GREAT OUTDOORS: Western Basin perch are firing up

As predicted, the Western Basin Yellow perch bite began as the water temperature heated up in July. Spotty catches were had by mid-month but limit catches began coming into the fish cleaning houses July 22. At Bays Edge Fish Cleaners, the "cutters" told me while I was there July 22 that they had taken in the largest numbers of perch seen all year and at Al Szuch Bait, they reported the first limit catches of perch arrived July 23. Several good catches on those two days reportedly came from around the Toledo Water Intake, the edge of the Camp Perry firing range markers, and in various locations around Green Island. The largest perch year class produced in the past several years is from 2021, which is now providing very solid 9- to 11-inch fish, along with older and younger fish from consistent previous and later hatches. While traditional wire spreaders are still used by many, a lot more anglers are using either hand tied or commercially produced perch flies or other "rigs." The perch rigs are now readily available at any of the local bait and tackle shops that cater to Lake Erie anglers. They mostly follow a similar blueprint of 2 to 3 hooks at the end of short loops created within the heavy leader that attaches to the main line from the reel. The hooks can sport various dressings to attract the attention of the fish, including colored tinsel, beads or even small spinner blades. I like to have a ball bearing swivel at the top of the rig to minimize line twists that can lead to kinks and tangles. A sinker attached to the bottom can be matched to the water depth and current, but ¾ to 1¼-ounce walking, casting, bank, coin/disc, or drop shot designs can all get the bait to the bottom where most perch are targeted. Once the perch have switched from grazing on Spiny water fleas to preying on fish, Emerald shiners are by far the top live bait choice. Frozen shiners taken when they are abundant work well too, but care must be taken to prevent them from getting mushy after they thaw. Whenever wild-caught Emerald shiners are scarce, bait shops turn to Golden shiners that are raised in large quantities in ponds in Arkansas and aquaculture operations in other southern states. Anglers initially complained about their lack of effectiveness, but more recently they have gained more acceptance as a back up to Emeralds. When the perch are hungry and preying on fish, "Goldies" catch plenty. My advice is to use the smallest ones that you can get or cut them in half to "match the hatch." Many of the prey fish that are regurgitated in the cooler by the perch are pinhead Emerald shiners, and young-of-year White perch, Gizzard shad, and gobies. Also replace goldies more frequently than you're used to doing with Emeralds. They seem to lose their "flavor" and do not have the flashy scales that Emeralds have to trigger bites after their scent dissipates. Getting onto the lake can be accomplished using the services of Lake Erie's hundreds of charter captains who operate boats that can carry a few to dozens of passengers. Lately, July and August perch fishing has been more productive in the Western Basin than waiting to start during Labor Day weekend, as was the strategy in former times. So, don't delay getting after some because lately perch fishing is like snowstorms — you never know how many inches you'll get or how long it will last.