12-21-2006, 12:28 PM
[cool][#0000ff]No bluegills on this trip. Those wittle wascals do usually seem to congregate more on the east side of the lake during the winter. However, some guys do well out from the rocks in shallower water along the north west corner too.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Don't know how thick the ice was at the far east side of the lake, but there were a couple of ice tents over there...about halfway between the creek inlet and the big hill. They were too far away to see if they were doing any good, but they didn't go through the ice, so I guess that is a good sign.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]The biggest perch we caught were about 9 inches. I kept a few to cut up for more perch strips...for bait. I couldn't believe it but even the six inchers were full of eggs. It looks like the perch are already stunting. They are usually a couple of inches longer before they start to spawn...in healthy lakes.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]My personal observation during the summer was that there might be some stunting in the bluegill too. While there were a few good sized 'gills available, there were not as many "toads" as the previous year, and they were not as fat either. Not only that but there were bajillions of the tiny tykes. I'm sure that the largemouth are enjoying the small perch and bluegills, but there are not enough of them...or enough anglers harvesting them...to keep them in check.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Anglers all over the area are being pestered by little 3"-4" perch this year. Then, there are quite a few in the 6" range. But, the bigguns are dwindling. I had hoped that they would all get big and porky but I am not so confident now. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Maybe they will show up later in the ice season. They sometimes gather around springs or remaining vegetation and it can take a while for anglers to find them.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Don't know how thick the ice was at the far east side of the lake, but there were a couple of ice tents over there...about halfway between the creek inlet and the big hill. They were too far away to see if they were doing any good, but they didn't go through the ice, so I guess that is a good sign.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]The biggest perch we caught were about 9 inches. I kept a few to cut up for more perch strips...for bait. I couldn't believe it but even the six inchers were full of eggs. It looks like the perch are already stunting. They are usually a couple of inches longer before they start to spawn...in healthy lakes.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]My personal observation during the summer was that there might be some stunting in the bluegill too. While there were a few good sized 'gills available, there were not as many "toads" as the previous year, and they were not as fat either. Not only that but there were bajillions of the tiny tykes. I'm sure that the largemouth are enjoying the small perch and bluegills, but there are not enough of them...or enough anglers harvesting them...to keep them in check.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Anglers all over the area are being pestered by little 3"-4" perch this year. Then, there are quite a few in the 6" range. But, the bigguns are dwindling. I had hoped that they would all get big and porky but I am not so confident now. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Maybe they will show up later in the ice season. They sometimes gather around springs or remaining vegetation and it can take a while for anglers to find them.[/#0000ff]
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