How To Catch Yellow Perch

Yellow Perch (winter)

The yellow perch is one of the most popular freshwater fish in North America. These colorful panfish are recognized by an alternating pattern of light and dark vertical bands.

The best fishing for yellow perch usually occurs during spring spawning runs. Again in fall, fishing often improves as perch move down creeks and into deeper habitats. During the winter, yellow perch are caught by ice fishing.

Spring Spawning Runs

Anglers cite a number of fishing tips and techniques that are useful when fishing for yellow perch during springtime spawning runs:

- check local and regional fishing reports frequently

- monitor weather forecasts and water flow information before planning fishing trips

- try a variety of baits, including nightcrawlers, minnows, and other baits

- try using small circle hooks with live baits

- combine jigs with live minnows when fish are deep

- keep a selection of small jigs from 1/32 to 1/4 oz

- try bright lure colors in murky water and more natural shades in clear conditions

- keep only fish that are needed for the table and release undersized fish

Summer Fishing Techniques

During the warm months, yellow perch are usually found in cooler water. Productive areas include deep holes in river bends, channel edges, and other areas where water temperatures are likely to be low.

In some areas, stream outflows attract yellow perch in summer. Productive outflows tend to contain clear, moving water which is oxygenated. Stream outflows are found along woodland creeks, lakes, ponds, and other bodies of water.

When yellow perch are in deep areas, anglers often use jig-live minnow combinations, small soft plastic worms, jigging spoons, or other offerings.

Ice Fishing Tips - Techniques

These tips apply to ice fishing for yellow perch:

- always make safety a priority, never venture out when ice conditions are unsafe

- use small baits or lures

- experiment with multiple setups and be alert if a pattern develops

- consider scouting potential areas with an underwater video camera when water conditions are clear

Summer Crappie Tactics

Black Crappie

During the summer season, crappie can be challenging to catch. Crappie often seem to disappear during hot weather due to a variety of factors

Unlike many sunfish, crappie often move into deeper, cooler water during the summer season. Crappie may also change their behavior in order to target a food source.

When targeting crappie during summer, the following tactics can help anglers improve the odds of a successful trip:

Look for thermoclines, areas where lakes and streams converge, deep pools, or other cool water locations.

Move around an impoundment until schools of crappie are located.

Try fishing live minnows or other freshwater baits along dropoffs.

When crappie are finicky in rivers and creeks, try vertical jigging with small jigs tipped with bits of nightcrawlers.

Troll jigs or jig-minnow combos, slow and deep.

Choose tube rigs or other soft plastics that can be casted and allowed to sink into vegetation with minimal fouling.

Experiment with different colored lures.

Try dropping a bait into aquatic vegetation using a cane pole or special crappie pole.

Texas Bluegill Tournament Results

A record 59 teams entered the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center’s annual Bluegill Family Fishing Tournament September 28, and 26 teams went away with prizes. Every team received a goodie bag.

First place went to Joey and Zach Ridgle of Brownsboro, who weighed in four bluegills totaling three pounds. The team won an X-Box 360 plus other merchandise. Altogether some $2,500 worth of prizes were awarded.

Rounding out the top five were second place, Blake Wilson and Brittany Johnson of Chandler; third place, Pam and Zay Ridgle of Brownsboro; fourth place, Craig and Austin Stracener of Waxahachie; and fifth place, Doug and Triniti Tapley of Corsicana.

The largest fish, 0.88 pounds, was caught by Trey and Boston Rogers of Athens.

source: Texas Parks and Wildlife Division

Using Grasshoppers and Crickets for Bait

During Mid summer, grasshoppers and crickets become abundant around freshwater ponds, creeks and rivers. For anglers, these insects can trigger outstanding fishing for largemouth bass, sunfish, crappie, perch, catfish, trout, and other species.

Grasshoppers and other insects often attract fish in areas where tall grass lines the banks of farm ponds, small creeks and river banks. To find these fishing spots, an angler needs only to walk through grass, watching for grasshopper or cricket movement.

When grasshoppers and crickets jump, they often land in the water and begin struggling. Usually the hapless insect will disappear in a swirl almost immediately as a hungry fish rises to devour its meal. Witnessing a fish feeding on grasshoppers is a sign that more fish are likely nearby, waiting for the next casualty to happen.

Live bait specialists often seek out and capitalize on the productive fishing when grasshoppers or crickets become a major part of fish diets. In many of these situations, there is an endless supply of fresh bait available in nearby patches of grass or other plants.

To catch grasshoppers, a few simple tools and a little assistance is all that is required. Adult anglers wait patently in the shade while energetic children or grandchildren catch these fast moving insects and carefully place them in the jar.

Once a supply of grasshoppers is gathered, anglers (including the kids) can catch a few fish. Small live bait hooks seem to work best, rigged about 18-24 inches below a slender bobber. The bobber is only required to help aid in casting as the insects naturally float. Baits should be hooked thru the mid-section, being careful not to break off the hind legs.

