Can you help a guy out

[pbode]

Hello to the people of the great state of Idaho. A friend and I would like to travel northwest (from Wyoming) into the Preston area around the first of February in pursuit of the wiley perch. We would appreciate any information about perch fishing the local waters that you would like to share with us. In return we promise to be good, not drink to much and come to the aid of all Idahoans that are in immediate need of assistance. All joking a side we could use some help since there are no perch in southwestern Wyoming and we would really like to catch something other than trout.
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[AverysAdventure]

Kinda funny how every state F&G wants to make trout lakes but it's the perch that brings people. Never could understand it and probably never will. Anyway about your question - I have no idea [:/] Sorry but I never fish the SE area. Good luck!
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[windriver]

Welcome to our neighbors from the also great state of Wyoming.[]

First of all I would not count any of our perch fishing right now as really great. Mud Lake used to have great perch fishing, Magic has had great perch fishing and American Falls can have great perch fishing. From what I have heard in the Preston area the perch are hit and miss. It doesn't seem like anyone is hauling in a great amount of big ones.

I think your best be for perch in Idaho is either American Falls Res. or Alexander in Soda Springs.

I love to fish for and eat big perch, but my home stomping grounds of Ririe Res is tough as far as finding the perch is concerned.

If I was you I would go on a road trip to Boysen. You get to use live bait there. I love watching the tip of my rod as the little minnow goes crazy just before it is devoured by a hungry perch.

Windriver
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[mudsucker]

F&G won't even answer my emails any more when I beg them to plant just one little spot in the Salmon zone or around Mackay or Challis with perch instead of trout. I tried to convince them to get some of those giant perch from a few fisheries back in MN and ND and Canada, said it would bring in people from all over.
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[flygoddess]

I wouldn't count TROUT out...
Many people like myself are TROUT people, and I am just one of the Trout people that are spending the $100. for the years license.
Perch can get out of hand really quick. I know you all might like that, but BIG TROUT is still a great calling card.
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[prvrt]

True, but we have enough waters around here to have both. A few more places for Walleye would be nice also and throw in some Tiger Muskie while we are at it. Variety is nice for catching and also eating.
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[flygoddess]

I am all for those two suggestions. Walleye on a fly...has a nice ring to it[laugh]
Are tiger muskie infected?
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[prvrt]

No, they finally found a good supply with a good dna strain with no problems. Will have to wait and see what happens now. I wish they would fix Mud Lake. That was the perfect place for both perch and muskie. All they need is to dredge a few areas and then put in an aerator like at Henry's and things would be great.

Back to the original post, I would suggest the same as Windriver. I have been down to the Preston area this year and is was way slow. Even Twin Lakes has not done to well this year.
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[idaagman]

This is the latest from Magic Resevoir in South Central Idaho. [url "http://www.magiccityidaho.com/"]http://www.magiccityidaho.com/[/url] Magic is North of Shoshone Idaho. The best place to access is from the west at West Magic. Depends on what you bring to travel with (4 wheeler or Snow mobile) the walk can be a long one to the ice. Magic tends to have deep ice (1 to 2 feet). Fishing can be great but the weather can change in a short time, bring a GPS to get out with in case of a whiteout. Trout are a great catch (i've caught them to 21 inches) but the perch can be fast and keep you busy. We have caught 20+ in less than an hour. Hope you have a great time in Idaho and tell others of your luck.

Idaagman
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[mudsucker]

Nobody is counting trout out. In fact, you can find trout anywhere around here. You can find perch nowhere around here.
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[flygoddess]

That s a problem.
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[MMDon]

[quote prvrt]True, but we have enough waters around here to have both. A few more places for Walleye would be nice also and throw in some Tiger Muskie while we are at it. Variety is nice for catching and also eating.[/quote]

At the risk of being sued by some well meaning university, I'd think that most F&G's will be needing and EIS, environmental impact study, before planting any more self sustaining invasive species in waters that contain native fish or any other native species. Just a thought.
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[AverysAdventure]

So in the end you get bucket biology because the State F&W don't/won't manage the resource like the general public wants it to be! Trout, and even nice trout, are all around. (not that I can catch them). But in the end I travel to NV for Perch and to the Columbia in WA for Walleye. Next I need to go get a Tiger Muskie in Utah.
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[drowning_flys]

[ul][li][quote flygoddess]I wouldn't count TROUT out...
Many people like myself are TROUT people, and I am just one of the Trout people that are spending the $100. for the years license.
Perch can get out of hand really quick. I know you all might like that, but BIG TROUT is still a great calling card.[/quote][/li][li] well said but if i had to eat one my choice would be perch [/li][/ul]
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[poky-mon]

I don't fish for perch but from what I've read on all the previous posts throughout the years is that the word gets out that people are catching 10-12 inch perch. Then every group and their dog has to go and catch 50-500 fish in an outing and twin lakes, roberts AF and all the others are loosing the population of bigger ones and now the majority are 3-6 inch. People aren't letting them grow. Maybe they should put a slot limit on them and you might see a better perch fishery
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[flygoddess]

Makes sense to me...[laugh]
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[Widastick]

Count me in for the trout and out for the perch. I hate those little buggers. Having said that, there are plenty of lakes in the Preston Area that have good pan fish fishing. Some of those lakes are pretty small so it you would like some advise im me and I can tell you where to go, I hate to see them get over pressured.
More importantly, love slot limits, its great what they have been able to do for some of the fisheries in the west. I wish they would have them in more of our lakes. Good luck to everyone and can someone get the dang perch out of my hole so I can catch something bigger.
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[pbode]

Thanks for all of the information and lively discussion. After reading the posts on the fishing in the Preston area we my head south to Yuba in Utah. Thanks to all of you.[cool]
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