I have been asked to put together something on the perch fishing at Willard Bay. It is likely I was one of the first to begin catching them since I was the only one fishing right up until iceup every year. but in the last few years the perch numbers have increased as have the number of perch jerkers pursuing them each fall.
I make no claims that my ramblings are the ultimate word on perch fishing in Willard. But they are the result of a lot of personal experience, shared experience with other anglers, input from DWR and just plain speculation. Hope this stuff helps at least a few folks to shorten their learning curve and get into more perch faster and more effectively. Since I have included a lot of pictures, at least enjoy the fish porn.
Ramble on my friend !! At our age, rambling is one of the few things we have left to enjoy !! Besides, when you ramble, you impart info that would be lost other wise !! Keep on rambling !!
(11-18-2023, 03:16 AM)Bubman1 Wrote: Good Information I seem to luck into the perch at Willard I'll have to give some of your tips a try. Do you ever sell your fligs?
That's funny you should ask, I have one plastic box called "tubedudes stuff" good stuff..
(11-18-2023, 03:16 AM)Bubman1 Wrote: Good Information I seem to luck into the perch at Willard I'll have to give some of your tips a try. Do you ever sell your fligs?
Thanks. Glad you like it. I do sell some of my stuff. Not a big commercial operation but you would be welcome to raid my stash. PM me if you would like my address and directions.
By the way, the perch are a lot like the walleye in Willard. Probably more caught "on accident" than on purpose. But once you learn their patterns, habits and preferences you can score a few on most trips...when they are in.
That's the hair-pulling aspect of Willard. You can hammer the perch, crappie, walleye, or wipers in known spots at certain times -- and then those fish simply vanish. Can't be found ANYwhere. Sonar shows us vast areas of nothing but flat empty bottom. We know they can't leave, but where in heck ARE they?
(11-18-2023, 07:35 PM)RockyRaab2 Wrote: That's the hair-pulling aspect of Willard. You can hammer the perch, crappie, walleye, or wipers in known spots at certain times -- and then those fish simply vanish. Can't be found ANYwhere. Sonar shows us vast areas of nothing but flat empty bottom. We know they can't leave, but where in heck ARE they?
Well, if you are into far out freaky conspiracy theories...how about the fish are really aliens and operate in their own space time continuum? And they are programmed to act in the manner most likely to frustrate us poor gullible but optimistic anglers...appearing and disappearing at will...with no apparent rhyme or reason to their movements.
Thank you for this. I took my boys up yesterday in the liquid sunshine. We caught one perch in a few hours that was about 12.5 inches. The write up gave us plenty of other things to try to do better next time. Also, enjoyed your YouTube videos. Thank you.
(11-20-2023, 03:01 AM)BoatBallast Wrote: Thank you for this. I took my boys up yesterday in the liquid sunshine. We caught one perch in a few hours that was about 12.5 inches. The write up gave us plenty of other things to try to do better next time. Also, enjoyed your YouTube videos. Thank you.
Welcome. Glad you were able to get out and at least experience the perch situation. With our high water year and fluctuating weather pattern it has been tough even for some of the more experienced perch jerkers. And some days have definitely been better than others. Most of those bigger perch are pregnant females, ya know. And they can be fickle and moody. All the fish in Willard are subject to changes in weather, water temps, food movements, etc. So they might move around a lot...or just plain get lock-jaw until conditions stabilize for a day or two.
Glad you like my humble videos. Not a pro yet. But I enjoy making them and sharing what info I can. I plan to put together a composite video soon of the late season action on Willard...with some lure and bait tutorials as well as fish porn.
(11-20-2023, 07:07 PM)doitall5000 Wrote: Are there any reports for Willard, for the last weekend
I haven't heard anything good, bad or indifferent. But I'm guessing that the little front that just went through will slow things down for at least a couple of days. And then some more weather coming in. Looks like some low enough temps thereafter that we might be seeing some skim ice in the next couple of weeks. Fishing usually gets good just before iceup. But with this high water year it's anyone's guess as to how it will play out.
