02-08-2009, 05:36 AM
I have an article tucked away here at home about catching sea run yellow perch I believe in the estuaries of Maryland. The perch are on their spawning run and move up the river in waves kind of like salmon do. They were catching the perch on worms and bobber and the females were loaded with eggs and biting like crazy.
Also back in the late 70's I used to catch spawning perch at Weston reservoir from the bank like crazy in April at spawning time.
Probably the perch bite begins to slow because they are starting to suffer a little from oxygen stress or lack of preferred oxygen level. The later you get in the year during winter, the lower the oxygen level at the bottom of a reservoir. Most fish begin to rise and hold up higher in the water column seeking higher oxygen levels as winter wears on. Perch being mostly a bottom fish find themselves a little stressed out and uncomfortable per se due to lower oxygen levels.
DeeCee
I ice fish not because I like the cold, but because it is the only time of year I can impress my wife, by walking on water.
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Also back in the late 70's I used to catch spawning perch at Weston reservoir from the bank like crazy in April at spawning time.
Probably the perch bite begins to slow because they are starting to suffer a little from oxygen stress or lack of preferred oxygen level. The later you get in the year during winter, the lower the oxygen level at the bottom of a reservoir. Most fish begin to rise and hold up higher in the water column seeking higher oxygen levels as winter wears on. Perch being mostly a bottom fish find themselves a little stressed out and uncomfortable per se due to lower oxygen levels.
DeeCee
I ice fish not because I like the cold, but because it is the only time of year I can impress my wife, by walking on water.
[signature]