Page 78 MidWest Outdoors Wisconsin Section “Helping People Enjoy the Outdoors” November 2012 Hard Water Perch Fishing

Hunter W. of Joliet, Ill., caught this Melvin Grasser of Milwaukee, Wis., jumbo perch while fishing with his caught this jumbo perch while fish- parents and the author in the begin- ing with the author in January of Duncan Bachman and his granddaughter, Becky Bauchman, caught these ning of March 2012. 2012. perch while fishing with the author on a windy, cold, January day, inside one of his 12 heated and insulated ice houses.

BY JOHN ANDREW describing what we use and what works for us. Tying on small ice jigs or small ice As winter is fast approaching, some hooks in the size range of 1/64 or 1/32 people have already started ice fishing on ounce is standard and normal. the smaller ponds in our northern region. Using a spring tip rod is very common. As a year ‘round tour guide for fishing, my This tip is made out of very soft spring clients are very excited to catching perch material and allows you to see the tip of through the ice. These tasty fish offer your rod move even at the most gentle of some of the best table fair for the winter bites from a fish. Although, I like to have sportsman. my guests use a tiny slip bobber (which I With my 12 wood, heated and insulat- have installed before they get there). This ed ice houses on seven different lakes, the is much easier for them to see and to guests are always catching fish at one of focus their attention on, by looking down these many locations. into the ice hole at the bobber, rather We begin by fishing locations that are than staring at the tip of their rod. The deeper, such as off the sides of rock bars, slightest twitch of the bobber and they down at the bottom, near or in the soft are instructed to set the hook. This sediment. Other locations are out in lakes works! Remember, you are in a heated ice or ponds that have deep brush, around 15 house; the slip bobber is free and clear of to 50 feet deep or off a long underwater any ice building up to block the line from point that sticks out into the lake, con- moving freely through the bobber. nected from the shoreline. These spots The use of an underwater camera has are all marked earlier in the open water become one of the most important tools season with a hand held GPS. This allows for the fisherman. During open water us to make quick contact with the fish fishing, the underwater camera has truly when the lakes are frozen over. For people excelled the knowledge of the people who Henry Harris, Greg Mason and Phill Calstrom from Morris, Ill., caught just getting started ice fishing, I recom- use them. This is also true with the ice these jumbo perch while fishing with the author in January of 2012. mend the use of a handheld GPS during fishermen, How does this help us? Well, the summer time so they can easily find for example, if we walk around the ice house directly over that spot and have the itive response from the perch. the fish during freeze up. and drill 25 holes all about 20 feet apart, guest start catching, not fishing. No more Watching the actual fish in color or Starting out with a small ice rod, reel we can start fishing in each hole until we just sitting on a bucket waiting for a bite. black and white—depending on your and two-pound test line—yes, two-pound catch fish or, we can go from hole to hole We now know before we ever put a hook camera—is truly remarkable. We can see test line. The light line is very important and put the camera down to simply see if down if there are fish there or not. This what kind of fish, the size of the fish, how for consistent catching and proper pre- there are fish there or not. Then, once we piece of technology will not work well in our behavior excites or spooks the fish, sentation of the bait, using mostly wax see fish, we can go directly to that hole those dark coffee-colored lakes, but any- and the clients are going to learn more in worms, wigglers and some pieces of night- where we see all the fish and start fish- where else this truly does work and just a few minutes than some of them crawler for the bait. Now please do not ing. works very well. ever have learned in the past. misunderstand, you will catch perch on In my situation, I would locate the fish Perch fishing can be very easy once we Fishing in the weeds is also very good heavier line and other baits. I am only with the camera and then move an ice locate them, but there are times when during the ice period. Using your camera several factors come into play to help get and locating perch on the sloping deeper them to bite. One very important issue is part of the weeds is a very good location. the color of the hook or jig head we are Also very mild current areas are good using. This can easily be decided by low- choices. This can be down where two ering our hook to a desired location where lakes are connected by a small channel, we already see fish on the underwater then fishing away from the channel out a camera and watch the reaction of the short distance into the lakes at six to 15 perch to the hook. We do not bait the hook feet deep. You must be able to find the at this time but only observe the behavior narrow channel between the weeds, of the fish to the color we are presenting which signifies the actual channel. This to them, remember we can already see area is very good for perch fishing. Create The Complete Vilas, Iron & Oneida the fish with the camera so watching the Good luck and tight lines. Counties Northern Wisconsin Vacation With reaction of the fish to the color of the hook or jig head is a very critical concept to The author, John Andrew, owner/opera- John Andrew this test. Some colors will actually spook tor of the AnglersChoiceGuideService.com or scare the fish and other colors will get is a two-time world record holder. He can 715-892-3020 – 715-686-2012 no response and then you will discover be reached at 715-892-3020. John Andrew how some of the fish will actually move is a fulltime resident and fulltime, year [email protected] toward certain color hooks or ice jigs, with ‘round tour guide for fishing and hunting no bait on the hook. This is very impor- in the state of Wisconsin, specializing in Service includes: tant. Now it’s time to put the bait onto the Vilas, Iron, and Oneida counties. Pick-up and drop-off. All equipment including all rods, reels, hook with the color that got the most pos- hooks and fish cleaning & packing. 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