(11-20-2023, 07:07 PM)doitall5000 Wrote: Are there any reports for Willard, for the last weekend
I haven't heard anything good, bad or indifferent. But I'm guessing that the little front that just went through will slow things down for at least a couple of days. And then some more weather coming in. Looks like some low enough temps thereafter that we might be seeing some skim ice in the next couple of weeks. Fishing usually gets good just before iceup. But with this high water year it's anyone's guess as to how it will play out.
Are you planning on a turkey sandwich this Thursday. Maybe turkey takeout!!
11-21-2023, 12:20 AM (This post was last modified: 11-21-2023, 12:24 AM by BoatBallast.)
(11-20-2023, 02:58 PM)TubeDude Wrote:
(11-20-2023, 03:01 AM)BoatBallast Wrote: Thank you for this. I took my boys up yesterday in the liquid sunshine. We caught one perch in a few hours that was about 12.5 inches. The write up gave us plenty of other things to try to do better next time. Also, enjoyed your YouTube videos. Thank you.
Welcome. Glad you were able to get out and at least experience the perch situation. With our high water year and fluctuating weather pattern it has been tough even for some of the more experienced perch jerkers. And some days have definitely been better than others. Most of those bigger perch are pregnant females, ya know. And they can be fickle and moody. All the fish in Willard are subject to changes in weather, water temps, food movements, etc. So they might move around a lot...or just plain get lock-jaw until conditions stabilize for a day or two.
Glad you like my humble videos. Not a pro yet. But I enjoy making them and sharing what info I can. I plan to put together a composite video soon of the late season action on Willard...with some lure and bait tutorials as well as fish porn.
Ha ha ha. I do remember those days.
I think we are going to try again this weekend. As of last night it looked like wind of 5-10 on Friday but no wind on Saturday. If that holds, Saturday will be our day.
(11-20-2023, 07:07 PM)doitall5000 Wrote: Are there any reports for Willard, for the last weekend
I was there on Saturday. I didn't see anyone catch anything. We caught one 12.5" perch, out from everyone else drifting. We got it on a 00 Mepps Bantam Syclops in hot lime/chartreuse.
(11-20-2023, 07:07 PM)doitall5000 Wrote: Are there any reports for Willard, for the last weekend
I haven't heard anything good, bad or indifferent. But I'm guessing that the little front that just went through will slow things down for at least a couple of days. And then some more weather coming in. Looks like some low enough temps thereafter that we might be seeing some skim ice in the next couple of weeks. Fishing usually gets good just before iceup. But with this high water year it's anyone's guess as to how it will play out.
Are you planning on a turkey sandwich this Thursday. Maybe turkey takeout!!
Nope. This turkey already had the family gathering on Sunday. Our large extended family has a tradition of everyone getting together the Sunday before Thanksgiving...so that individual members with other family obligations can participate in other family doings on the "official" day.
If you are asking if I plan to hit Willard on Thursday, the answer is no. If I get out it will likely be Wednesday. I had a great day on Thanksgiving last year but conditions are quite different this year. Best bet for more perch will likely be the cold weeks after Thanksgiving...right up until iceup.
(12-01-2023, 12:05 AM)Springbuck1 Wrote: I copy these and hand them out to guys asking me questions about fishing, Pat. We sure appreciate it.
Thanks. I appreciate your appreciation. Glad I am able to download some of the stuff I have been able to learn...largely through the help and sharing of others. And I'm happy to know that somebody actually uses all that drivel.
I have had some requests to put together a video on the perch. And I have the pics and video segments put together to do so. Will probably have it out in a week or so. Lots of extra stuff over and above the writeup. It includes more tutorial on maps, sonar use, baits, lures, etc. And it finishes up with a lot of fish porn...showing catches with various lures, baits, etc. Sorry...no popcorn provided though.
(12-01-2023, 12:05 AM)Springbuck1 Wrote: I copy these and hand them out to guys asking me questions about fishing, Pat. We sure appreciate it.
