- - The folks at Perch Patrol Guide ~, many lakes, most of the perch Service suggest March as the best fishing pressure on these lakes time for giants because schools occurs during winter. seem larger and more concen Dan Kiazyk of Cat Eye Outfit trated, and prespawn females ter says that while both lakes have are hitting peak weights. Large huge perch, Lake Manitoba has schools are often found in deeper the best potential for numbers of portions of the main basin so large fish. The daunting size of finding fish can be a hole-drill these lakes makes locating fish a ing extravaganza. Perch here are challenge and searching vast areas well fed on abundant freshwater makes safety a top priority. A GPS shrimp and can be far less aggres unit is necessary, not only for sive than on other popular waters, marking locations of fish, but also meaning that smaller baits are for finding your way back home. often necessary to catch fish. Hali These lakes are shallow and Spoons between 3 and 4 grams hot winter bites often occur in or other slender spoons, rigged depths of 14 feet or less. Run with a dropline or chain entice and-gun tactics with livebait large fish, especially light biters are the best approach for locat that barely mouth the smaller bait ing fish, after which a live min hanging below the spoon. Hali now dangled under a single split also sells chain droppers that can shot is effective. Kiazyk says that be added to other spoons. Hor Berkeley Gulp! and PowerBait izontal-style jigs like the Genz outfish livebait on some days. Worm and Rat Finkees in the Contact: Guide Dan Kiazyk, 1/50- to 1/32-ounce range also are cateyeoutfitter.com; 33. top producers when tipped with maggots or waxies. Contact: Perch higher in the shallow waters of the NEBRASKA SANDHILLS Patrol Guide Service, perchpatrol.com, western basin, but anglers in search The Sandhill Lakes in Nebraska 701/351-3474. of giant perch should look farther have long been known for trophy blue east on both the U.S. and Canadian gills, but these shallow, natural lakes LAKE SIMCOE sides. The eastern fringes of the cen also provide excellent opportunities Like Devil's Lake, Lake Simcoe in tral basin remain untapped for huge for large perch. Daryl Bauer, In-Fisher- central Ontario is a perennial pro perch roaming the clear waters off man contributor and fishery biologist ducer of ponderous perch and is home Ashtabula and Conneaut and on into with Nebraska Game and Parks Com to the world-famous Orillia Perch Pennsylvania. Pyzer echoes this for mission, says that winter is the best Festival held each spring. In -Fisher- the Canadian side, suggesting that time to target Sand hills perch. Many man Field Editor Gord Pyzer suggests the entire north shore offers great of these lakes support lush aquatic a run-and-gun approach for target opportunities for large perch and vegetation during summer, which ing Simcoe perch during the winter fishing pressure is light. makes locating perch difficult. months, as fish tend to travel in large Perch in Erie are nomads and can Finding fish gets easier after the schools on main basin flats in 24 to 40 be finicky, requiring livebait when weeds die back and perch begin to feet of water. Cook's Bay on the south the bite gets tough. Isolated man roam the basin. Basin roamers tend end is a popular base camp for winter made structures such as natural gas to congregate around points, inside perch, but many of the well-marked wells can be perch meccas at certain corners, and pinch points. The spot shoals or flats produce fish. times of the year. Perch in the east on the spot can be very subtle. A As the ice melts, many Simcoe ern and central basins are often in miniscule remnant of vegetation or perch congregate in Atherley Nar depths of 30 feet or more, so baro a depth change of 2 feet or less might rows on the north end. These are fish trauma often is an issue, requiring be all it takes to concentrate fish in preparing to spawn, and the size of anglers to keep most of their catch. large numbers. Finding these areas the females can be incredible. Light Contact: North Coast Charter Boat requires an active ice auger. jigs and emerald shiners are pop Association, northcoas tcharter. com, for Bauer likes small minnows (where ular spring presentations, but top charters fishing the eastern and cen legal) and waxworms, butsome lakes anglers often employ Gulp! prod tral basins. in the region are murkier and Lindy's ucts and scented soft plastics to catch Rattlin Flyer, Swedish Pimples, and large numbers of fish while improv MANITOBA MONSTERS Northland's Buckshot Rattle Spoon ing overall efficiency. Contact: Guide Manitoba boasts some of the fin become good bets. When the bite gets Dave Chong, dchong@fishinghard est habitat for growing big perch in tough, try a waxworm dangled on a dream big.com, 416/993-3477. North America-large, windswept dropper rig below a spoon. Contact: lakes blessed with prairie fertility. Nebraska Game and Parks Commis LAKE ERIE Combine these factors with light sion, outdoornebraska.ne.gov.• Probably the finest all around fishing pressure and you have the yellow perch fishery on the planet, perfect recipe for giant fish. Sprawl "Daniel Isermann, Stevens Point, Lake Erie is well known for its tro ing lakes Winnipeg and Manitoba Wisconsin, is a frequent contributor to phy potential. Fishing pressure is are top waters for giants. Similar to In-Fisherman publications.
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