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I was wondering if any of you would share some tips/lakes/info for ice fishing perch? I'll be getting my wife and 10yr old daughter into the sport this winter and am hoping for success to keep them interested. (the more they like it, the more we get to go  ) We usually frequent DC and Jordanelle. Eventually one of you guys will have to meet up with me and teach me how to catch the Utah Walleye because it sure is different than the Michigan Walleye.
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Spring bobbers, small jigs, waxworms or perch eyes.
I like rigginh a hookless castmaster (gold/silver) about 3-6 inches abouve a jig or two. Glow is good.
Get to deep water, where the bottom levels out, drop to the bottom, then three turns up, and wiggle away.
Might need to move around till you find a school.
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For perch, Pineview or fish Lake, for bluegill Mantua. Hopefully you get them into it. Goodluck!
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If you want tons of perch starting January 1st 2015 it will be no limit for them only at fish lake.
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How deep do you like to go? I normally sit around 30'.
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I took my wife last year to fish lake. We were right on the weed line (20ft?) And couldn't keep the fish off. I had to get rid of my second pole to focus on the one. She had a blast catching the perch. Longer drive down but worth it to see her catch on what I've been hyping about. If you want fast action, fish lake is where is at. I've been to Pineview and close to the same thing but the bite seemed to stop early.
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30' is a good starting place.
Fish Lake is literally brimming with perch along the weedline. You can literally have a 200-300 fish day down there. Unfortunately they are a little on the small side due to stunting.
Just some friendly advice if you do take the family down to FL, watch the temps and especially the wind speed. The weather down there can quickly turn a boom day to a bust day in no time.
Good luck.
P.S. I WISH our Utah walleye behaved like Michigan walleye.
If some of our 'higher-ups' around here would pull their heads out of their butts and allow live minnows as bait it would make winter walleye fishing worth it.
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[#0000FF]Walleyes are not "managed" in Utah. No planting, no proactive regulations...specific to specific waters...etc. Utah is a trout state and the use of live minnows might give anglers an unfair advantage.
There is a huge difference it what it looks like underwater in the midwestern walleye waters and in Utah. Back there you can find lots of walleyes in good holding areas...with lots of natural forage. In Utah it is rare to see even an individual walleye...and they are usually looking all over to find enough to eat.
Sometimes...on some waters...we get lucky in Utah and can catch multiple walleyes in a single day. But most are still caught incidentally while fishing for other species. Those who target them specifically smell skunk a lot.
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Let's face it too minnows aren't the be all end all when it comes to catching walleyes through the ice or any other time.
They work good in some situations, but you can catch walleyes on plastics and metal really well in my opinion relative to minnows.
Said it before on here, but we are allowed minnows for eyes up here in Wyoming and honestly tons of guys don't even bother w/ minnows and do pretty good.
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I just want another tool in my tool box, that's all.
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As close as you can get to the bottom for the perch, you need a fish finder, if it looks like the bottom is moving it's perch. They are sometimes picky eaters, wax worms are a good bet. Good luck
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[#0000FF]I agree. Plenty of other options for walleyes, including crawlers, plastics, Gulp baits, etc. If you can find active fish and make a good presentation you can catch walleyes...even without minnows.
I have fished some of the famed walleye ponds in Minnesota and elsewhere through the ice. And the guys back there rely more on good electronics, searching out the fish and making good presentations rather than just soaking live minnows. But for the "Grumpy Old Men" kinda guys that is about all they know...buy some minnows and fish in one spot all day...the same way. Kinda like a lot of our Utah crowd. Set up a tent and stay in one spot all day...waiting for the fish to find them.
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[#0000FF]Okay, now that I've popped off about walleyes, let's see if I can offer some generalized info on the perch.
First of all, neither Deer Creek or Jordanelle are even a shadow of what they have been in the past. It is possible to find a few perch on some trips but most perch searchers have to settle for a few trout on most trips. Very seldom a stray walleye.
One of the big problems the last couple of years has been the low water. Perch go deeper in the winter and places they normally might hang out are now too shallow. So they go looking and we have to go looking for them. Makes it tougher when you don't have a "go-to" never-fail spot to fish. And it means you have to have good sonar and be prepared to move around and look a lot before you find some fish. Oh yeah, finding them on sonar is no guarantee they will bite either.
Winter perch in either Jordanelle or Deer Creek might be found anywhere from 30 to 60 feet deep. Much depends on food sources. If they can find groceries (perch fry or invertebrates) in shallower water they will hang around the food until it moves too. Over the years, 35 to 40 feet has been a good place to start looking. And try to find an area with break lines or rocky structure. They like to be able to relate to "edge".
If you find active fish, it is more difficult to find something they won't hit than something they will. But most regular "perch jerkers" stick with small jigs tipped with crawler, wax worm or meal worm. Once you get a fish or two, scoop out the eyes and use them. Those cannibalistic perch love 'em. They also enjoy small pieces of perch meat on your jigs.
Sometimes it's a good idea to find an underwater point extending out into the lake and then "swiss cheese" the ice at different depths and on both sides of the slope. At times they will be up on flats...feeding in zooplankton and other buggy stuff. Other times they will be cruising along a favorite depth along the points.
Every day can be different. Watch the board for reports and if someone posts a successful trip send them an email asking for more details...and maybe trying to wangle an invite on the next trip.
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[quote TubeDude][#0000FF]Walleyes are not "managed" in Utah. No planting, no proactive regulations...specific to specific waters...etc. Utah is a trout state and the use of live minnows might give anglers an unfair advantage.
There is a huge difference it what it looks like underwater in the midwestern walleye waters and in Utah. Back there you can find lots of walleyes in good holding areas...with lots of natural forage. In Utah it is rare to see even an individual walleye...and they are usually looking all over to find enough to eat.
Sometimes...on some waters...we get lucky in Utah and can catch multiple walleyes in a single day. But most are still caught incidentally while fishing for other species. Those who target them specifically smell skunk a lot.
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FYI
WILLARD BAY RES BOX ELDER WALLEYE 962515 .2 04/18/2014
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[#0000FF]I am aware of the Willard Bay "experiment". First and only walleye planting since Starvation...a long time ago. There weren't even any replanted after Yuba was drained. It is going to be a while before we know if those sac fry plantings are meaningful. In the meantime, walleye numbers are way down.
For the most part Utah Walleyes are self sustaining and don't need much help. But with the low water problems and the heavy harvest at the Willard inlet the walleye population was in decline. And since that is not a trout lake it got some attention.
There is a lot of difference between merely setting harvest regulations (retroactively) and "managing" a water. In the major walleye ponds of the Midwest there are supplemental plantings, population monitoring, slot limits and closures on spawning areas. And there are enough fish to enable good anglers to score a limit. They treat walleyes like Utah treats trout.
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Probably because Walleyes are indigenous there and trout are indigenous here.
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[#0000FF]I think you are on to something.
Me? I'm just on something. Old man meds.
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