Thanks. I appreciate your appreciation. Glad I am able to download some of the stuff I have been able to learn...largely through the help and sharing of others. And I'm happy to know that somebody actually uses all that drivel.
I have had some requests to put together a video on the perch. And I have the pics and video segments put together to do so. Will probably have it out in a week or so. Lots of extra stuff over and above the writeup. It includes more tutorial on maps, sonar use, baits, lures, etc. And it finishes up with a lot of fish porn...showing catches with various lures, baits, etc. Sorry...no popcorn provided though.
Oh, I'm excited about this video. Also enjoyed the one you posted on YouTube last night.
I was going to ask about how you manage the trolling and being in the strike zone - are you seeing your lures on your fish finder? I would think kicking your fins would cause the lures to blow back and up away from the bottom. It doesn't seem to cause you a problem though. You're killing some big ones!
(12-01-2023, 06:56 PM)BoatBallast Wrote: [quote pid="1150466" dateline="1701438320"] I have had some requests to put together a video on the perch. And I have the pics and video segments put together to do so. Will probably have it out in a week or so. Lots of extra stuff over and above the writeup. It includes more tutorial on maps, sonar use, baits, lures, etc. And it finishes up with a lot of fish porn...showing catches with various lures, baits, etc. Sorry...no popcorn provided though.
Oh, I'm excited about this video. Also enjoyed the one you posted on YouTube last night.
I was going to ask about how you manage the trolling and being in the strike zone - are you seeing your lures on your fish finder? I would think kicking your fins would cause the lures to blow back and up away from the bottom. It doesn't seem to cause you a problem though. You're killing some big ones!
[/quote] I use my electric motor and sonar to move around searching for active fish. But once I find them I shut off the motor and quit kicking with the fins. The fish slow way down in the colder water and won't move very far or very fast to hit a lure. So it is important to fish it just above the bottom and not move it much. If a breeze comes up to move me...or if I kick my fins...I move off the spot and my lures rise up in the water column...out of the strike zone. Being used to constantly moving my fins to move or maintain position it takes a conscious effort to hold my legs still while fishing vertically.
When the water temps are higher and the perch are more active, I catch a lot of them by slowly working fligs across the bottom...or even small crawler rigs or crankbaits. But this time of year it is LSS time...Low, Slow and Small.
(12-01-2023, 06:56 PM)BoatBallast Wrote: [quote pid="1150466" dateline="1701438320"] I have had some requests to put together a video on the perch. And I have the pics and video segments put together to do so. Will probably have it out in a week or so. Lots of extra stuff over and above the writeup. It includes more tutorial on maps, sonar use, baits, lures, etc. And it finishes up with a lot of fish porn...showing catches with various lures, baits, etc. Sorry...no popcorn provided though.
Oh, I'm excited about this video. Also enjoyed the one you posted on YouTube last night.
I was going to ask about how you manage the trolling and being in the strike zone - are you seeing your lures on your fish finder? I would think kicking your fins would cause the lures to blow back and up away from the bottom. It doesn't seem to cause you a problem though. You're killing some big ones!
I use my electric motor and sonar to move around searching for active fish. But once I find them I shut off the motor and quit kicking with the fins. The fish slow way down in the colder water and won't move very far or very fast to hit a lure. So it is important to fish it just above the bottom and not move it much. If a breeze comes up to move me...or if I kick my fins...I move off the spot and my lures rise up in the water column...out of the strike zone. Being used to constantly moving my fins to move or maintain position it takes a conscious effort to hold my legs still while fishing vertically.
When the water temps are higher and the perch are more active, I catch a lot of them by slowly working fligs across the bottom...or even small crawler rigs or crankbaits. But this time of year it is LSS time...Low, Slow and Small.
[/quote]
That's good to know, thank you. I was having trouble with the boat swinging back and forth on the anchor in the wind. I think that didn't help our productivity too much. Things to contemplate for next year, I suppose.
