Still OK at RP..Tues, Feb 7

[Jmorfish]

It'd been almost 2 weeks since my last trip to RP, nasty cold symptoms kept me home too long...Really good to get out yesterday..overall great day on the ice..sunny, no wind, mild temperature, no heater needed in shelter..soon had to take off both layers of coats, and a lite wool shirt was plenty comfortable enough..I was in 34 FOW today, and before setting up, had 'seen' fish on the bottom, and had pulled out 1 decent 10"er. That was good enough for me, so set the tent, and that was home for the duration.  Comfortably set up by 0830, it was slower 'til 0930, then perch action was warm to hot for nearly 2 hours..I quit at about 2:00, pretty much dead by 1:00, releasing about 3 doz smalls, keeping 7 bigguns, and a few smalls that I needed for the donor eyeballs..even those little 6"ers don't need to go to waste..Smaller fresh eyeball best, previously frozen (and crawfish oil soaked) cut perch belly pcs very good, and 2 spikes ok also...all presented on single hook vertical jig, like the Customs jigs and Spoons Demon, which has consistently produced well for me for over 10 years...A low flying airplane buzzed the lake twice today, sounded like a race car zooming past my tent...Some guys in 2 tents about 200 yds south of me sounded like they were catching rainbows..may have been a group of 7 or 8, but 1 guy was just screaming obscenities every time they'd get a bite, heard plainly all the time...that was embarrassing, sure hope it wasn't somebody here on BFT...it was quiet there after about noon, guess he had to leave, or no more bites..Interesting day; lots of action (mostly smalls), good to be out..good ice, close to 12"... Guluk..

[Piscophilic]

Nice report! Thanks for sharing and glad you had a good day.

[wiperhunter2]

Another great report Joe, from my experience from fishing RP, the later in the Winter it gets the more the perch move toward shallower water.  We have caught them as shallow as 18 FOW by March, when there is still ice there.

[Jmorfish]

So I did go back again yesterday; granddaughter and her Dad wanted to give it a try...3* when we started, but it warmed up nicely with the sun coming out...starting the perch season around Christmas, I/we were doing well in 45 FOW, then after a few weeks I started going shallower, so yesterday (Feb. 13) we were fishing 31'...I was hoping going shallower might get us into a 'bow or 2 also..and I know that at the shallower depths you can easily release all those dink perch that we're catching so many of...Perch were there again, basically from when we got there at 0800 'til about noon, and we quit at 1230...we each got 20 or more releasers (kept my granddaughter awake), 9 or 10 'ok' keepers and just 1 jumbo...tons and tons of misses...there's got to be millions of perch all around this res, especially on the So. half side...but apparently the larger ones like we were catching earlier, have spread out, or great numbers of them have been caught...I did get 1 very healthy 18" 'bow on my 'jaw jacker'..first time I used it this season...about 10 other groups were still further South than us, I assumed just trying for trout...So you're saying even way further South they could still be into perch?...I was thinking about trying deeper again, but if what you're saying may be true, I might try closer to 20' next time...

[wiperhunter2]

So I did go back again yesterday; granddaughter and her Dad wanted to give it a try...3* when we started, but it warmed up nicely with the sun coming out...starting the perch season around Christmas, I/we were doing well in 45 FOW, then after a few weeks I started going shallower, so yesterday (Feb. 13) we were fishing 31'...I was hoping going shallower might get us into a 'bow or 2 also..and I know that at the shallower depths you can easily release all those dink perch that we're catching so many of...Perch were there again, basically from when we got there at 0800 'til about noon, and we quit at 1230...we each got 20 or more releasers (kept my granddaughter awake), 9 or 10 'ok' keepers and just 1 jumbo...tons and tons of misses...there's got to be millions of perch all around this res, especially on the So. half side...but apparently the larger ones like we were catching earlier, have spread out, or great numbers of them have been caught...I did get 1 very healthy 18" 'bow on my 'jaw jacker'..first time I used it this season...about 10 other groups were still further South than us, I assumed just trying for trout...So you're saying even way further South they could still be into perch?...I was thinking about trying deeper again, but if what you're saying may be true, I might try closer to 20' next time...

