Yellow Perch!

[TyeDyeTwins]

As mentioned Fish Lake is the best. Pineview is good in the summer for me as well.

But even a blind squirrel can run into a nut from time to time. Last year my twin and I went looking for black crappie at Deer Creek and stumbled into a mess of perch instead! Here are some of the pics from that report. All of them were around 10 to 11.5 inches.





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[wagdog]

Here is what I would do if I were you. I would hit up the harbors on Utah Lake first. Lindon Boat Harbor has been redone a little this year. Several docks have been added which can be great for structure hugging fish like crappie and bluegill. This is the time of year that I switch to the small stuff. TubeDude told me a few years ago to start using ice flies tipped with worm (wax or crawler) under small bobbers around this time. The hardest part is finding the fish. Once you have located them and depth, they will take just about any small jig/icefly (1/32 oz, 1/64 oz, or smaller) tipped with worm. If you pick up a white bass on the small side, cut that sucker up for bait and put that on your jig. I've caught white bass, crappie, perch, bullheads, and even bluegill on white bass meat this time of year. I like using small slip bobbers. The Thill shy bite and mini-stealth are great options when you have downsized your offerings. Lindon does charge a fee so be aware.

American Fork Boat Harbor and Pelican Bay (near Saratoga) can all produce as well using the same tackle/techniques. Utah Lake State park can be productive as well.

If you are fishing from shore or from the docks (i.e. no float tube or pontoon), remember to move around a lot if you aren't getting bit. A tandem rig of small ice flies under a slip bobber doubles your chances and helps cover different parts of the water column. White bass, perch, and bluegill will tend to hug the bottom. In my experience, yellow perch in Utah Lake will be an inch or two off the bottom. White bass will be around the same area and bluegill can be down there or up a foot or two. Crappie will tend to suspend. Sometimes they may only be 2 or 3 feet down in 8 feet of water. You just have to experiment (or invest in electronics) until you find some fish.
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[BHuij]

Fantastic advice thank you!

Any recommendations on good ice flies?
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[wagdog]

I have a few favorites that I like to use on Utah Lake.
Rat Finkees: http://www.customjigs.com/icefishing/sof...inkee.html
Neon Tigers: http://www.jamminjigs.com/neon-tiger-jigs/
Glow Grubs: http://www.jamminjigs.com/neon-glow-grubs/
Blue Fox Rattle Flash Jig'n Spoons: http://www.cabelas.ca/product/14832/blue...ign-spoons

I don't know if blue fox is still making those rattle flash spoons but something similar will work for white bass. You can vertical jig or swim those spoons back to you. Some folks swear by the sonar jigs for white bass. They are a blade bait. They work great some times. TubeDude also makes something similar to the rat finkee (I wish I had a pic of one) and I have used those with great success as well through the ice and at this time of year when fish will show up around the docks. Maybe he'll chime in with a pic or three. I've also used TubeDude's wobble jigs for white bass and perch and those have been good producers as well.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]My version of the Rat Finkee is the "Flat Rinkee". See the last two pics below.

I make and use a wide variety of jigs and spoons for ice fishing. But I semi firmly believe that in many cases they are just all a part of the BDS...bait delivery system. As long as you have a tasty morsel attached it often doesn't much matter what you send down.

However, there are definitely times and places when size, color and distance from the bottom can make all the difference in the world. That's what makes ice fishing so challenging and fun...or frustrating.
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[wagdog]

Thanks Pat! Man after looking at all those pics, I have used every one of them for ice fishing EXCEPT for your blade baits. They have all produced fish for me on Utah Lake and other bodies of water. The fire tiger and pale perch patterns were killer for me on Starvation on more than one occasion. Deer Creek too.

I've used wermz, bait bugs, pbj, and rinkees on Utah Lake as well and they have all worked fine. For me color has mattered at certain times through the ice. I always have a good supply of chartreuse, pink, perch imitation, and white for ice fishing. Some days though (like you said), it doesn't seem to matter as long as you have a chunk o' meat on there.
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[MasterDaad]

That is the biggest patch of perch I've seen anyone haul away from Deer Creek in two years. Nice going!
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[BHuij]

I'll look into picking up some ice jigs something along those lines next time I have a chance to get out to Sportsman's Warehouse or Cabelas.

If I hit the water again before that time comes, I bought some small gold Aberdeen hooks a while back for targeting bluegills. It won't sink as fast as a jig and it doesn't have the visual appeal from a distance, but what if I took the hook off my gold kastmaster and used a regular hook with Gulp! Maggots on a dropper line with the kastmaster to jig up and down to get their attention from further away?

