Some of the best the ice fishing season has to offer comes in the form of giant yellow perch ( a.k.a. jumbos ) and can make for some exciting angling. Even the most ardent walleye anglers can find the challenge of finding and catching jumbo perch through the ice to be well worth the effort and something to actually look forward to.
Jumbo perch are in a class by themselves are not that easy to find as great perch water isn’t all that common. It takes the right makeup to produce really big perch, and even if they’re available by the pail full the timing has to be right. Timing becomes a factor when you look at the natural cycles that differing species of fish go through resulting in good and bad years, for perch and anglers alike. The good years for perch are bad for ice anglers, while the bad years can make for some tremendous angling opportunities.
When it all comes together the available food sources are at a minimum, and there are a couple of large year classes of adult perch present. That type of situation can make for peak conditions, and something you’d be well served to take advantage of as it will only last so long. Peaks are peaks for a reason, and often followed by a deep valley.
One of the country’s top producers of jumbo perch is none other than Mille Lacs Lake in Central Minnesota, and has finally turned the corner and is coming out of an extended perch drought. Their numbers were unusually low while the available baitfish had exploded and the times were plenty tough.
But that was then and this is now and now looks pretty darn good. The thing is the ups and downs of peaks and valleys are a fact of life and something to be aware of when you start trying top pin down an ideal situation. Of course it doesn’t have to be ideal to be good, as somewhere between a peak and a valley is some good solid action.
The most important key to cashing in on a perch peak is location, as you will never ever catch them where they’re not. A mistake that many anglers make is believing they’re on the right path when they start catching small fish. Unfortunately small perch location seldom reveals the whereabouts of the real jumbos, as they tend to school up by size and run in different circles. Small perch can usually be found just about anywhere and everywhere, except for maybe where the real monsters are hiding out. The thing is; small biting perch can keep you stuck in one place hoping for the best, unless of course you know better.
The real key to finding the big dudes is keeping yourself mobile, and not wasting too much time in unproductive water. By staying on the move and using a search technique you can eliminate water and increase your chances for finding the mother load.
To maximize on the mobility factor a portable fish house is in order, like the all new Eskimo Eskape 200 with itâs cool skylights and built in tackle trays. It’s also roomy enough to be comfortable yet small enough to be extremely portable. It can also be set up in seconds and taken down just as quickly, allowing for more moves and ultimately more giant perch.
A power auger is another effective tool that can save you valuable time and can make all of the moves a lot easier on the back. A gas powered auger like an eight inch Eskimo Shark can get the job done and nothing is faster. An eight inch hole is more than enough to get the largest perch through and anything more would be overkill.
Good search techniques start with a bait that can get down the hole quickly and to the bottom where perch are often found. A bait like a jigging spoon is tops on the list and is the odds on favorite for an initial offering. Because of the weight and the slim profile they get to the bottom fast, and when the fun really begins.
As previously mentioned; perch are often found holding close to the bottom and where you should start your search. You can work you’re way up from there, and there are times when perch can be found three or four feet off the bottom or more.
By dropping a spoon to the bottom and jigging the bait while watching a depth finder you can quickly see if there are any fish using the area. If you’ve jigged for ten or fifteen minutes and nothing has shown itself it’s probably time for a move. If you’re seeing fishing but not getting bit a change in color or technique may be in order.
An aggressive or hard snapping jigging method can draw fish in but it may take a minute twitch or bump of the rod tip to trip their triggers. The idea is to start with the hard snap and follow it with something a little more subtle, if you have to.
Spoons in the 1/16 to 1/8 oz range are in order, as larger baits may get ignored. One of the hottest jigging spoons on ice is the Northland Buckshot and comes in some great colors including Perch, which seems to always produce wherever the perch happen to be biting. Color preference can change from day to Day and even from hour to hour and it would be a good idea to have a variety of colors on hand. Even if what you’re using is working a different color may actually produce more. If hot action starts to slow down a color change would be in order, especially if you’re still seeing fish on the depth finder. If the color change has no effect, or the depth finder is drawing a blank, another move may be the ticket.
Another move doesn’t necessarily mean you have to pick up stakes and completely leave an area, however. Instead; a mini move may be answer and starts with a twenty or thirty foot move along a break, or down deeper, or up shallower. Look for perch to be more active in shallow water early in the morning and again later in the evening, and deeper during the day. See you on the ice.
Ron AnlaufBy: Ron Anlauf
