Author: Daniel Eggertsen
Yellow perch are pretty small fish. They generally range in size from one to two pounds on average. They are often used as bait themselves. They tend to live in large schools and have voracious appetites. For this reason, if they are introduced into a new body of water, they can virtually wipe out other fish populations. They are very easy to catch almost year round in most places in the United States. Often the biggest challenge is reeling them in quickly and getting the hook back in the water to reel in the next one.
Rarely will you need even a whole worm to catch perch. Small chunks of worm, small minnows, and crickets catch perch very well. Be sure to use very small hooks with your small bait. Using large bait and large hooks sets you up to find out first hand what good thieves perch can be, when they clean your hook and leave you to rebait time after time.
Yellow perch are prime targets for new anglers. It takes no degree of expertise and the yellow perch can be caught with just a cane pole, bobber, hook, and a can of worms. If you are teaching a novice about the joys of angling, nothing could be a better choice than perch. For best results, use a rod designed for medium action with a casting or spinning reel. The best hooks will be from sizes 4 to 8. Just adjust your depth by changing your bobber's set until you find where the perch are suspended, and once you catch one, get your hook back into the water at the same depth as quickly as possible before they move on.
Most experienced perch anglers will tell you the single best bait is minnows. The smaller the minnow, the better. Still, other anglers prefer artificial bait for the more obvious reasons. Artificial bait is always readily available. You just buy it when you are in the sporting goods sections of your favorite stores, and have it handy when you fish. It does not jump around when it falls onto the floor of your boat, it does not die on a hot day, and it is not messy. If you are one of the many anglers who choose to fish for perch with artificial lures, just be sure you choose something shiny and something as tiny as possible.
Choosing spoons or plastic minnows in a metalic silver color usually works well.
Like catfish, perch rely heavily on their sense of smell to locate the bait, especially in murky waters, so if you spray on stink scent, it can help you attract the perch in the area and draw them onto your offering. Use only the smallest hooks you can find, or you will find that the perch have had themselves a dinner on you, while leaving your hook clean and your stringer empty.
Here are a few simple tips to ensure you make the most of the time you spend fishing for perch.
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