Yes, the later in the ice season the shallower they seem to be, not that some are not in the deeper water but my theory is they start moving shallower as their spawn gets closer. In years past, we have fished out in the middle between the two opposite shore lines and as soon as the catching slows we move up lake. The year we caught them in 18 FOW we were pretty surprised because we had normally been no shallower than 22 FOW. Nice going on the 18" bow.

[TubeDude]

Another factor that contributes to fish moving shallower later in the ice season is water quality.  As oxygen levels drop and pH factors change during long spells of ice coverage the fish will move to find better living conditions.  Often this means gravitating to shallower water closer to a stream inflow.

[Jmorfish]

Another factor that contributes to fish moving shallower later in the ice season is water quality.  As oxygen levels drop and pH factors change during long spells of ice coverage the fish will move to find better living conditions.  Often this means gravitating to shallower water closer to a stream inflow.

So do you have any other theory as to why the ratio of 'bigguns' to 'littleuns' decreases so dramatically as the perch season progresses? For me/us, it seemed like about 3 to 10 just before and just after Christmas, then soon 2 to 10, then later Jan. maybe 1 to 10, and lately more like 1 to 20...Any other 'piscophilic proximations' - other than my previous thoughts of heavy harvest and them skipping school and just spreading out later??

[TubeDude]

Another factor that contributes to fish moving shallower later in the ice season is water quality.  As oxygen levels drop and pH factors change during long spells of ice coverage the fish will move to find better living conditions.  Often this means gravitating to shallower water closer to a stream inflow.

So do you have any other theory as to why the ratio of 'bigguns' to 'littleuns' decreases so dramatically as the perch season progresses? For me/us, it seemed like about 3 to 10 just before and just after Christmas, then soon 2 to 10, then later Jan. maybe 1 to 10, and lately more like 1 to 20...Any other 'piscophilic proximations' - other than my previous thoughts of heavy harvest and them skipping school and just spreading out later??

Strictly speculation, but I suspect that the situation is a common one...90% of the fish are in only 10% of the water.  And unless you are good enough...or lucky enough...to find the spots they are currently hanging out you will be doomed to catching little or nothing. 

Sometimes the bigguns and littleuns are caught in the same general spots.  But as the spawn draws closer the bigger spawning females tend to move into staging areas...usually away from schools of smaller fish.  From input I have received from DWR studies...on Rockport...and from input and observations on seasoned perchaholics that do well on that lake...I believe there is a lot larger population of perch over 10 inches than current angler harvest might indicate.  I know I have seen some huge schools of bigger perch on sonar in the late fall...and I know they haven't all been caught out.  It is almost impossible for angler pressure alone to decimate a perch population.

As I have fished in different areas around the country I never sneeze to be damazed at the number of anglers who fish the same spots...the same way...12 months of the year.  And they catch fish a couple of times a year when fish are in the area and feeding actively.  When the fish move out or change feeding habits they blame the moon, the stars, the fisheries managers or whatever.  They never admit that if they would spend more time searching out the fish and/or changing up their presentations that they could do better year round. 

Not making any personal accusations.  I have been just as guilty of terminal inertia as anyone else.  But at least when I fish the ice I do not set up camp until I have found fish...and I move when the fish move.  I chortle and guffaw when I read reports of anglers going to the "spot where they caught fish last year", putting up their tent, drilling holes and then not moving all day.  I have seen times when fish were active in one area or one depth early in the day and then their preferred depth or bottom conditions changed multiple times in the same day.  Anytime you find fish early and they stay with you all day is an anomaly...not the norm. 

In short, there are still a ton of perch in Rockport...far more than many of us might believe.  But even though it is not a super big lake it is plenty big enough to hide a lot of fish when anglers are fishing only a relatively few spots.  And it is also likely that heavy pressure in any given area is enough to cause the schools to relocate.  And even a 10 yard move in any direction might as well put the fish on another planet for anglers who can't or won't move to find them. 

Wish I had all the answers.  But the truth is I barely know the questions.

[Jmorfish]

Tks TD and Curt...do believe I'll dunk a line or two again tomorrow A.M....

[wayno945]

We had good luck on Saturday morning. 11 bows and 9 keeper perch in 15-18 FOW. Chartreuse and Fire tiger jigs with waxworm or perch meat worked best.

