Where the heck are all the Perch

[mercman]

Other than a couple of reports earlier in the year, no one seems to be catching them Personally, i have only seen one this season.I usually catch lots while fishing walleye with worm harnesses, but this year i have only caught one.

[danbouck]

They are in my belly. More are going in tomorrow

[mercman]

Down this way, the season has been closed in some areas because of over fishing.

[sneak_e_pete]

Depending on where you are the bite is slowing down. I fish Erie and the days of them schooling up is done until next year.

[Skipper D]

Today i was told there are no perch rolls to be found for a meal along the #2 hwy clear back to the Qc boarder , kinda makes ya wounder whats going on .

[Canuck2fan]

It was a shorter season of small perch where I normally fish on Erie, had many days where I caught more than 100 but only kept a couple dozen.... Also strangely enough the days where you could not net a minnow to save your life were the days when the bite was NON stop LOL

 

It probably hasn't helped that during the end of the usual run for the last 3 weeks, that after the 7 tugs from Port Stanley got their quota by surrounding the pier, 8 more from Port Dover starting putting their nets even closer to shore.... The Jumbo perch probably could not past the nets in any great numbers. Guys in boats did have a lot of luck catching bigger perch though none of them admitted dipping into the commercial nets to do so.

[smally21]

Dan are you still doing OK out on the bay? My last couple of bass trips turned to perch trips because we were still catching decent numbers. Not great, but steady.

 

Outside of the bay off pottohawk mostly.

[dave524]

Looking at some of the Lake Erie forums I think they are all stacked up off Hastings Drive at Long Point.

[smally21]

hastings seems to be the best spot on this side of the lake. suffers for access though. its something like 45 miles around to it...

[davey buoy]

No shortage of perch my way!!!,although the 50 a day per person can't be good long term. JMO.

[Billy Bob]

Depending on where you are the bite is slowing down. I fish Erie and the days of them schooling up is done until next year.

 

Not sure how you come up with this but Sept and Oct are great months for Lake Erie perch fishing.....

 

BTW Merc.......I have close to 200 fillets in my freezer.....

 

Another month and I'll be stocking up with some more....

[sneak_e_pete]

Where do they go throughout the year. A few weeks ago, there were clouds of them on my finder in 25 feet, now no big schools. Is fall fishing good for them? What depth? Thanks

[davey buoy]

Where do they go throughout the year. A few weeks ago, there were clouds of them on my finder in 25 feet, now no big schools. Is fall fishing good for them? What depth? Thanks

 

I think you might be looking too hard. My area,anywhere from 2-20' almost any day. Winter I don't know.

[Rich]

I just don't report catching them, cuz it's so brutally common and easy.

 

I'd honestly be embarassed if I did.

Edited August 7, 2012 by Rich

[Billy Bob]

Where do they go throughout the year. A few weeks ago, there were clouds of them on my finder in 25 feet, now no big schools. Is fall fishing good for them? What depth? Thanks

 

Two week ago while walleye fishing I was chartering large schools out of Buffalo in 52-58 feet of water.......then last week out of the Catt we were chartering them in 80-82 feet of water.......the big problem right now is there are no Lake Erie Emerald Shiners to be had.