Finding perch in the spring

Perch fishing can produce a tasty family meal and the time to catch them is now! During the spring perch move in from deep water and feed upon crayfish in weedy flats. Perch are very aggressive, so when you find one you’ll find the school. A surefire way to start out the day is trolling over weeds with an inline spinner tipped with parts of a crayfish. After finding an active school, stop your troll and cast minnows or crayfish under a bobber. Make sure your bobber is set right above the weeds so you don’t get snagged up, and active perch will come out of the weeds to feed. Bigger perch are notorious for staying close to the bottom. To find the bigger perch, fish a crappie rig on the bottom tipped with larger minnows or pieces of crayfish and you will find the “Jumbo” perch. The best perch rod made is the G. Loomis Trout & Panfish series rod TSR 901S. It is a 7’6” ultralight-power rod that is made to perfection for all light-lining techniques used in perch fishing. Pair this rod with a 1000 sized Shimano reel and 5-pound PowerPro and you will have the ultimate perch fishing setup.