Utah has big perch too!!

[wiperhunter2]

Well maybe not 15" perch but this 13" pig that wiperslayer caught today was one of the largest I've ever seen in Utah. Sure would like to get a limit of them. We caught over 30 perch today but these that we brought home were the largest. Sorry, I've been sworn to secrecy on the location.
WH2
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[El_Matador]

Dang, those will go several bites per fillet! Nice work!
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[makinawfisher19]

Very nice and very tasty.
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[captainjac15]

Nice work on the pigs man!
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[litetackle]

WOW!!! The last perch I caught at echo, I had to fillet with an exacto knife.
Nice to see you'll get to use a real knife on those chubbies.

LT

[SkunkedAgain]

Curt you fishing that swimming pool again. Nice fish guys. Thanks for throwing out a little hope. Later J
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[Springbuck]

I must congratulate you two, then. That beats my record by 3/4" or so.

I hope no one ever finds your secret spot. But, I also hope you find a scale in every filet![]
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[gmanhunter]

Not sure if that was you I talked too coming off of the lake Monday after noon? If it wasn't, I seen a big perch in a sled that day. If was you, your secret spot will remain secret with me, either way it is a dandy.
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[moby_dick]

Beautiful []
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[wiperhunter2]

No, it wasn't us, we did not see anyone on the walk out.
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[PACKFAN]

Sounds like you missed the good old days at Yuba when 13 to 14 in. perch were fairly common, the wife and I have a pair on the wall that were both over 14 inches. we have also taken perch out of Deer Creek and Starvation that were 13+. [cool]
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[wiperhunter2]

I arrived in Utah in 76 and for the first 10 to 15 years, all I fished for was trout, before I found other fish I was interested in. I likely missed those good old days.
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[PACKFAN]

That was the same year I arrived here wearing the uniform, I got into the walleye, bass, panfish and kokanee fishing right off the git go. I did fish some for trout, and caught a 26 1/2 in. 7 1/4 lb. brown just below Pineview dam that May and had Strebel's Taxidermy mount him for me, he's still the largest brown I have ever caught I've caught them a little longer at Starvation in the spring but not as heavy. Good memories, not much fishing pressure for warmwater fish in those days.
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[wiperhunter2]

Yea, I was stationed at the base when I arrived as well. I remember when we could fish below PV and someone caught a 20 lb brown there. PV and the streams above were the main location I fished for trout. If you remember during that time it was a trout fishery and the limit at that time was 8. My biggest brown was caught at porcupine and was the same size as the one you caught but a couple of pounds lighter. At the time I remember thinking, I'd catch one bigger, so why have it mounted, now all these years later, that remains my biggest brown and now I say, if I ever catch one that size again, I'll have it mounted[crazy].
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[Fishsticker]

Yes, Utah has some good perch in several lakes if you know where to look and how to catch them. Here are a few of mine.
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[Stratos99]

Nice fish!
I remember the days of the big perch at Yuba back in the 80's, that was my first trip for perch and we hammered them. It was in January, snowing and blowing like crazy, there was 5 of us on an 18' bass boat. I thought it was crazy to be out there until we found them over by the dam, after that, I couldn't get enough.
My son caught 1 that was close to 15" about 7 years ago, it was just under the state record. We didn't catch many that day but the ones we caught were quality.
Sad Yuba has gone down hill for perch.....seems like most of the lakes in Utah have gone through a population explosion and have stunted fish. I do miss the good ole days.
Thanks for sharing, brings back some good memories of times gone by.
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Some folks like to blame DWR for the fluctuations in fish populations in Yuba. Not right. Between being subject to inflow fluctuations and downstream water users' dewatering the lake Yuba has cycles of up and down water levels that totally control the fish populations and fish health.

The glory days of the early 80's were indeed special. I had many days...both in open water and on the ice...of catching BIG perch until I got tired of them (almost). And I have measured some over 16" from Yuba. Toadzillas. I sometimes find big tears running down my cheeks as I recall those days.

Here is a picture of about 90 perch...all over 12 inches...caught about mid October in the early 80's. Caught them vertical jigging big spoons off walleye point...all in just over an hour before the wind came up to blow us off the lake. Threw back about twice what we kept.

[inline "YUBA GLORY DAYS PERCH.JPG"]
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[harlin]

I caught one out of Deer Creek earlier last fall that was 14". I was fishing for browns, and it was an accidental catch (swallowed a 3" plastic minnow). I didn't take a picture of it, as I don't really care too much for perch. Most people fish for perch to eat them. I would never mount a perch unless it was 20+ inches and tried to bite my hand off...But a dozen of 10-12" perch makes for a good fish taco meal.
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[PACKFAN]

That's where all the perch went, and I thought they went over the spillway in 83! [:p]
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[wiperhunter2]

I caught some nice ones out of Willard and Mantua in the last couple of years but catching perch that big on a regular bases is a tough act to follow. Seems like one or two of those big mammas a year is about the best I can do. They are out there in a number of lakes in Utah, I guess its all a matter of being in the right place at the right time[]. Thanks for sharing your pics.
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