Page 72 - ODUMar-Apr2019

Ice anglers have long been infatuated with big jumbo perch and late ice is a prime window for targeting

perch on a lot of different fisheries. In some states, game fish seasons close prior to the late ice period
where as perch and other pan fish seasons remain open year-round. Part of the allure for ice anglers
targeting perch can be the highs and lows of perch fishing in that we often need to move and drill holes
to find fish. A frustrating day can change in a matter of minutes with one hole… one school of fish. You
can go from a zero to a hero quickly when fishing for perch.

What I find amazing about targeting perch through the ice is just how different ecosystems and forage
bases can create extremely different patterns. Locations on Mille Lacs Lake will vary greatly from Lake

Winnie. Saginaw Bay will be completely different from Devils Lake. Perch that are keying on shiners
and crayfish act differently from fish that are using blood worms or fresh water shrimp as a primary
forage. As a rule of thumb, fish that are keying on minnows or crayfish are often more aggressive than
fish living off invertebrates like scuds and bug larvae.

The randomness of where we find perch can be frustrating in that on so many fisheries, we are finding

schools of perch wandering basins and large flats. Perch can be anywhere on these locations and are
often moving. As a result, finding and catching perch is often about moving and drilling holes. You
don’t catch perch until you find them. There are many nuances however that can affect that overall
strategy.

Breaking down basins and large flats is often about making big moves until you find some signs of life
and then making small moves to catch fish. This is a mistake that many anglers make is that they get
bogged down with drilling a lot of holes but drilling their holes too close together on foot. When you

are on a large piece of structure, use your ATV, snowmobile or vehicle to make those big moves. Don’t
plop on a location, unload all your gear and proceed to tear apart the lake within a hundred yards of you