Jordanelle Perch Search 9-8-21

[Freakyfisherman]

I haven't fished Jordanelle for over 2 years.  The combination of declining fishing and increasing power squadron activity pretty much sent me to other venues.  But this is the time of year I have done well on perch in the past, even in low water times.  So I thunk I'd give it a try...and play with my new GoPro.

I launched at the PWC ramp.  Air temp at 7ish was 43 cool degrees.  Water temp was 63.  State park info said it was 67 so I went waderless.  Cool runnings, man.  Still, never got very uncomfortable.

Started out tossing a tandem jig rig in the area near the ramp where I used to do well on perch.  It is now full of moored boats and I saw nothing on sonar as I worked through the area.  I eventually picked up a small smallie there on my way back in for the day.  But that was the only inquiry I had over an area that used to be packed with perch.

Fired up the electric motor and headed across to the "quarry" area.  Started dragging a spinner at 1.5 mph just o see if there might be a silly slimer in town.  Got a couple of bumps on the way over but no hookups.  Got to the quarry and worked plastics along the rocky shoreline.  Nary a sniff.  Nothing on "TV" neither.  Lookin' gloomy.

Finally got to my primary target area...where brush and trees came down into the water...with holes in between.  Saw some baby perch scatter on the surface and figured I might be in the right zone.  The perchlets swarm in there every year for shelter in the stickups.  And the predators follow.  From that point on, almost every cast was chomped by either a small smallie or a dink perch.  I did get a few 9" perch but the biggest smallmouths were not much bigger.  Fun on a light rod though.

After keeping a few for the basket...and overfunning on the small stuff...I began working my way down the west shoreline.  I pitched a variety of plastics tipped with crawler.  Every time I saw a "spray" of perchlets I made a quick cast into the commotion and was generally rewarded with still another smallette.  And all the fish I brought in today were barfing up little perchies.

Only saw a couple of boats out on the main lake...appearing to be trolling for kokes or whatever.  But they were all gone by the time I headed back in just after 11.  Must not have been too productive for them either.

Only a couple of jet skis and they roared off up the lake and did not come back in while I was still there.  But the kayaks, paddle boards and other wimpy craft were represented well today.

Yeah, it was a lovely day with nary a ripple on the lake all morning.  The only downside was that after bringing my tube back to the ramp I had to hike up that l-o-o-o-ng damn ramp.  Not good on us old dudes.

Nice report, thanks Pat. I am headed in the morning to Rockport on a perch venture.  Finally got a time to get out and tube. I will post my findings.
Gabe.