[cool][#0000ff]Weather forecast was for a bluebird day...sunshine and light breezes. They got the first part right...plenty of sunshine. They blew it on the "light breezes". Try gale force south winds for most of the morning. Blew our holes full of snow within a couple of minutes of scooping out the perch slurpies.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Don't know how all the other folks on the ice did, but it was slow for us. We started in an area we have done very well on past trips, but only got a few light bounces. Bassrods moved to the area where he finished strong on our last trip and quickly caught a decent perch. I was semi packed up and I made a fast slog over to the "honey hole" Yeah right. Zip, nada, zilch for an hour. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I punched a long series of holes from deep to shallow and a few others just for "drill". Then, I put up my second rod and began hole hopping...with my ice scoop, one rod and my tripod stool. I either found one or two fish in a hole or moved on until I got bit. That had me limited by mid morning. I just caught my last fish when BFTer Hookemup cruised in on his wheeler for a howdy. He had been fishing out farther and he also limited on perch. Said there were also long dry spells for him.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Just about the time we had all the fish we came fer, the wind died down and it turned downright toasty. Had to shed a couple of layers to get back in without overheating.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Air temp when we hit the ice, just after 8, was 12. it was 3 times that (36) when we headed home just after noon. The edges of the ice were starting to get a bit slushy and there was snow melting all over the place. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]We will be going back down Friday for a conditions check prior to the Perchorama and will report as early on Friday as possible. Doesn't look like it will be a problem at this point.[/#0000ff]
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It really has been heating up the last few days.
Hope the Ice holds for you up till next weekend.
BTW, nice bunch of perch you got there.
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[cool][#0000ff]Thanks.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As long as it keeps dropping into the teens at night, it will keep the ice good for awhile. The main lake ice is still a foot or better, with snow/slush on top. I don't think we are in danger of going through the ice next Saturday. It should even be good for wheelers still. Now we watch to see how much more snow we get midweek and how the temps are after that.[/#0000ff]
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I should have got a picture of you making that snow angle...It look kind of funny...[
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The perch seemed to want the jigs jiged so you moved the jig about 3" up and down and they would hit it that way, but if you let it set still you mite get a nip but they would not take it until you moved it...
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Your report sounds about the same as ours on saturday. The wind was bad and would either be filling your hole up or blowing over your chair. The fishing was also slow for us. I am thinking that maybe moving farther away from the main areas that are being hit may produce more fish. Like south or north of painted rocks.
I did catch more smaller fish and my friend caught more bigger fish and we had on the same setup. I guess it was not my day.
I hope the edges hold up for next saturday..
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It was windy too on saturday afternoon i had to bring out the tent. Fishing was slow too they didnt want to bite anything.I talked to a guy that was in a group of 5 and they had onlly 10 perch between them. I talked to a family by the island same thing they caught a few by the island. Also spoke to a couple guys fishing by the north bay and they had a couple also.We left at 5pm and the edges were pretty slushy . I think there is to much motorized noise spooking the perch .Guess you gonna have to get way far from the crowds to start catching them.
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Myself, Son-in-law & 5 yr. old grandson made the maiden voyage to Yuba this morning - we arrived about 8:30 and fired up the snowmobile and loaded all 3 of us up and headed west about 1/2 mile and fished a point on the south side in 22 feet of water.
My main goal with to have a great trip for the grandson since it was his first ice fishing & snowmobile adventure. After I drilled the holes and set up the ice shanty - we got his pole setup with the bobber ready for action. Of course we said whoever caught the first fish got to drive the snowmobile back to the parking lot. Within a min he had bobber down and with a little jerk for dad he was battling a nice 12" perch. Of course we gave him the Great Job Cheer and took pictures and got him back down the hole ready for more action in a couple mins and bang - fish on - another 12" perch. Well needless to say he was talking faster than a women with a new dress she got on sale.[
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Sorry to say I had to be back at work by 1 o'clock, so we bagged it about 10:50 and were packing things up. We had 12 nice perch on the deck and I had the grandson keep his bobber ready in case he could get one last one. Sure enough he gets another bobber down and he is battling the big 10 inchers with all his might. The battle caused him to step back then sideways and he steps right into the open hole next to his up to his knee in H2O - he didn't let go of the pole as I pulled him out. He lands the fish and say he doesn't want to go - my little trooper!!
The wind did gust a few times and I was the guy outside the hut - I did have to put my facemask on for about 30 mins. But since maybe we were further down the lake it wasn't all that bad.
Overall it was the best perch fishing for quality perch I have done in my life. Out of the 13 perch - two were 8 to 9 inchers - the rest were all bigger. We all used the same lure and bait and never even tried an eyeball.
