Deep Water Jumbo Perch
By JP DeRose

One of my favorite things to do once the ice is of our lakes is to fish Yellow Perch but going through bunches of 4-7 inch fish can get old real quick. If you were to make some minor adjustments to your approach, you can find the big females that are waiting to come shallow to spawn and have the day of your life catching them.

In many of our lakes the Perch are shallow and there is almost always a population of them that live shallow all year round... first ice, middle of winter, last ice, spawn and even in the summer but these fish rarely have the size consistency that would make people consider them "Jumbos".

The mature male and female Yellow Perch are only shallow during ideal conditions and in the Spring of the season, just after the ice is out, you can target them in the deeper waters where they will stage before the waters climb into the mid 40's and the spawn sits right around the corner. These deeper fish are sitting on transitions and shoals feeding heavily on the waves of baitfish that begin to invade the shallower water to spawn. Bait like Emerald Shiners and Rainbow Smelt are a favorite target of these tasty predators which can be voracious eaters at peak times.

My biggest Perch often times spit up 3.5-4.5" baitfish, and this is coming from fish that are 12-15" in total length! Finding these transition areas will be the key to cashing in and to help you get started we will look at a few of the key things that make fish congregate in certain areas.

Warm water inlets (rivers), canals and marinas will be a natural magnet for bait after ice out since these waters will be the first to warm and will spill out into the lake drawing the baitfish in like a magnet. One of the best areas to try is primary drops from 15-20 feet in front of these areas. Look for transition areas from weed to sand, sand to gravel and optimally from weed to gravel. These little zones will concentrate big Perch waiting to ambush baitfish making the journey up into the warmer waters ahead.

Shoals, humps and ledges in water from 15-50 feet on some bodies of water will also concentrate these fish and finding them will be tougher than the first option but once you do they can produce large quantities of Perch. Typically the deeper the water, the easier they will be to catch and the bigger the schools will be. Places like Lake Erie have schools of Perch that are staggering in numbers and size. Often times, water from 30-50 feet before the spawn will produce giant after giant once you are on top of the school. To find them, you must find the bait in the area so good electronics and some patient idling around will be necessary.

When rigging up for these fish I like to have a set up that is light, but not too light. Often times anglers sacrifice rod action due to low rod power and this especially comes true when using ultra light rods. I have never been a fan of them since often times they feel like you're casting with a limp piece of spaghetti. Medium Light seems to be the lowest power in a rod to get an effective Extra Fast action in the blank and that's where I start. 6'6" - 7'0" Medium Light power with Extra Fast action like the Shimano Compre makes for a great casting rod and will also transmit great hook setting power and fish control, not to mention allow you to work the bait with very little effort, even far from the boat. Couple the rod with a 1000 or 2500 size reel spooled up with 6 lb fluorocarbon and you're good to go.

When fishing the deeper fish I like to go up a power to Medium but still get the Extra Fast action. When choosing line, this is when I switch to 8 lb Hi Viz Yellow or White Power Pro with a 8 lb

fluorocarbon leader. The high viz line will help you watch as Perch often times hit your bait on the fall of a slack line, letting you know they are there before they even have a clue about you. Run a 6-8 foot leader for this application, especially in clear water situations.

Lure presentation and selection can vary but some things always produce. 2.5" Fin-S fish, Bass Pro Shops 2" Spring Grubs and 2" Tender Tubes are my 3 go to soft plastics and Berkley Gulp! Alive 3" Smelt can knock them out some days. These baits can be rigged a couple of different ways but the two best are definitely drop shot with a 5-8" height and on a stand up or ball head jig. Look for jigs that have a quality hook in them like a Gamakatsu or Mustad Ultra Point since bumping rock will be common and having a bent over tip is never fun or productive. Jig weights should be from 1/16th in shallower water, 1/8th in mid depth and up to 1/4 in the deeper waters. When fishing ultra deep, the drop shotting is the most effective since you can add a 3/8 or 1/2 weight to the bottom and it won't effect the bait presentation.

Vary your retrieves from snaps to dragging to figure out what the fish want you'll be more productive when you pay attention to the hints the fish give you. Also remember that the big females are awesome for pics but not great for the pan... let these fish spawn to ensure a healthy future population in your home lake. Fishing ice out Perch can be one of the most rewarding things to do and a great way to spend the day on the water with family and friends, plus the kids absolutely love all the action so get your little ones hooked early, just be sure to dress them properly as the water temps will make the air much colder than on shore!

Tight lines and long weekends
JP DeRose