[gambusia]

Anybody else like to catch and target yellow perch?

Biggest problem is finding big ones. Most of the ones I catch seem to be 5-6 inches.

 

[papadave]

Yes, at least once a year - late winter - we make a trip to White Lake and catch as many as we can(then curse myself for having to clean so many of the little things). And Yes, most are small but have managed some in the 12-14" range. Also heard a rumor about a good population in a small municipal lake in the northern Piedmont but have yet to follow up on that.

 

[wademaster]

I've targeted them many times. I'm looking forward to chasing them with the fly rod at some point. The water where I hunt the yellow perch produces mainly 6-9" fish. My best one there was 11". I've got a friend that claims to have caught them up to 13-14"....

Nightcrawlers/minnows are killer on the perch. Can't wait to try them on the long rod.


Sent from my kayak...

 

[roddo27846]

We catch 'em in good numbers up backwater creeks using crickets and minnows. Most are fairly small.

 

[gambusia]

That is my problem.

There doesn't seem to be as many 10 inch plus fish as you find up north.

 

[wademaster]

That is my problem.

There doesn't seem to be as many 10 inch plus fish as you find up north.

I agree. You may have seen my report from Lake Eerie a month or two ago. The guide on our walleye trip said they mostly catch 12" and larger. Must be nice. It's a give and take. North and south both have their ups and downs when it comes to fishing. There are some nice yellow perch here though.....just gotta find em.

 

[gambusia]

I don't fiddle with small yellow perch but the 10 inchers I take home and eat.

 

[wademaster]

I don't fiddle with small yellow perch but the 10 inchers I take home and eat.

While staying the night at Eerie we ventured into a pub that served the perch. It was the first time I'd tried it as table fare and I loved it. I wanted to try walleye as well but had to choose one or the other.....

 

[gambusia]

Walleye and yellow perch are delicious.

That is partly why I want to stock walleye in Lake Lure.

The walleye also prey on the perch and thin out the small ones.

 

[wademaster]

This is something I was meaning to address earlier on when you created this thread. The perch seem to be extremely prolific when they get a foothold in a body of water much like panfish/crappie. Too many=small fish.

As far as the table fare discussion goes: I chose perch because I wanted to try it out knowing that I would encounter far more of those back at home as opposed to the walleye. Walleye are here but I've yet to catch one in NC. Haven't really hunted them specifically so I haven't spent much time in their known waters.

 

[gambusia]

Yellow perch are found statewide.

They must be pretty adaptable unlike walleye.

 

[spidey]

While staying the night at Eerie we ventured into a pub that served the perch. It was the first time I'd tried it as table fare and I loved it. I wanted to try walleye as well but had to choose one or the other.....

both are fantastic eating. We used to catch perch in lake erie like I catch crappie in falls lake by the bucket loads. Walley are a great fight and in the fall we would fish for salmon till dark and than walleye would hit nice thing ya didnt have to change anything a pink rooster tail was the key

 

[panfish jack]

Go up and fish the Trent in January-February and you'll catch some huge ones.Caught several up there this year while crappie fishing,that were in the 1.5lb range. It's amazing when you catch a big female,the amount of roe they have.

They spawn before any of the other panfish do.

 

[Crummy]

I once got into an entire school of them stacked up at the Gunpowder Creek spillway.(Lake Hickory) It was literally every cast and good size. For a school that size there had to be some spawning or something going on.

 

[peanut]

Ahhhhh, the memories. Remember catching them by the bucket fulls at Metzgers pier between Toledo and Sandusky. Just as good battered and fried as any crappie. their roe is good battered and fried also. 10-4 on the White Lake population. I have also caught (small) some on Tillery. There is a city park in Wilmington, Greens Mill pond, or something like that that supposedly has a healthy population of "raccoon perch".

 

[f-150]

Spoke with officer kittrel in Sampson County last week. She said white lake is a prime yellow perch fishery. Often over looked.

I have a 16"yellow perch mounted at home I caught from a pond in Bladen county.

 

[gambusia]

Lake James and Lake Lure have them, just not very many big ones.

 

[bustman]

in February first of march go to little alligator river or little hertford, catch all you want up to pound to pound and half on minnows..

 

[bustman]

little alligator's in hyde co. little hertford's is the end of perquimins river for those whos do not know

 

[bustman]

big ones, just cut down back and belly skin will pull off easy with pliers good table fare. reason i know about these i am from that area fished it many times....