If you aren’t reaching bottom then you aren’t really fishing.If the regulations for the body of water allow it, then chumming can be a way to both attract in perch and keep them near the boat.In shallow water chumming can be as simple as occasionally throwing a handful of something around the boat occasionally. Then slide it on the hook – narrow side away from the hook.This drives the perch nuts, and you will after be able to use the same piece of bait for several fish.Another trick is perch eyes – if you aren’t squeamish. Yellow perch will begin trickling into these holes early in the winter, and usually provide steady fishing starting at some point in January. Target the deep water side of the weed line – that is where the weeds end. Maggots, salmon eggs, crickets or small bait fish are also good baits.When fishing the shoals (flat weedless areas 5 to 15 feet deep), doing some horizontal jigging is a great way to go.The same bait and bobber technique also works, but a For water deeper than about 20 feet I like to either drop shot bait, or vertically jig.To vertically jig, you can use the same jigs as horizontal jigging – like a When drop shotting you can use the same bait as with the bobber rig. You may have been keeping yourself occupied with catch and release fishing for Well before those perch even begin to think about spawning, they gather in pre-spawn areas to wait out the winter. They form schools in the morning, which then disperse at night. Those who feel strongly about fishing with lures often cast 1/16th of an ounce jig heads with two- to three-inch tube jigs, shad tails, and similar soft plastics. Casting out a couple of rods, sitting them down, and watching the tips for a jiggle may seem like lazy fishing, but it may also be the quickest way to success. If using jigs, then find one that comes with a little bit of glow as part of its color scheme.Don’t forget to regularly “charge” the glow by exposing it to sunlight or other bright lights.I wonder what would happen if you were to put a glow stick in a chum bag, along with the chum? I appreciate you contributions to our sport in the Northwest. But using larger baits, or lures can sometimes be the trick. The tradition in my boat is to take the first perch caught, name him “Frank” (I have no idea why), fillet it out and use it for bait.Cut strips roughly 1 inch long and 1/4 inch wide, in a pennant shape. Catching perch in winter Perch, which is one of the favorite fish of fish, is found in any water - both standing and flowing, the main thing is that it should be clean enough. And the fish’s palette will divert towards shrimp even more when the whites begin their run, on the heels of the yellow perch. In fact, I’ve run aground going from one to the other more than once. Transitions in bottom type are also key to finding the jumbos – weeds to clear, sand to gravel, etc.You can use the same techniques and lures as for smaller perch. Just start it up and let it idle for a while. They like lake bottoms made up of muck, sand and gravel.For some reason they like to overwinter in the deep areas of the lake, rather than the shallower areas they inhabit during summer. This preference plays a large part in what depth you will find them at. Trout, such as Rainbow trout and Cutthroat trout, and salmon will eat perch, but prefer other foods if they are available – so they usually aren’t a major predator.Perch spawn in the spring , in shallow waters (usually 3 – 12 feet deep), where they lay strands of eggs over weeds and structure. Catching of perch in winter on mormyshku or trolling - a great way to spend interesting leisure. Advantages of ice. Hook a mealworm or two behind the head and allow them to suspend in the water column near dock pilings and lily pads. Largemouth bass and in some areas pickerel are often an interesting by-catch. You can find them in almost every lake.According to a WDFW biologist I talked to, they usually make up about 80% of the biomass in the lakes where they are present.Perch caught are usually 4 to 11 inches long, but jumbo perch do exist.