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I was down at Yuba ass well and saw you and Cliff over at your final set of holes. We were probably a couple of hundred yards away. I took my 2yr old daughter and wife on their first ice fishing trip. We arrived about noon and left about 2:30 The fishing was not great but all had fun. We ended the day with 5 Perch 1 good one about 10-11 inches, 2 about 9 and 2 that were barley big enough to be considered bait. Man the bite was light today.
I was going to walk over and say hi, but by the time I got set up and relaxing you all had boogied out.
So in the end it was a success for the most part, even though I tightend my auger blades before the tip I ended up loosing one bolt.
I would like to give a public thanks to the gentleman that gave me a jump and help me start my truck. the battery terminal came loose and was just not making a connection. I will post some pics when I get them form the wifes camera.
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Hey Majja, I saw you as you were leaving the ice. I was fishing behind the guy who was down to his last beer! Wish I had known it was you. I thought you were a BFT member when you mentioned your perch bait recipe. Maybe we'll cross paths again someday!
Chester
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[cool][#0000ff]You would have to bring up the "ice angel" thing. I am sure that a lot of folks would like to see a video of that. I had just plunked down my tripod stool...on some uneven snow in the wind drifted slush. Just as I was trying to position the stool, Mr. Perch smacked my lure and my "gentle" hookset helped push me right over backwards. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I landed on my back...still holding the bendo rod...and then rolled over onto my side and then my knees to be able to get up. I made it pretty good for an old fat guy...and landed the porky perch too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I am not qualified to make any snow angels. Maybe some kind of demon. I didn't get a chance to check the shape in the snow. The wind drifted it in too fast. That's my story and I'm stickin' wit it.[/#0000ff]
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Yes Tubedude I agree the WIND was at it`s best!! I was close to giving it up when I caught the first fish, I was close again when I caught the second, after that I decided to stay for my ten, I soon questioned my decision. Fish #3&4 took a while, then another slow stretch. The last six came together in approx. two minutes...then I was outa-there. Good to run into you again Pat, also to meet BASSRODS. See ya again sometime.
Darren (BTW nice photo..I was cold matbe next time I`ll remeber to bring the other half of my outfit)
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Looks like a great trip. We found the Perch wanting us to work on Saturday as well... guess all the easy ones have been caught [
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[cool][#0000ff]I am glad that it wasn't only us that had a bit tougher time getting them to jump on the hooks.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have been codgertatin' on it and I think my opinion is that the perch are close to spawning now. Virtually all of the large fish being caught are females, full of eggs. And, in the last batches I filleted, the eggs seem to be getting well developed and just about ready to dump.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I would not be surprised if the pregnant mommies-to-be might not be getting ready for a visit to the maternity ward and that they are not thinking about food as much. I have not found anything in the digestive tracts of the perch during the last week. And, since they hit more on a "reaction bite"...jigging action on the lures...they do not seem to be as inclined to feed actively.[/#0000ff]
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Tube Dude I feel your (wind) pain. Hit Yuba on saturday am. Left SLC with 30 degrees and it continued to drop till lakeside it read 10 degrees and the wind was brutal.Walked straight across from the ramp because it seemed like the islands was getting pretty full.
Was alone for a while then 3 others came over and they also seemed to get into a few. Water depth was only about 15 feet, but the bite was ok.
On by 7:45 back in the car at 9:30 One fingerling the rest porkies.
As Bassrods noted, after the first few fish, moving the bait around didn't hurt. Of course that wind kept freezing the hole, so it made you move the rod - like it or frozen fingers not.
Hope to see y'all at the perchathon.
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I think you are on to something there TD. As all the fish we caught were caught while actively jigging. I had one hit the wifes rod so light she did not even know it was there. it was about 9inchs and took a TD special jigging spoon tipped with perch. She handed me the rod and I was like I don't know. As soon as I started to reel up a little I could feel it tugging but just barley.
I hope next week goes well for the kids. I am sending all the forks and plates down with Wasatch801.
Majja
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You have a good point... All our fish were full of eggs and empty in the gullet.
Anyone use the eggs for anything other than fertilizer? I know in the mid-west many folks eat 'em... I have not tried that... doesn't really grab my fancy.
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[cool][#0000ff]Perch roe is mighty tasty if you make the effort to remove the ovaries (egg sacs) carefully, without breaking the membrane. You batter the whole sac and quick fry them. They cook quickly. If the membrane is broken you will have a skillet foll of tiny BBs. Tough to get them on a fork.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Some guys also keep and freeze the perch roe for catfish bait in warmer weather. Kitty candy.[/#0000ff]
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Hmmmm... I may have to try the fry... once at least... The Kitty Candy grabs my fancy, anything to grab that big cat.
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