Perch Attractant?

[Jmorfish]

Just curious, as I haven't tried this for perch through the ice..... Many, if not most of us are often using some flavor of attractant juice, jelly, jam, or whatever for Summertime trout, kokanee, catfish, etc., on our favorite baits and lures....So, is anybody using any flavors on your lures, baits, for under ice perch fishing? If so, have you noticed any difference in the bite? tks....
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]I have tried a lot of different attractants while ice fishing. Some worked better than others...on some days but not all days. The one scent I have pretty much standardized on in crawdad scent. Perch not only eat crawdads but I have read that the scent is pretty close to nightcrawler also.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]I have been making PPP (processed perch pieces) for quite a few years. There are more than a few Utah BFTers who have witnessed how effective it can be. Here is my pictorial recipe. TopH20 scoffed until he tried it on Starvation...after I had caught more and bigger perch than he did. He swallered his pride and started scoring well too...and even begged for my remnants when I left before he did. Still, he refers to it as "stank bait".
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[lovetofish]

Nice write up, thanks for sharing.
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[Cessna150]

Thanks for the info.
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[TopH2O]

I resemble that remark! It's OK you used my name in vain because it's a true story. There was no question the "stank" bait did improve the catching of the perch. I think it really helps when the fish are not actively feeding and are not being very aggressive with normal bait or lure presentations.

I believe when there's an active feeding frenzy going on, almost any bait or presentation will catch fish. The scent makes the difference to finicky fish.

Mike
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[Brighamfish]

Thanks TD! I will definately be trying this.
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[TubeDude]

"I believe when there's an active feeding frenzy going on, almost any bait or presentation will catch fish. The scent makes the difference to finicky fish."

[#0000FF]Yea, verily. Thou speakest the truth. But it is always wise to have a variety of lures, baits and techniques in your arsenal...just in case.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]Attaching a couple of pics from that one trip.[/#0000FF]
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[fish_fear_me2]

I had a similar experience with TD's perch pieces a few years back at Yuba. Fishing with a friend and her young daughter we found the bites very light and the perch finicky. Pat was fishing nearby and catching fish regularly/ He offered us some of his perch pieces and fishing improved noticeably. The young girl was soon catching fish one after the other. It saved the day for a young girl on her first ice fishing trip.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]That was a fun trip. Glad I brung enough to share. I was standing in front of Sheyenne when she got her first big perch. She had a sandwich in one hand and her rod in the other. When that big toad perch climbed on she tossed her sandwich into the air and it was full battle rattle. Fortunately, the sandwich landed intact and was still edible after the hoorahs and the pictures. See attached. The sandwich is laying near her feet in one picture.
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[#0000FF]That young lady is all growed up now.
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[OCF]

The good old days at Yuba when you had to keep the first 10 perch you caught! That was short lived.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Yes, indeed.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]But still better than today.
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[LOAH]

I didn't see this listed, but if so, beg your pardon.

From the very first time I stepped onto the ice, I was told by perch veterans that the hardest perch to catch is the first. After that, tip your jigs with their eyeballs.

Apparently they love their own eyes. Just tossing that out there.
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[TheFishSlayer]

That's normally what I do too.
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[Jmorfish]

tks T.D.....Generally I've done pretty good on the perch, and when you're in the right spot and they're in a glutonous, drunken mood, you can pretty much catch them on anything..for a little while....then they can get tough, so I'll be taking time to read your recipe, and hope to make something like that work ....tks again, and great pics....
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]I almost forgot to mention that Gulp Alive minnows work well on both perch and walleye. I either fish them dropshot style, on a jig head by themselves or tipping a jig with a smaller minnow. Have had some days when they hit the Gulp goodies better than worms. Gulp Minnows are money at Starvation. All species go for them.
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[Jmorfish]

OK,OK, here's my 'secret' to the first perch being the EASIEST One to catch..(compared to your buddies who are struggling to get their first) .....when cleaning and filleting your perch at home from your last trip, bag up and freeze a head or two....Wallah! there's your eyes, and even enough 'perch meat' above the eyes, for good bait to start your day fast...make sure you thaw out in frige the nite before, and the eyeballs are a bit squishier, but they will work. .Please don't tell anybody else my secret..I don't want my buddies catching the first bigguns!...Guluk.
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[Jmorfish]

Yeah, I did find some crawfish oil juice, but didn't have the time (or cut pcs) to soak before...We had a group of about 15 - kids and dads - out on Rockport yesteday (extreme winds all A.M.) and I did spray some of that on lures and the little perch meat I cut from my previously frozen perch head....we were in 45FOW, one other guy in our group got 8 perch, no one else got perch (bunch of trout), but I did ice 11 perch keepers...so I think the juice did some good, and I'll take time to soak some of the cut pcs I saved out after my fillet job...had one of the little kids in my shelter for awhile to help him, and he caught his first ever perch on the cut meat/crawfish flavor combo...pretty excited kid!..me too.....tks again...
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Good to hear you were able to "get juiced". Applying some at point of use is better than nothing, but letting it soak overnight...with a little salt...seems to work so much better.
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[#0000FF]And now that you got the magic potion, here is another hint. Putting crawdad oil on carp meat is dynamite for burbot. Works great for cats in most waters too.[/#0000FF]
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[#0000FF]But it makes a lousy margarita.
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[BURLEY]

I have noticed that they like crawfish flavored Smelly Jelly. It may help you get that first perch for TD's recipe.
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[FatBiker]

Pat gave me some crawdad stink recently. Success rate went noticeably up.
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