perch on Erie ???

[iFish4real]

Hello fish buddies!

 

Anybody been out by Port Burwell or anywhere on Erie for perch lately?

 

Thanks a ton!

[OhioFisherman]

I have no idea what the weather has been like on your side of the lake, but I am guessing on our side the mud line is probably close to the Canadian side. We seem to have had almost daily torrential downpours since they announced the start of summer.

 

Most of my area was under a tornado warning again yesterday evening, flash flood warning also. If the amount of dirt and dirty water flowing down my normally dry culvert into the nearest river is any indication?

 

LOL, allegedly the next 3 days will be dry, it may take my yard longer than that. We haven't had what Toronto got, but nothing much better.

 

http://www.19actionnews.com/

Edited July 11, 2013 by OhioFisherman

[dave524]

This looks like a good spot .........2 guys ...45 minutes and 100 good sized ones

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFEH-pOB1QU&feature=youtu.be

[sneak_e_pete]

Was out of Maitland Saturday..on fire!!!! 25 feet

[Walleye72]

I'm also really interested in this info. I was so surprised to hear that perch are often found in 40 + feet of water. I would never have thought they were that deep. I'll be watching this thread for any info you guys can offer.

[sneak_e_pete]

40 feet is nothing. On Erie in early spring and late summer I am fishing them in 55-65ft. Right now they are shallow (about a month late due to water temps)

[Old Ironmaker]

The perch are here on the north shore this year in both big numbers and size. Pick a spot 9 to 25 feet of water. Have been hitting

hard south of PT. Maitland all along west to Dover. Haven't been to Burwell since last month, they were deeper there then, 40 to 55 feet.

 

Make sure anywhere you head to call ahead as emerald shinner minnows here are harder to get and the marinas may not have any once you get there. 2" Gulp emerald shinners will work but nothing out fishes a live bait here for perch.

 

Heard of a 15.5" 1.7 pound jumbo caught yesterday at Peacock Point.

 

Dirty muddy water hasn't been a problem here, even with the rain we have seen.

Edited July 11, 2013 by Old Ironmaker

[krixxer]

if you have shiners the perch will find you!

Edited July 11, 2013 by krixxer

[iFish4real]

thanks everybody, we're trying Port Burwell tomorrow morning, I'll report how it went

[Old Ironmaker]

Go to Stomps Long Point fishing forum, channel 6-8 for daily perch reports for that neck of the woods.

[pylon]

Skip port burwell it's very shallow at the launch go to port Bruce. North shore marina. Straight out join the zoo.

[Old Ironmaker]

I find the launch at North Shore Marina to be fine, what launch are you speaking of ?

Skip port burwell it's very shallow at the launch go to port Bruce. North shore marina. Straight out join the zoo.

[SlowPoke]

Just saw a report on Facebook from one the OFCer's... kept a 3/4 limit and threw back double that (hundreds). Some tanks in there too. I'm sure he'll chime in when he's finished cleaning.... maybe Sunday? lol

[iFish4real]

Thanks again for all the info!

We did go to Port Burwell Sat. morning, nasty waves all day, lots of boats out at 40' and over but nobody seamed to be cathing anything so we headed back closer to shore and caught lots 8-10" in 15fow but nothing significant around 13" or more.

the worst thing was when we left, at the marina the boat in front of us had easily over 50 of them 13" and bigger, all they told us was they went out west

[lickmyarmpit]

There out there you just gotta find em, we had luck in 25-30 fow. Our biggest was 13.5. Lots of silver bass mixed in with em too needed some stress relief and food in the freezer. Week two of our strike and no end in sight.

[Old Ironmaker]

Lick,

 

Good haul, great for stress as well. Hope you ratify an agreement soon, a strike/lockout serves no one when all is said and done.

 

Ifish,

 

You need to move until you find them. They will come in spurts as the schools move by. A good sonar is important, find the balls of baitfish and you will find the perch. Sitting on one spot or fishing the same depths won't work. Move, move, move. Easy to say unless you are the anchor man. A trick I was taught by a local is to let out all the anchor rope if not many other vessels around, pull the rope tight and drift back, can cover more water without using the trolling motor or pulling anchor. Hit the ramp at 07:00, off the water at 11:00. Kept all over 9". Ended up with 6 pounds cleaned. 5 smallies on the drop shot as well, all around 2.5 lbs.

[iFish4real]

thanks for the tips Old I ...I do have a good fishfinder and we were marking lots but moving around on those crazy waves with my 14' alum Lund isn't easy

[Old Ironmaker]

IFish,

 

A 14'er is something you don't want to be in on this lake when the wind picks up. The boats are just not made to handle big unpredictable water. There was a recent discussion on the Channel 6-8 forum about legislating a minimum size for offshore on big water. I believe the Ministry of whoever is considering legislation, as everyone knows here in Ontario we are too stupid to think for ourselves. I've been out a few miles and kissed the ground when we docked safely here on Erie. I'm in a 19.5 deep V with a 115 HP Merc,hell I've talked to guys that were in vessels over 35 feet that had problems getting in.

