Mantua CSI question

[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Just wondering what successful Mantua anglers have been finding in the innards of their takehome catch. In years past there have been a lot of bluegill and perch fry in the tummies of both trout and perch.
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[deerinator]

One if the trout I caught up there this last weekend had 6 baby bluegill in his gut.
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[DKStroutfitter]

The Perch and Gills that I cleaned were all full of Bluegill fry. I didn't look to see what was in the Trout though.
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[RockyRaab]

I didn't do any necropsy, just my usual 15-second gut and gill over the hole. Next time, I'll probe a bit.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Thanks.[/#0000FF]
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Thanks. I hadn't seen any posts from anglers making comment on those tidbits. But they have been a major food source in Mantua for several years, and no doubt contribute to the fast growth rates. Plenty of protein and easy to catch.

PS...I know a few guys who do well with jigging spoons and a piece of perch meat.
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[TubeDude]

[quote RockyRaab]I didn't do any necropsy, just my usual 15-second gut and gill over the hole. Next time, I'll probe a bit.[/quote]

[#0000FF]I appreciate your offer of future considerations but I do not expect you to risk regurgitation simply to satisfy my morbid curiosity.

By the way, have you considered the consequences of your "returning to the ecosystem" method of fish cleaning? I can just see some little kid reeling in a wad of gills and guts...and hearing his dad yelling at him to be more gentle on the hookset.
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[RockyRaab]

No, I hadn't considered that. But I'd pay to see it!
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[DKStroutfitter]

Jigging spoons worked very good for my son but the fish didn't like the perch meat. We both tried it and then switched back to wax worms.
This was the first time that I have had the fish prefer waxies over perch meat.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Those silly fish sometimes just don't play fair. There are days when they will only hit if you use perch meat from left-handed, blue-eyed perch. Mess up and you go jerkless.

Seriously, there are times when a slight difference in the smell/taste can make a huge difference in the reactions of the fish. Get it right and you score big. Be just a little bit off and you'd swear your sonar was lying about all the fish below your hole.

I seldom use fresh perch meat or even perch eyes anymore. I keep a few small perch each trip, take them home and then turn them into PPP...processed perch pieces. I cut up some scaled (skin on) fillets into bait size bits. Then I sprinkle on some sea salt and a few drops of crawdad scent. I make that up the night before a trip and keep it in a small insulated container to keep it cool but not frozen. There have been a lot of trips when that stuff has saved the day. Converted a few scoffers too...who once turned up their noses at my "stank bait". Perch are especially sensitive in the olfactory department.
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[RockyRaab]

Pat, for those of us who do not fish every day, how would you keep your PPP for a week or so?
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]By salting it you sorta "cure it"...making it last longer before it "goes south". It stays cold in the refrigerator and also out on the ice, so there is less chance of spoiling soon. If you squeeze the air out of the little plastic bag and rubber band it tightly, you can refreeze it for subsequent uses. I have used a batch for up to three trips before running out or simply discarding the few remaining pieces. Surprisingly, the more "aged" it becomes the more it seems to appeal to funky perch. Caught a lot of other species on it too. Starvation steelies love it...but those slimers got no class.

Surprise, surprise! I have put together a brief pictorial PDF on the subject. See attached.
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[RockyRaab]

Attached seen. Simpli City.
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[hogstalker]

We did well using perch eyes.
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[Fin-S-Fish]

Trout at mantua always have up to 30 to 50 dime sized gilletts and perchlets in their stomachs. Perch have gillets too. Lmb have both gillets and perchlets. Blues have mostly daphnia in stomachs. Imitations never seem to work. They all want a tear and waxie. At some waters perch love fresh perch, at some waters, it triggers an alarm scent and they shut right down.
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[TubeDude]

"At some waters perch love fresh perch, at some waters, it triggers an alarm scent and they shut right down."

[#0000FF]I think we have all experienced finicky fishies. And perch are notorious for doing whatever they want, whenever they want, for their own reasons. Most of the bigger ones are females. That might be a partial explanation.

I usually do well on perch meat in Mantua, for all species. And I generally catch bigger fish...keeping the dinks off the larger lures and baits. But I am smart enough to always have some smaller lures and backup baits...just in case.
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[CoyoteSpinner]

I've found plenty a perch exploding (literally) with snails. Tiny winy snails. Winter, spring, summaer and fall, all ya gotta do is call...

The perch were puking those stripey, lil gill-ettes, so found a striped pattern matched well. Half a mealie, or a waxie seemed the ticket for gills.

But, ur question was particular to this year, but alas, I've yet to don the Mickeys and step out on the hard deck.
Next weekend, New Years, I'll be out there, (ok, so I'm always "out there)

[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]I haven't drilled and chilled yet this year either. Just got my ice gear out and started setting up. Lemme know when you are going and I might join ya.

I came up with my "pale perch" color combo several years ago and it seems to work whenever the local predators have bitty finny bites on their menu.

[inline "PALE PERCH.jpg"]
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[RockyRaab]

I'll take a dozen, three of each. What a drop-shot weight those would be...
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[SkunkedAgain]

Keep me in the loop I may join the fun that day as well.... I've only been on ice one trip so far and it was mostly bass and bows so I need to go with you guys that can help me dial in the perch and gills... Asked Santa for a new rod & reel set up so I hope I get to give it a try... If you wouldn't mind me tagging along.... Later J
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