Failing that, I do have some 1/16oz painted leadheads (I have black/yellow and white/chartreuse). Not as colorful, but any chance of them working? Now that I think of it, I have some 1/8oz bright chartreuse leadheads. My only worry is that they might have hooks a bit too big for a small sunfish; I think they're size 6 or 4, somewhere in there.

Do these ice jigs have action, or is their appeal just that they're bright and easy to see from far away?

Edit: forgot to ask; are there any docks or other panfish-friendly areas that don't have an access fee? I want to to back a bunch and do a lot of experimenting without racking up $100 in entrance fees over the course of a week if possible.
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[stan55]

The dropper rig you described using a Kastmaster as the attractor is very effective especially when fishing deeper water. Hali makes chain droppers or you can rig your own. I always have a selection of horizontal jigs like Rat Finkees, vertical jigs like teardrops and 45 degree jigs. Most days horizontal works just fine but somedays the other two are the way to go. You can fish all three under the dropper/attractor.
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[BHuij]

In the relatively shallow water I'm hoping to find panfish in before the ice comes, how far close together should I put my offerings on the line? 12 inches or so? I figure I could try a Kastmaster for an attractor, a tube jig tipped with a maggot further down, and then a standard hook with maggot or worm at the bottom?
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[4pointmuley]

Heggen Sonar Flash lures work really good for white bass at Utah Lake. We have caught 100's of white bass at times using these lures! All you have to do is just jig them off the bottom. Red/White seems to be the best lure.
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[TubeDude]

"Do these ice jigs have action, or is their appeal just that they're bright and easy to see from far away"

[#0000FF]Ice jigs usually only have the action you impart to them...by jigging your rod tip. Those with small spinner blades give off flash and vibration. But just the movement of a bit of wiggle helps get fishes' attention and bring them to your offering. And a bit of "sweetener" helps seal the deal.

Sometimes fish respond more to active jigging. Other times they prefer "dead-sticking". That's why it is usually a good idea to keep one rod soaking in a holder while you actively work another one.

Suggestion. You don't always need a colorful jig to catch fish...especially panfish. Try setting up those little gold crappie hooks with just a small split shot sinker a few inches above the hook. Put on some crawler, wax worm, meal worm...or Gulp. Drop it to the bottom and then raise it up so that the baited hook is just above the bottom. Jig it lightly or simply let it sit in a holder. There will be times the fish take the plain bait better than one with a jig attached.

Most of my ice jigs are on hook sizes 8,6 and 4. But I fish some larger stuff than many folks so I use larger jigs and larger hooks...and larger pieces of perch meat or crawler. I do make jigs as small as size 10 for buddies who prefer bitty bites but I can't remember the last time I fished one that small.

Your jig heads in larger sizes can work. Bait them up and give them a soak. If you get no love then downsize.

In shallower and clearer water you will usually do better in stealth mode. Fish smaller stuff and tiptoe on the ice to reduce spooking. Just be sure you are wearing cleats on your tippy toes or you gonna do a triple klutz. That don't help attract fish to your area.
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[PACKFAN]

Great mess of perch, looks like you had Pete Maina the muskie guru from Wis. fishing with you.[]
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[BHuij]

Excellent; it's always nice to hear that I already have some equipment that might get the job done

I'll be sure to be careful on the ice... I spent two years in Russia, and I remember telling myself my first winter that I was going to make it through the whole thing without slipping and falling once... yep, that didn't happen.
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[Jazzperch1]

everything alot of these regular perch jerkers are saying is great info.
Most of our reservoirs run in cycles due to the inconsistent water levels and lack of spawning cover.
I myself love perch especially under the ice, hopefully we get some good colder weather or places Like DC wont be safe for a bit.
If your ever head out to some of the reservoirs along the wasatch and im heading aswell id be happy to show you a few tricks and techniques.
Finding them with size is one thing but then getting them to bite can be another totally.. Hope you get into a few.
If you just want shear numbers of perch you cant go wrong with a bucket of perch from pineview at the top of Ogden canyon.

For me im after eyes first ice if they cooperate, but jumbo perch are as comparable in taste
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[BHuij]

Thanks for the offer! I think that would be the best thing for me right now, is just to get out and try some stuff out, and having an experienced perch guy to show me the ropes would definitely be welcome! I'll send you a PM when I plan my next outing.
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