Ice
fishing for perch early
in the season gives many an angler a chance to get back to the basics
of fishing. By utilizing simpler rigs, experienced ice fishermen are
able to get into large schools of perch and the opportunity for an
excellent dinner of perch on top of that! If you are new or just
discovering the truly enjoyable sport of ice fishing, early season
perch gives you the opportunity for landing a great number of fish.
Move,
Move, Move!
Keeping yourself on the move is the single most important factor when
ice fishing for perch.Perch have the tendency to gather in large
schools in winter months and spend most of their days searching for
food sources.By locating one of these traveling schools, you should be
able to have a great day of ice fishing. With the proper presentation
and your willingness to travel, you will have a great day of ice
fishing. Early in the ice fishing season perch tend to be shallow and
are very aggressive when it comes to feeding. This type of action
generally last about a week or so until the perch move off into deeper
waters. Because the action can be so intense you will find a great
number of other ice fishermen out for the same experience as you. Don't
be afraid to experiment with your locations, don't just follow the
crowd. If you are able to discover a school of perch, you will have a
fantastic day.
Eventually this initial shallow feeding frenzy will end and the time
for you to search deeper off-shore areas will come. Deeper areas close
to spawning areas are a good place to begin your new search. A good
topographical map of the lake is always a good investment. Look for
areas off points or in between islands. If you are able to purchase a
GPS unit, use it during the summer months to save way points that are
successful during the open water season. Don't be afraid to vary your
depth when offering your presentation. Perch will often utilize the
entire water column.
Ice
Fishing for Perch
Begin by drilling about 6-8 holes using a zig zag pattern. Ensure your
holes cover about 25 yards. Rig your rod up with a small spoon using a
maggot as bait. Small jig tubes are also a good bet when initially
beginning your day. Make sure you are probing all areas of the water
column. By using these presentations you will locate more of the active
perch within the school, which in turn will give you a good idea of the
location of the main body of fish. If 15 minutes of this activity do
not result in some good action, proceed to the hole you drilled next
and begin the process over again. Once you are satisfied you have
located the school of perch slow down the presentation and set up your
tip-up.
Using your jigging hole as a guide, set your tip-up 5-20 yards away.
This keeps the tip-up close enough when a strike occurs, but more
importantly it will be in the same area as the main body of perch. If
you are unfortunate enough that the action begins to cool down, take
heart. Simply move outward until you locate the school again.
What
Equipment is Needed?
Primarily for jigging a good quality light to medium action rod is best
suited for perch fishing. A sensitive tip is crucial. Light weight
lures require this sensitivity to utilize their action most
effectively. Choose a rod between 18 and 24 inches long. Pair your rod
up with an ultra light spinning reel ensuring you use between
2 and 4 pound test on the reel. If pike and walleye are present in the
lake you are fishing, a higher pound test is recommended, you just
never know!!
Store bought or homemade really makes no difference when choosing your
tip-up providing they are sensitive. Tip-ups are the least expensive of
your gear and can be made at home using a few scraps of wood. More
elaborate versions are available through retail outlets. It is entirely
up to you.
There are as many lures available to the ice fisherman as there are
stories about the fish they have caught. By experimenting with color
and size you will quickly get a feel for what the fish are seeking.
Spoons in a 1/32 oz to 1/8 oz size do quite well. If new to the sport
of ice fishing purchase about 6-7 of these lures in a variety of colors
and sizes. Also experimenting with the bait you are offering is an
excellent way to quickly discover what is working and what is not.
Sometimes it is as simple as switching from maggots to mealy worms.
Be
sure to stop by our Ice
Fishing Store, we have something
for every hard water angler
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