[wiperhunter2]

We had good luck on Saturday morning. 11 bows and 9 keeper perch in 15-18 FOW. Chartreuse and Fire tiger jigs with waxworm or perch meat worked best.

Thanks for the report, that is the best trout report I've read from RP all Winter. Any size to the trout?

[MWScott72]

I fished RP last Sat afternoon roughly out from the 2nd bathroom on the west side as you head towards Oakley. I was in 37 FOW. Started fishing about 3pm (wanted lines in the water at 2:30, but...) and there was a group of 3 guys fishing within 30 yards of "the spot" I wanted to try. They had been fishing since 11 and probably had 25 keepers and some REALLY nice jumbos on the ice. I asked if they minded me with 25 yards or so, and they said no as they were leaving soon. One of the guys was still pulling perch out right up to their leaving about 3:45 or so while his two buddies and myself were not getting much action at all. When they left, I went over and tried the gentleman's hole that was still catching fish, caught a couple dinks and one nice 10"+ female, then it went cold. I started drilling holes to the south of me. and probably ended up 70 yards or so south of where I started. I'd catch a few perch in each hole then it would shut down. The fish completely turned off at 5:15. Perch eyeball on a white teardrop jig with an orange and black eye worked best. I caught 7 keepers between 3 and 5:15. A couple were pushing 11". The others were between 9-10". Probably caught another 20 or so that were dinks, so my ratio was 3-1 dinks to keepers.

The shallow water theory later in the season would seem to jive with what I've seen before. 2 years back, we were catching perch in the Pineview Narrows in early March in 13 FOW. Sadly, I haven't laid eyes on a perch in there since. It's like they just vanished.

[Jmorfish]

I thought I might go back to try RP today, (16 Feb)..I arrived 0745 to my usual parking area...no one else there, and only 2 other groups were out on the whole res..Maybe cuz it was cold? -5* where I parked...I was starting to wonder why I came this morning with the deep freeze, and then I remembered I wanted to try WAY shallow my next time, and that was today...also as per previous chat with TD and Curt.....Much longer walk, but first hole drilled -- 20'... and better yet, fish on the bottom...after soon catching a dink for an eyeball donor, the shelter went up quickly...I certainly wasn't going hole hopping this day...maybe on a 35 or 40 degree day, but not 5 below zero...A few other brave souls made it out, but widely spread, and I did see one person North of me without shelter..that had to be brutal, especially when the wind started..I did start catching perch..probably 2 dozen dinks, 3 or 4 in the 8 to 81/2" range, and 8 jumbos, 3 just at or over 11"... when it slowed for awhile, I set the jawjacker outside at 10' with mealworm, getting 1, 14" bow...perch bite died about 1:30...As before, small eyeball, cut perch belly meat, and 2 spikes all had good bites, switching often...Guluk...

[wiperhunter2]

I thought I might go back to try RP today, (16 Feb)..I arrived 0745 to my usual parking area...no one else there, and only 2 other groups were out on the whole res..Maybe cuz it was cold? -5* where I parked...I was starting to wonder why I came this morning with the deep freeze, and then I remembered I wanted to try WAY shallow my next time, and that was today...also as per previous chat with TD and Curt.....Much longer walk, but first hole drilled -- 20'... and better yet, fish on the bottom...after soon catching a dink for an eyeball donor, the shelter went up quickly...I certainly wasn't going hole hopping this day...maybe on a 35 or 40 degree day, but not 5 below zero...A few other brave souls made it out, but widely spread, and I did see one person North of me without shelter..that had to be brutal, especially when the wind started..I did start catching perch..probably 2 dozen dinks, 3 or 4 in the 8 to 81/2" range, and 8 jumbos, 3 just at or over 11"... when it slowed for awhile, I set the jawjacker outside at 10' with mealworm, getting 1, 14" bow...perch bite died about 1:30...As before, small eyeball, cut perch belly meat, and 2 spikes all had good bites, switching often...Guluk...

Glad it worked out for you Joe but those are some brutal temps, looks like things warm up next week. How thick was the ice?

[TubeDude]

I like that report better.

