Ice fishing for perch is one of the most popular ice fishing methods in North America. Ice fishing perch is a winter sport that involves the use of either a lake or a hole cut out of a frozen lake to fish through. Ice perch fishing is usually done on lakes but can also be done with a portable ice fishing hut, which allows for easy portability from one spot to another if desired.
Perch fishing is most often done with a rod, reel, ice fishing jig or lure, line, and hook. Some people will even use their own homemade fishing rods if they are less available. People enjoy ice fishing perch for its own sake and the challenge and sense of accomplishment that comes with catching a fish through the ice.
5 Tips & Tricks for Ice Fishing perch
Here are 5 tips & tricks to help you catch more perch when you go ice fishing.
1) Use a perch jig
These are specially designed for ice fishing. They’re thin, have a slanted eye and a single hook that’s extremely sharp-pointed to easily penetrate the fish’s mouth.
2) Use a bobber
The perch is an aggressive fish, it will lunge at anything you put in front of it with little hesitation. Adding a bobber to your line will help you catch more perch by giving the fish something to prey on. An ice fishing bobber should be at least 1½ inches in size and can be larger if you want to target big perch.
3) Best time & place for ice fishing perch
The best time & place for ice fishing for perch is earlier in the morning.
4) the best bait for ice fishing
The best bait for ice fishing perch is leeches, minnows, wax worms & night crawlers. Avoid using earthworms as they are not a natural food source for the perch.
5) Wait for a while
Don’t expect to catch large quantities of perch on every cast, sometimes it takes hours before you get your first bite.
How you can get good at it?
Since there are many different types of perch available to be caught, whether they be fresh-water or salt-water, the techniques used to fish for them will be different. Some perch can grow quite large in size and live in deeper waters, while others are much smaller and live near the surface.
Know what type of fish it is, where they live, how deep they tend to stay. Different types of perch prefer different habitats, so it is helpful to know what type of perch you are fishing for. In addition, ice fishing perch will typically live near the bottom in deep water when they are not spawning, and close to the surface during the time of spawning, which usually occurs around February or March.
Here are some more tips for ice fishing:
Bait for Catching Perch
Perch can be caught with jigs, spoons, or minnows. Bait your hook with either of these items and cast it out to the area where you’ve spotted perch swimming. Do not set the hook, let the fish come to the bait on their own. If they do not want to eat what you’ve put on your hook after a few minutes, reel the line back in and change your bait. Keep doing this until you get a bite.
Perch are predators, so they will attack the bait viciously. Once the fish has bitten down on your hook, jerk upwards to set the hook in their mouth, grab the ice fishing rod with both hands, and start reeling it in.
Establish a pattern
If you are fishing in an area where there are known perch, try setting up your equipment right around the same time every day. They will get accustomed to this schedule and begin to eagerly come back at that time.
Once you have established a regular pattern for perch swimming in an area, buy or make yourself a fish clock. Attach a fish-shaped piece of metal to a line, and lower it down the hole you have cut in the ice with your fishing rod. If you do not have a fish clock, make sure to check on your line every few minutes so you can pull up the hook if they are biting before they get away from you.
Be patient
It might take you several days to catch your first fish, so be wary of exhausting yourself or wearing out your equipment before you even get a bite.
When it comes to ice fishing perch, practice makes perfect. The more often you do it and the more time you spend outdoors in the winter, the better off you will be.
What is the best bait for Perch?
Night crawlers seem to be the most popular form of bait when it comes to ice fishing perch. Other natural baits that are used are leeches, small minnows, and meal worms.
When is the best time to fish for Perch?
Perch fishing can be done at any time of year, with the most popular times being during the winter months when ice conditions are safe.
Of course, it would also depend on what type of Ice perch you are trying to go after.
How much does a perch typically weigh?
Perch is usually 6 inches long when it becomes suitable for eating, at this point, it can weigh about ¼ of an ounce. Usually, perch weighs somewhere between 2 ounces and 3 ½ ounces depending on how big they are.
What is a typical meal in an Ice Fishing Perch?
Ice fishing perch is usually fried, the most popular being pike perch fry. This is simply breaded perch that is fried in oil or butter until it turns a golden brown color.
You can also use any kind of bread you desire, this includes corn meal, flour, etc. Whatever your preference might be.
Verdict:
Ice fishing perch is a very popular form of ice fishing. It’s easy to learn how to do it, and when all the advice is followed there’s a high chance you’ll catch some good quality fish when you go ice fishing for perch. Follow these 5 tips & tricks in order to have a higher probability of catching more perch on your next ice fishing adventure. Have a happy and safe ice fishing season!