 

I've towed in many folks in a 16 footer let alone a 14, I have the dents to prove it. Some idiots had to be rescued last Saturday at Nanticoke in a canoe about 2000 yards offshore. Our brains are our best safety equipment, just some people don't have any.

 

I have to tell you I recommend you stay off this lake with a 14 footer as the wind is going to start to pick up now until after labour day. If like glass in the AM you are probably good until 11:00 AM, them all bets are off. You can safely launch from the marina at Nanticoke and the perch grounds are only a few hundred yards from the marina in a somewhat protected bay. Same goes for Pt Dover, no need to go out as far as Burwell and Bruce.

[iFish4real]

thanks again for all Old ..I am well aware of the dangers and I wouldn't throw myself in big waves stupidly we were in the water by 7 when wasn't too bad, went out to check 40fow and headed back after 30min to 15fow close to the rock pier ...and out by 12pm

[Lunker777]

Picked up 60 keepers after 5 hours of searching. We launched out of Leamington and played around Grubbs Reef.

 

Caught on minnows... when the minnows were dead/gone... I switched to a mini slammer and still caught a bunch. Fishing 30 FOW

[Old Ironmaker]

Poor day on the water for me on Erie. Caught dozens of dink perch. Only a 1/2 dozen over 10". My pal caught a beauty of a 14"er. I thought it was going to be a perfect smasher day. Wind out of the south west. All caught on pickerel rigs with live minnows. Gulp 2" Emerald shinners produced nada. Actually the dinks were hitting the bottom dead minnows.

 

Got out after 08:00 back at 12:30. Wind started to pick up about 11:30 and got a nice shower running west into the wind. HTML was along side us and don't really know what luck he had. I didn't listen to my own advice and didn't move around much. My buddy had both hips done last winter and didn't want him to go in the drink pulling anchor all morning. He's too big to lift into the boat. When I left the spot HTML stayed. When we got around the point we hit some big swells. I hope Albert returned safely. I must say I saw him more then once lose his balance standing on that Ranger in 2' chop. We were betting on when he would be going for a dip. 74°F is better than 61°F for sure.

 

Rangers are beautiful vessels but I still say not for Lake Erie.

 

If going out for perch bring shinners with you to be certain you have them. Both marinas were out by 7:30.

 

The owner of the marina went out for 2 hours 3 beauty bows and a nice 7lb Walleye. All on Dipsys and spoons he said. So that tells me he got them on the downriggers and minnow baits. He is a character for sure.

Edited July 18, 2013 by Old Ironmaker

[wormdunker]

I fish perch in the Port Colborne area with minnows. Tried worms at different times - they DO NOT WORK! Even mini plastics DO NOT WORK! U want perch in this area, you MUST have minnows.

[ch312]

IFish,

 

A 14'er is something you don't want to be in on this lake when the wind picks up. The boats are just not made to handle big unpredictable water. There was a recent discussion on the Channel 6-8 forum about legislating a minimum size for offshore on big water. I believe the Ministry of whoever is considering legislation, as everyone knows here in Ontario we are too stupid to think for ourselves. I've been out a few miles and kissed the ground when we docked safely here on Erie. I'm in a 19.5 deep V with a 115 HP Merc,hell I've talked to guys that were in vessels over 35 feet that had problems getting in.

 

I've towed in many folks in a 16 footer let alone a 14, I have the dents to prove it. Some idiots had to be rescued last Saturday at Nanticoke in a canoe about 2000 yards offshore. Our brains are our best safety equipment, just some people don't have any.

 

I have to tell you I recommend you stay off this lake with a 14 footer as the wind is going to start to pick up now until after labour day. If like glass in the AM you are probably good until 11:00 AM, them all bets are off. You can safely launch from the marina at Nanticoke and the perch grounds are only a few hundred yards from the marina in a somewhat protected bay. Same goes for Pt Dover, no need to go out as far as Burwell and Bruce.

 

it all comes down to how comfortable and experienced you are in a boat. I've made a few trips out of burwell (7-8 miles out) in my old 14ft tinner with a 15hp on it and during one trip I encountered some rather rough water. I actually found that the small and light boat rode the waves very well and I didn't feel uncomfortable at all. But, then again, I have enough sense to keep the bow into the wind and know how to handle a boat in rough water.

 

Since then I have upgraded to a 17' G3 deep V with 90hp and it doesn't make me feel any safer. Common sense is key no matter what boat you're in as some people have a blast riding rough water in small zodiacs without any issues while some manage to sink their 20 ft boats that are made for rough water.

 

 

I'm firmly against any law telling people that they aren't allowed to go on a certain body of water if they don't have a boat that's deemed "big enough". That's just punishing everyone for the mistakes only a few have made.