[Jmorfish]

I like that report better.

Tks guys..Hey TD, just wanted to let you know that these last few years I've been using several of your 1.5" glo lures, hooks removed, as my flashers about 3" above my lure of choice..so this would be 'hali' style..some I use a chain, some just line...and the flashers are all perch colored..I think this has been more effective for me because of the color choices, better glo, heavier weight if I want to 'slam the bottom', and I can bend them a little if I want to give more action when jigging...so thanks for a good product, even tho you may have intended them to be for 'bows or cutts...and BTW, can you make me some #10 jigs, 'Demon-like', glo, in white/red, white/green?..

---

And ice still solid 12", with maybe 6" packed snow on top..

[TubeDude]

I like that report better.

Tks guys..Hey TD, just wanted to let you know that these last few years I've been using several of your 1.5" glo lures, hooks removed, as my flashers about 3" above my lure of choice..so this would be 'hali' style..some I use a chain, some just line...and the flashers are all perch colored..I think this has been more effective for me because of the color choices, better glo, heavier weight if I want to 'slam the bottom', and I can bend them a little if I want to give more action when jigging...so thanks for a good product, even tho you may have intended them to be for 'bows or cutts...and BTW, can you make me some #10 jigs, 'Demon-like', glo, in white/red, white/green?..

---

And ice still solid 12", with maybe 6" packed snow on top..

Glad to hear of your success with the colored weights.  They are what I use for making my own version of the Hali jigs...which I call "Holy Jigs".  And yes, the heavier weights not only help get down faster but help raise a mud cloud when you bang them on the bottom.  Also, putting a little bend in the soft lead does add some flutter.  Been doing that for a long time. 

I originally started making them mostly for perchin' but have caught grundles of different species of trout on them...as well as crappies, walleyes and even catfish.  Also had a couple of wipers reported on them under the ice and I caught a nice wiper on one in open water last November.


Smallest hooks I pour these days are size 8...Matzuo in gold or red.  Also, not sure about your "Demon" jigs.  I make quite a few of my own...including what I call the "Flat Rinkee"...made from relocating the hook eye and flattening a small crappie tube jig to create a "horizontal hold".  See attached pics.  I make those in 1/32 or 1/16 oz.  but also make some larger ones for other applications.  I have a lot of jig molds and just about every color paint and glitter available...plus some I have custom mixed for special effects.  If you send me a pic of the Demon jig I can see how closely I can come to making them.  I do make and use (and sell a lot of) some small stuff I call "Wermz".  They are great for late season stuff when fish are getting finicky.

You would be welcome to come by and bring a sample of whatever you are trying to duplicate.

 

[wiperhunter2]

I fished RP last Sat afternoon roughly out from the 2nd bathroom on the west side as you head towards Oakley.  I was in 37 FOW.  Started fishing about 3pm (wanted lines in the water at 2:30, but...) and there was a group of 3 guys fishing within 30 yards of "the spot" I wanted to try.  They had been fishing since 11 and probably had 25 keepers and some REALLY nice jumbos on the ice.  I asked if they minded me with 25 yards or so, and they said no as they were leaving soon.  One of the guys was still pulling perch out right up to their leaving about 3:45 or so while his two buddies and myself were not getting much action at all.  When they left, I went over and tried the gentleman's hole that was still catching fish, caught a couple dinks and one nice 10"+ female, then it went cold.  I started drilling holes to the south of me. and probably ended up 70 yards or so south of where I started.  I'd catch a few perch in each hole then it would shut down.  The fish completely turned off at 5:15.  Perch eyeball on a white teardrop jig with an orange and black eye worked best.  I caught 7 keepers between 3 and 5:15.  A couple were pushing 11".  The others were between 9-10".  Probably caught another 20 or so that were dinks, so my ratio was 3-1 dinks to keepers.

The shallow water theory later in the season would seem to jive with what I've seen before.  2 years back, we were catching perch in the Pineview Narrows in early March in 13 FOW.  Sadly, I haven't laid eyes on a perch in there since.  It's like they just vanished.

Thanks for the nice detailed report, other than those guys fishing near you were there a lot of other people out on the lake that day?

[MWScott72]

No one else was within 125 yards.