No perch at Pineview?

[Springbuck]

Despite the small sizes, Pineview has been one of my most consistent go-to spots, esp on short notice, even way into late season ic, for years. But, all I have heard are crappie reports this year. No perch at all?

I'm perfectly willing to catch crappie, and have been doing ok on them for several years up there, but are the perch gone? Has there been a crash? They have been so crowded for so many years, I almost find it hard to believe Or are the crappie just getting all the attention this year?
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[RockyRaab]

There were still some perch in P'View this year. I was catching mixed crappie and perch in October, sometimes one of each on a two-jig rig. Often they'd both be seven-inchers.

But crappie did far outnumber perch. I'd see huge schools of suspended fish on my finder, and they'd turn out to be crappie if I dropped a jig with a 1" Gulp minnow down to them. Get a jig down through them to the bottom and it would be minutes between taps - far different than years when the bottom was virtually paved with perchlets.
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[pookiebar]

I think the perch finally did what perch always seem to do to themselves and ate out the grocery store. They are a boom and bust fish for sure. The lower numbers are all part of that cycle.
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[Springbuck]

Thanks, guys. I guess it'll have to be a crappie - focused trip.
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[hogstalker]

Don't know if the narrows has good ice, but if I was going for perch that is where I would try. Good luck.
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[Springbuck]

Funny, because I fished the narrows the first 3-4 times I ice fished at Pineview when I started icefishing 7 or 8 years ago. I never caught a fish. I was thinking the very deepest water about 500 yards straight out from cemetery point, right on the bottom.

But, I have a light, but firm grip on crappie fishing, and have caught a bunch by accident. So, I guess I'll just switch expectations and tactics.
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