet up with tournament fishing rival and good friend Kent A. and an old co-worker but still a fishing friend Tim N. .

The day was set to start our perching adventure on Lake Wapogasset and then venture to a lake North of Highway 8 for some afternoon/evening crappies. Well it’s amazing how fast plans change because the moment I drove onto Wapogasset I was greeted by a Wanderoos Lions Club member informing me of the fishing tournament/contest going on for the day. With very little arm twisting from the Lions Club member my tickets were bought and I was in on the tourney. Kent arrived about an hour after I had been out and things were slow for me so he headed for a lake North of Highway 8 that I would later join him on. About an hour after that Tim showed up to fish but did not register for the tourney. Around 2 o’clock I decided I had enough and was ready for a shot at another lake as Wapogasset was producing nothing but small gills and perch in the area we were fishing and we didnt have time to make a move so we headed up to the weigh in and door prize boards to see if we could or did win anything and with that there was no time left to fish so we hit the road North to meet up with Kent who had been joined by his dad.

Upon arrival Kent and his dad were set up on a 17′ flat that had fish chasing but nothing committing which was all about to change. Fish giving chase but not biting meant 1 thing, time to weed through the tackle box and find the color the fish wanted. After a couple quick jig and bait changes Kent iced the first 9" perch of the day. Then as afternoon changed to evening and drilling near 40 holes we found ourselves hole hopping and catching a fish here and a fish there. Kent found his best holes to be the ones I didn’t patiently wait out pulling 2-3 fish out of each hole I just left. I finally caught on to his tricks though and started a fish catching frenzy when I started going to holes he just vacated.

Unfortunately this day was coming to an end with the sun going down and my niece getting cold we had to pack things up. Kent and his dad stayed as my niece and I had to go. We did have a good 2 1/2 hours of fishing, icing 13 perch and 5 gills. Best bait for my niece and I was a small firetiger diamond jig tipped with a waxi. We kept enough fish for my neice and I to have a fry, the rest are swimming to be caught another day. Kent had a really good day with quite a few 8-11" perch, some 7-9" gills and a couple nice crappies, I am still waiting to hear how his night bite went. Kent was using some of his jigs that he makes. After leaving Wapo Tim ended up on a different lake from us, I am still waiting to hear from him.