White perch are the Rodney Dangerfields of the fish world. Even though they fight hard and taste great, they don’t get no respect. Yes they’re small and no they’re not colorful, but when pursued with appropriate gear and fried in peanut oil white perch provide everything an angler could ever desire. And best of all, right now is prime time to get in on the perch action.
Last month we focused on yellow perch, and as any dedicated perch pounder can tell you, the hot action on yellows is quickly followed up by the whites. They shadow the exact same pattern, too: first they mass in deep holes and channels downriver of the spawning sites, then when the temperature is ideal (pushing up close to 60 degrees for this slightly later run) they head upriver. Historically we would have said the run won’t take off for another month and just when they kick into gear depends on weather patterns that we can’t predict. But as with yellow perch, these days it seems easier to catch them earlier in the cycle than it is during what historically should be the peak. Net result? Go fishing RIGHT NOW.
The Fishing Hole Story
During the midst of winter white perch move super-deep, often to areas of 40’ or more of water. But as soon as the first signs of spring begin they’ll start shifting into tributaries where they spawn. As long as water temps remain in the mid-50s and below, you’ll want to target areas that are within a few miles of the spawning grounds where the bottom drops down to well over 10’. You may find them in 10’ or 12’, but holes and bends in the channel that are scoured to 20’ or more are likely to be better.
Expect the fish to concentrate the most during falling and low tides, when fishing the deepest spots possible is often the best move. During the flood tide the fish often scatter a bit. You’ll find some deep but many will be patrolling the upper edges of the drop-off, and sometimes (especially on warm, sunny afternoons) they’ll fan out over mud flats just a few feet deep.
Irresistible Temptations for White Perch
Most of the year white perch bite willingly on whatever you may offer them, but finding the best bait during this timeframe can be a bit frustrating. Grass shrimp are always a good bet if you can get them. Sometimes small minnow do the trick. Sometimes bloodworm bits are better. And sometimes nightcrawlers will prove surprisingly effective. The frustrating part is that they seem to want something different from one day or one week to the next.
To make things even tougher to figure out, they also seem to favor one bait over the others from one body of water to the next. Last year at about this time, for example, bloodworms were the top producer in the Choptank and the white perch didn’t seem nearly as excited about grass shrimp. But if you were fishing on the Patuxent, grass shrimp were a must-have and bloodworms were mostly ignored.
The best way to present these baits will differ depending on factors like depth and current. In deep holes when there’s any sort of current moving you may need half an ounce or more of weight, and using bottom rigs is generally the most effective tactic. When the fish move shallow on a high tide or shift to shallower waters as the run begins, using ultralight gear to cast shad darts tipped with bait is highly effective.
If artificials are your game, when they’re sitting deep whites can often be coaxed into striking with small jigging spoons fished vertically right off the bottom. In shallower waters two-inch twisters and tubes fished on 1/8th or 1/16th of an ounce jigheads can do the trick. In intermediate depths or when there’s a lot of current to fight, rather than reaching for a larger head try rigging up a couple of jigs in tandem so you get a weight boost without upsizing the offering. Chartreuse, white, and red/white color combos are always good choices.
Are there likely to be a few choice days next month when the perch fishing is faster and more furious for those who hit the spawning grounds at the ideal time? Heck yes. Will it still be a bit nippy out there some days this month? Heck yes, again. But, do you really want to wait around when there are fish to be caught RIGHT NOW? Heck no!