Perch Early Spring Perch

[jimski2]

Small craft advisory now.


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[H20chrome]

I meant in general when I can safely get out there, like this time of year would perch be out in front of Dunkirk? It seems like I only ever read reports of perch out of the Catt or sturgeon point

[J. Sparrow]

I've caught perch between Dunkirk and the Catt in the fall ..... nobody else around. I'm sure you could find some out of Dunkirk this time of year too. It might be hard to locate them, but you'd probably have them to yourself. 

[lineman49]

  There use to be a red buoy outside the break wall  in Dunkirk That everyone would fish perch around It was out about a 1/2 mile in about 35 fow. I know they use to do good there, but you might have to move around a bit.  Good luck!

[jimski2]

The shale ends around 50-55 foot and the mud bottom starts there. The mud contains little critters that burrow into the that perch feed on. They migrate along that area to feed.


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[Norm Moser]

ya, they called it the perch buoy, perch fished around it a off and on over the years. we always got fish, some day where good some days not so much just like most places . You don't see a lot of people fishing around that area now.  I would give it a try . Like lineman said it not far out. A red buoy not far out past the brake wall

[zadvorney]

A few years back I fished the drop off just outside the breakwall.  I did well.  I brought the fish camera and was surprised by what I saw.  Perch, white bass, eyes, suckers, all schooled together.  

[Pequod1]

I fished out around the 50-55' mark straight out the last few years but not until the last few days of July or first week of August. There still are a few older guys like me that go out and target perch out of Dunkirk. Our catches ranged from 50 to maybe a half dozen fish with a walleye or two thrown in. It was just a little too inconsistent for me to make the 120 mile drive there, but if you are in Buffalo, it might be worth it.

[H20chrome]

Thanks everyone for the replies, next calm weekend the lake gives up i'm gonna try and get out there and will post a report. 

[jimski2]

The late summer perch grounds, water temperature on the surface of high seventies, will find the perch out in the sixty five to seventy foot depths. They will be stacked up ten foot solid and you can only fish one line since they strike as soon as you hit bottom. By mid August with cold nights, they scatter to closer to shore depths.

[dukhnter8]

Was out yesterday, bumpy to start so didn't drive around as much as I should have. Turned out to be a  nice day later. Ended up taking 9 home, most 10" but one 14". Didn't mark any big schools and was getting a fish here and there. Water temp was 50-51 degrees, I was in 45-60 ft of water. Some came on the mud hook but most came on the upper hook on a fly with shiner. A few other boats out but didn't seem like they were doing much better.

Went out of sturgeon.

[H20chrome]

Got out with a buddy on his boat out of the Catt on sunday 5/27 we only managed to catch 1 perch. Searched all over and the perch schools were very small and spread out. There was actually a current out in front of the state park 55 fow thats where we got our one perch. Standing in the middle of the boat my line was angled down behind the transom it was strange. Decided to go in closer and drift around and cast jigs, picked up a nice walleye in 33 fow

[overthelimit]

I took my 5 year old out Saturday for a couple hours, managed a dozen. Very slow, same thing very small scattered schools. You'd catch a couple from a pod then nothing and move onto the next one.