Canadian professional bass angler and 2023 Bassmaster Traditional champ Jeff Gustafson is aware of the way to find and catch massive yellow perch from beneath the ice.
January 26, 2024
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Name it a rebranding; a contemporary have a look at what was as soon as a scorned bycatch, however now headlines many a barbeque. As we speak, 2023 Bassmaster Traditional champion and diehard ice angler Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson loves his yellow perch, however this was not at all times so.
“I’ve ice fished since I might stroll and rising up round Lake of the Woods—top-of-the-line walleye lakes within the space—you’d by no means get caught lifeless conserving a perch,” Gustafson stated. “Rising up, nobody needed perch. Rumors stated they have been wormy minnow stealers.”
As he grew older, Gustafson started doing his personal analysis and discovered that the said-to-be-lowly perch truly supplied prime desk fare. With current years witnessing explosive perch inhabitants progress in his dwelling waters, Gustafson has loved ample alternative to dial in his ice fishing ways.
Commercial
“On the west arm of Lake of the Woods the place I dwell, we used to by no means get them,” he stated. “However now we have now a variety of massive perch as much as 10-11 inches.”
Gustafson surmises that the arrival of rusty crayfish and spiny water fleas—each invasive species—have positively impacted the perch by way of amount and high quality. Usually seeing perch spitting up crayfish pinchers and discovering each invasives on the cleansing desk, Gustafson stated that native opinion signifies that these meals sources are to Lake of the Woods what the spherical goby is to the St. Lawrence River.
Whatever the backstory, Gustafson stated he finds these orange-finned dandies to be fairly the crowd-pleasers.
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“They actually aren’t the toughest fighters, however if you get round them, you’ll have nice motion,” he stated. “So for individuals who haven’t fished quite a bit or in case you have children, if you get on the perch, everybody’s going to catch a bunch. They’re not very choosy.
“If you discover them, there’s no different fish that teams up like perch. So that they’re straightforward to catch.”
Discovering the Fish
Like most fish, perch will focus round meals sources. To find energetic fish, Gustafson has a few confirmed ways.
“Some perch will get on construction, the factors, the humps, rock piles,” Gustafson stated. “How I’ve discovered them most frequently is on a walleye journey and, through the years, I’ve discovered that some reefs are higher for walleye and a few are higher for perch.
“You even have mud flats—that’s the place you are able to do good with massive colleges of perch.”
Goal depths differ by fishery, however Gustafson stated he can reliably discover perch based mostly on readability.
“A whole lot of the water I fish is fairly clear, nearly lake trout water, so a variety of the fish are pretty deep—like 20-30 ft,” he stated. “However on the extra traditional walleye water with extra shade, you find yourself getting them shallower, in that 18- to 20-foot vary.”
Baits & Sort out
Gustafson retains his perch ways easy. More often than not, a strategic one-two punch will get the job executed.
“After they’re energetic and biting, a spoon is nice since you get right down to them shortly,” Gustafson stated. “You don’t essentially need to go actually small such as you do with different panfish. You need to catch greatest fish within the faculty and I really feel like when you use slightly larger bait, you’ve got a barely higher probability to get the larger fish to chew.”
Gustafson’s go-to is a 1/4-ounce Northland Buckshot Spoon, measurement in waters the place he would possibly encounter perch or walleye. If he’s straight perch fishing, he’ll go to a smaller spoon.
When the perch play hard-to-get, Gustafson switches to a inexperienced pumpkin 1.75-inch Z-Man Tiny TicklerZ on a 1/16-ounce Northland round-head jig.
“I exploit slightly larger rod for the spoon—a (35-inch) G. Loomis 351 IMX Ice Professional,” Gustafson stated. “For plastics, I’m going mild to really feel the chew with a G. Loomis 311 IMX Ice Professional.
“For each, I exploit 5-pound Energy Professional braid and a 4-pound Shimano Mastiff fluorocarbon chief.”
Digital Eyes
As together with his bass fishing, Gustafson harnesses trendy expertise to maximise his effectivity. Much less time on the auger means extra time fishing.
“Rising up, I used a flasher endlessly, however now I’m utilizing Humminbird MEGA Stay; that permits you to look over a much bigger space,” Gustafson stated. “That actually shines on a mud flat. I used to need to drill a bunch of holes, however now I can drill one gap and look 100 ft in each course.
“Once I get on a college of perch, it’s enjoyable to place an Aqua Vu down and have a look at the fish.”
Lastly, Gustafson affords this recommendation for frying yellow perch: Make the batter from flour, egg, and cornflake crumbs and prepare dinner in butter. If he’s doing a shore lunch, he’ll prepare dinner over a campfire so everybody can heat their palms.
For the hardcore “let’s preserve fishing” crowd, a propane cooker permits him to maintain the get together rocking whereas serving a fresh-from-the-ice meal.
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