Moving Perch from Fish Lake to Yuba

[BSF]

Check out this YouTube Video

[url "https://youtu.be/tSLD2qmWW0g"]https://youtu.be/tSLD2qmWW0g[/url]
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[utahgolf]

this is good news for fish lake. but won't amount to too much in yuba without water.
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[Saltslam]

Very informative. I wasn't aware the weed bed was milfoil and illegally introduced at that. I like the fact they are using natural methods to try and eradicate it. Sounds like a win-win situation for both Fish Lake and Yuba. Once again, great efforts being made by the DWR to improve our fishing.
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[Bmarsh]

Pretty cool to see them using natural methods to try and deal with invasive species.
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[Fishrmn]

Because they can't poison Fish Lake. If they could, and if they could expect a successful eradication of Yellow Perch, I'd bet that they would jump at the chance. They are a scourge at Fish Lake.



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[BHuij]

I've never actually been to Fish Lake, but am I the only one who likes the idea of a lake not terribly far from home where I can go limit out on perch without much effort? Never had much luck catching them in UL.
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[Fishrmn]

Can't get a limit at Fish Lake, 'cause there is no limit.

Fish Lake, Sevier County
• No limit on yellow perch

If EVERY angler in the state went there every week and took all of the perch that they could catch it still wouldn't be enough. Why destroy an awesome Mackinaw, Splake, and Rainbow Trout fishery to be stuck with a fishery that produces thousands and thousands of 6 inch perch?

And since you've never bothered to go there, I can tell you that I have traveled there many times. And it used to be an incredible fishery, before the perch took hold. Now it isn't worth the drive.



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[BHuij]

Guess I can see where you're coming from on that.

Doesn't mean I don't want to go spend a day there and have a big old perch fry at the end
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[Saltslam]

[quote BHuij]Doesn't mean I don't want to go spend a day there and have a big old perch fry at the end [/quote]

Bring a small fillet knife and a ton of patience. You'll need a few dozen for even a small fry. They are seriously small, but still delicious. We usually use them for an appetizer while the splake cooks!
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[MasterDaad]

What's the best way to catch the Fish Lake perch?

I'm planning to use small jigs on the weed line just before the lake gets deep. Maybe tip them with worm.

Are the jigs necessary or is a little bit of worm on a hook just as good?

I'd like to catch a bunch for a lunch fry and bait.
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[SBennett]

You just nailed it with your method!
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[albinotrout]

I wouldn't mind seeing a few of these taken to starvation.
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[fishinfool]

Grab some night crawlers and some 1/8oz jig head colors doesn't matter and I usually just used unpainted, Go to the weed line right where it drops off anywhere on the lake. drop down until you get hit which isn't very far down.

After you catch one fillet both sides and cut into 1" X 2" chunks the bigger pieces will keep you from hooking the tiny ones and maybe get you into some bigger fish.Make sure you leave the skin on your cut bait it will last a long time before you have to put another chunk on.

Use 8lb test at least because the splake also love the perch meat and you will catch a handful of those using this method.

Good luck and catch as many as you can. If you want additional info on splake and rainbow fishing let me know.
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[one8sevenn]

See I've only fished it after the perch took hold and I like it.

I like it a lot.

Especially through the ice.

I'd rather eat perch than a slimy rainbow any day of the week.

This being said maybe there will be some Mondo perch coming out of fish lake in the near future.
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[PBH]

[quote one8sevenn]See I've only fished it after the perch took hold and I like it.



I'd rather eat perch than a slimy rainbow any day of the week.

This being said maybe there will be some Mondo perch coming out of fish lake in the near future.[/quote]

You've hit on a number of problems with Fish Lake, and probably didn't even know it.

Because of the perch problem, the perch in Fish Lake are very small. If we can do some things to reduce their population size, and keep it reduced, they have a chance to grow larger.

You don't like eating rainbows. That's fine. Fish Lake isn't a rainbow trout fishery, in reality. It's supposed to be a lake trout and splake fishery. That's why people go to Fish Lake -- for that opportunity to catch a trout over 15 lbs. Those trout were eating chubs and redside shiners. Perch have eliminated those species, leaving lake trout nothing but rainbows to eat. Knock those perch back, and you won't be catching rainbows that you don't want to eat -- you'll be catching 8 - 10lb "pup" lake trout. Wouldn't that be cool??


Like you mentioned -- you never fished it before the perch invasion. So you missed out on those 100 splake days. If you've never eaten a splake, you're missing out. It's no pale fleshed rainbw -- splake, much like brook trout, are a fantastic eating trout. They are very similar to salmon. You should try them.


There are very good reasons why many call perch a scourge to Fish Lake. They are. They have completely changed that fishery from a true "trophy" lake which rivaled Flaming Gorge, into a mediocre fishery where catching 6" perch all day long is the norm. It's quite . I'm thrilled to see some of the changes introduced. I thnk Fish Lake has a bright future.
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[TyeDyeTwins]

[quote PBH]
If you've never eaten a splake, you're missing out. It's no pale fleshed rainbw -- splake, much like brook trout, are a fantastic eating trout. They are very similar to salmon. You should try them.
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^^^^^
THIS!!!! But I can already tell ya that Brookieguy1 won't stand for comparing the table fare of splake to his precious brookies!![]
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[BHuij]

Okay. You guys have sold me. Do you think they will have to completely eradicate the perch population to get back the monster lakers and splake, or is there some level of equillibrium that could be reached while still allowing for some decent perch fishing?
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[Blackellunge]

good deal , more food for the Northerns!
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[one8sevenn]

There are dinks in the lake, but no more than pineview.

I would say the average is about 5-7 inches. With some on both sides.

The Splake in fish lake are good, the Splake in Causey are nasty. I think it is because they eat the perch.

I like my Macs pups 18-24 inches. Anything bigger or smaller than that can live.

I am skeptical that knocking the perch back to that level will produce Mac's like that on a regular basis in my lifetime.

I know they hope the lake spawning kokanee does well, but I don't think they will take hold and we will be trying something else. I hope this is not the case, but I think it will be the case.

I have only fished 4 lakes like that (Bear Lake, Flaming Gorge, Lake Granby, Blue Mesa). Those three lakes are special. Fish Lake is a nice sized lake, but it is not as big as those 3 lakes.

Fish lake was my perch lake, but now to see what the changes do to the lake.

I guess there were not too many people that fill the way I do, A bucket full of perch > than a limit of trout.
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[BHuij]

I would say that I hope the perch catch on in Yuba, but between the pike and the water fluctuation, I'm a little worried. Maybe it's a better hope that they can find some kind of balance in thinning out the perch in Fish Lake so they are plentiful enough to be easy catching, but not decimating shad/chub populations, or stunting do to overcrowding.
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