When fishing live grasshoppers, it is important watch the baits. When the insect struggles on the surface, it will attract fish from quite some distance. A swirl nearby may signal an impending strike. Some fish may take the grasshopper delicately, while species such as largemouth bass may explode on it. 

When grasshoppers become plentiful, fly fishermen have the advantage as fly-fishing tackle allows anglers to present artificial lures which appear almost identical to the real thing. Fly anglers use a variety of patterns to represent grasshoppers, with most patterns being fairly simple. 

Tips for Catching Trophy Sunfish

a trophy bluegill sunfish (bream)

For panfish anglers, nothing tops a good day catching trophy sized bluegill (bream), pumpkinseed, green sunfish, shellcrackers, or other species of sunfish

This list offers a few tips for catching trophy sunfish:

* During the warm months, sunfish orient to overhanging tree limbs where insects are likely to fall into the water.

* Cast lures or live baits as close to structure as possible. If a sunfish is present, strikes usually come immediately.

* for trophy sunfish, try using slightly larger baits and hooks to discourage bites from smaller individuals.

* Most sunfish species are attracted to bright colored, flashy lures, but prefer a slower retrieve than some species.

* When targeting trophy-class sunfish with live baits, experiment with using circle hooks. These specialized hooks can be used to help curb smaller fish and avoid gut-hooking. Never snatch when bites occur with circle hooks, instead reel steadily until resistance is felt.

* When choosing bobbers, using the smallest, most streamlined bobber possible will increase strikes. Wary sunfish will often spit out a bait if too much resistance is felt.

* In clear water conditions, using flourocarbon leaders may result in more strikes from line-shy fish.

* Where currents exist, look for eddies or calm water adjacent to fast moving water.

* Experiment in deep areas by jigging vertically or letting a free-lined bait sink to the bottom.

* When sunfish are located in deep areas, try another pass as more fish may be nearby.

* Fishing kayaks can be highly effective for catching sunfish. These craft allow anglers to seek out trophy bluegill in swamps and other hard to access areas.

* Talk to fishing guides. Professional guides often know where large bluegill can be found and will share information with anglers.

Related Information

Best Lures For Catching Sunfish

Beetle Spin Lures for Catching Panfish

Beetle spins are a traditional lure for catching panfish. This small but effective spinnerbait is used to catch crappie, sunfish, yellow perch, white perch, sauger, and other species.

This specialized lure design consists of a wire arm, to which a jig and spinner blade are attached. The original design uses a soft plastic "grub" body with a split tail. Although the body itself has no action, it provides a natural feel and gives the lure color. Modern variations use a wide range of jigs and bodies. The spinner blade can be silver, gold, or painted and is usually available in several sizes.

The beetle spin design benefits from modular construction. The simple wire arm allows anglers to quickly change the jig, allowing for variations of weights, colors, or head shape. The spinner arm adds an element of flash, while allowing the rig to maintain mid-depth at slower speeds than a solo jig of similar weight. In areas where debris are a problem, the spinner arm also helps lessen the likelihood of snagging.

Simple painted or unpainted jig heads rigged with soft plastic "curly tail" bodies are one of the most popular options for a jig variation. The simple head and body makes changing colors a simple process.

Color can important for success when fishing beetle spins or other small spinnerbaits. Some anglers swear by black, white, chartreuse, or another solid color. Multi-color bodies are also popular. Red and white is a popular color combination but others may be favored, depending on local conditions.

Best Lures for Catching Sunfish

bream sunfish (bluegill)

Sunfish are favorite panfish of American anglers. Several sunfish species are found in fresh or brackfish waters of the USA. Bream (bluegills), pumpkinseeds, green sunfish, redears (shellcrackers), redbreasts, and longears are among the most commonly caught sunfish.

The list of best lures for catching sunfish is often debated, with top lures often varying widely by region. Most lists include a few basic types of fishing lures such as jigs, spinnerbaits, inline spinners, plugs, spoons, poppers, flies, and soft plastics.

The top lure for catching sunfish is usually some form of jig. These include several classic designs such as the shad dart, crappie jig, beetle spin, and others. Tiny versions of famous bass fishing lures are also popular for catching sunfish.

The following is a typical list of best lures for catching sunfish:

1/16 oz. shad dart - red and white
1/16 oz. crappie jig - red-black-white
1/16 oz. beetle spin - white with red dot
1/16 oz. plain jig head and soft plastic twister tail

1/16 oz. trout bomb head - various soft plastic bodies or tipped with nightcrawler
1/16 oz. Rapala floating minnow - silver w/black back
Strike King 3/32 oz. bitzy minnow - gizzard shad pattern
1/4 oz. Daredevle spoon - red and white
.13 oz. Hopkins lure - metal hammered finish

This list does not include ice fishing for fly fishing lures. Each of those specialties have their own sets of top performing sunfish lures.

These same lures are usually good choices for other members of the bass and sunfish family such as rock bass, warmouth, black crappie, white crappie, fliers and others.

Most of these lures are also excellent choices for catching perch and other panfish.

Related Information

Bluegill Sunfish Facts

Tips For Catching Trophy Sunfish

What Do Sunfish Eat?

Beetlespin Lures for Panfish