11-16-2012, 12:44 PM
[quote LordoftheFlies]Nice on the perch. I've fished that end a number of times, and haven't caught a perch out of there.[/quote]
[cool][#0000ff]There have been perch in Utah Lake for many decades, but they have never been a big part of the biomass. Perch are creatures of deep cold lakes. Neither of those describes Utah Lake. They are also daytime feeders that rely on clear water for sight feeding...unlike their cousins the walleyes. Also, they need aquatic weeds or flooded brush for spawning.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The past few years have been better for perch and they have greatly increased their numbers. But they seldom get very big...over about 9 inches. The other thing is that they usually do not school up much until the water clears under the ice and they can locate other perch to hang with. So most perch caught in Utah Lake are rarities and only one at a time. The exception is during the ice fishing season when you can sometimes find small schools of them inside harbors or other protected areas. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The water was unusually clear for Utah Lake yesterday and the fish are starting to come into the protected harbors in anticipation of iceup. This is the time of year a lot of locals fish the upper end of that boat channel with small baited jigs under bobbers...just like ice fishing. They often get mixed catches of bluegill, crappies, perch, white bass and the occasional largemouth, walleye or even cats. Even though the water is less than half the depth it usually is this time of year the fish still gravitate to the harbors [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have caught stray perch almost all over Utah Lake. Most of them have been while fishing jigs for white bass or dragging minnows for cats or walleyes. Not enough perch to really justify a special trip for them.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Because of their feeding habits and the unusual food chain in Utah Lake, the perch don't get as much to eat as they need to grow big and fat. Most of the ones I have seen from that lake are long and lean with no real girth.[/#0000ff]
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[cool][#0000ff]There have been perch in Utah Lake for many decades, but they have never been a big part of the biomass. Perch are creatures of deep cold lakes. Neither of those describes Utah Lake. They are also daytime feeders that rely on clear water for sight feeding...unlike their cousins the walleyes. Also, they need aquatic weeds or flooded brush for spawning.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The past few years have been better for perch and they have greatly increased their numbers. But they seldom get very big...over about 9 inches. The other thing is that they usually do not school up much until the water clears under the ice and they can locate other perch to hang with. So most perch caught in Utah Lake are rarities and only one at a time. The exception is during the ice fishing season when you can sometimes find small schools of them inside harbors or other protected areas. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The water was unusually clear for Utah Lake yesterday and the fish are starting to come into the protected harbors in anticipation of iceup. This is the time of year a lot of locals fish the upper end of that boat channel with small baited jigs under bobbers...just like ice fishing. They often get mixed catches of bluegill, crappies, perch, white bass and the occasional largemouth, walleye or even cats. Even though the water is less than half the depth it usually is this time of year the fish still gravitate to the harbors [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have caught stray perch almost all over Utah Lake. Most of them have been while fishing jigs for white bass or dragging minnows for cats or walleyes. Not enough perch to really justify a special trip for them.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Because of their feeding habits and the unusual food chain in Utah Lake, the perch don't get as much to eat as they need to grow big and fat. Most of the ones I have seen from that lake are long and lean with no real girth.[/#0000ff]
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