Yellow perch – facts &
fishing tips
Yellow perch are one of the smaller
varieties of this panfish species, typically ranging from less than
one pound to about 2 lbs. Hence, they are used for live bait almost as
often as they are pursued as game. Fishing tips are almost irrelevant
here, because the yellow perch is fairly easy to catch year-round in
many places in the U.S. If introduced to a new habitat, these fish can
quickly wipe out native populations, as perch are voracious eaters and
bunch together in large schools. Consequently, fishing tips for this
species invariably include the advice to be prepared to catch them one
after the other once you hit a school of perch. This can last for hours,
literally!
Yellow perch are fun to catch
because they are actually a pretty good eating fish, if you catch a
mess of them. They are most prolific along the Atlantic coast (inland
lakes) and Midwest and are found as far north as the Northwest
Territories. Another of the standard fishing tips is to use smaller
bits of bait, like chunks of worm or small minnows (even crickets).
And use very small hooks. Since most of these fish are only 4-8 inches
long, if you use larger baits and/or too big of a hook, you’ll
discover that perch are clever
thieves.
The yellow perch is an excellent fish for the beginning angler to go
after because it is so ubiquitous and is caught with regularity
without using any particular skill or technique. You can haul perch in
all day with nothing more than a can of worms and a cane pole with a
bobber.
Medium action rods with spinning or casting reels and hook sizes
4-8 work just fine for catching yellow perch. One of the best fishing tips I got as a
kid, and that I still use today, is to vary the depth by using a
bobber when angling for panfish. It’s amazing how one foot of
difference can mean catching these little guys all day or not even
getting a nibble!
While yellow perch will sometimes strike artificial lures, live
bait is almost always your best bet. Here are some fishing tips for
lures: only use small and shiny models, like spoons or metallic silver
plastic minnows; it’s not a bad idea to spray a stink odor on the
lure, like with catfish; and always use lures with the smallest hooks
you can find, or you’ll have a long, slow day trying to catch perch.
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