Nymphs and wet flies for PERCH

[garrymny]

Does anyone here use artificial nymphs or wet flies, like those used for trout, off the bottom for perch? I have read where their primary food source is aquatic nymphs. I was thinking this would be so much easier than trying to get minnows, only to find out that you cannot find the perch.

 

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[garrymny]

I guess not, everyone uses minnows.

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[J. Sparrow]

It's a great question Gary...... I've tried soft plastic dragonfly larva without success. Sometimes when you're catching perch that are puking up wads of spiny water fleas, I wonder what you could do to imitate those things..... but I've never had great success with anything other than minnows. Tried leeches too and got a few on them, but not enough to warrant going away from minnows. We've also got perch on fatheads when the perch are puking up gobies...... they kinda look similar. It seems like if they're going to eat anything, it'll be emeralds first though......

[Misdirection]

Down here in the Central Basin, some guys are using these since they are having a hard time catching them on emerald shiners.

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[garrymny]

Thanks I've seen a place that was selling perch rigs using trout-like mayfly nymphs.

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[J. Sparrow]

"michigan wigglers" might work. They used to work quite well for steelhead....... and probably still do. Live wigglers were a popular bait for perch on the piers of Benton Harbor / St. Joe when I lived there in the mid 80's. 

 

[HarrisJrld]

Had similar experience, it kinda works but not good enough to justify the change from minnows. We've tried only twice though and had pretty little success, maybe that was just random.