Because of the over population of perch in Mantua, I have heard that we should help reduce the number of perch by “accidentally” killing a lot of the small ones that we catch and feed them to the birds. what are the thought on this of every one else?
Feeding them to the birds is considered wasting and very illegal.
what if they don’t go to the birds. I here of gillectamys all the time on this forum.
The limit is 50. Even though the perch are numerous…and small…it is rare that anybody catches and keeps a full limit.
Rather than risk a citation, it would be better to keep them and take them home. Freeze some whole, to fish like whole minnows for catfish or walleyes…where legal. The slightly larger ones can be filleted and frozen for strip bait whenever you go to Yuba, Jordanelle, Pineview, Starvation, Echo, Rockport or other lakes where using perch meat is legal but sometimes difficult to get the first one to use for bait.
Whenever you are out on the ice, you should conduct yourself as if a DWR officer is watching through a spotting scope. Sometimes they do. Killing and disposing of a protected and regulated species…even overpopulated perch…is ILLEGAL, and can get you an expensive ticket.
Yes, we talk about gillectomies. But that is on carp in lakes like Utah Lake and Willard where they are overpopulated and unprotected.
Can a whole perch be used for catfish bait on willard?
For sure they can they can also be used at pineview for tigermuskie bait or carp.
For sure they can they can also be used at pineview for tigermuskie bait or carp.
BAD INFO. Check your proclamation. You cannot use whole minnows or any piece of fish meat larger than 1 square inch on Pineview.
I did not know that thanks tubedude
Can a whole perch be used for catfish bait on willard?
Whole perch are both legal and effective on both Willard Bay and in Utah Lake.
A couple of modifications to the bait that will get more action is 1. Use a pair of heavy duty scissors to snip off the spines. 2. Use a knife to score some slashes in the side of the whole perch to release more scent and flavor into the water.
Although perch are present in both lakes, they do not have a heavy population…by comparison to other species. However, wherever they are found they are a significant prey species for walleyes and catfish.
Again, much better to keep a bunch of dink perch from Mantua for bait than to risk a ticket. And, the perchettes will often work better than chubs or baby carp.
I kinda like the idea of planting a few pike or tiger musky in Mantua, not that it will happen anytime soon. But hey, it will help cut down on those dink perch and 'gills.
Check your facts…Putting Pike or Tigers in Mantua will not make or help to make any fish grow bigger, they would only eat every thing in there…
Yep, they’d eat the overpopulated stunted perchies and 'gills…
The survivers would be the big healthy guys and we’d want them in the gene pool, no? ‘Less’ is actually ‘more’ if you think about it.
Look at the fishery now. Do you like going to Mantua and catching nothing but dink perch and 'gills? Or would you want to maybe throw some bigger fish into the mix?
Apparantly the Largemouths in there aren’t doing their job, and could use a little help IMO.
Awesome idea! I am all for it. Maybe get rid of a bunch of those dink bass too.
I like the idea of a few hundred sterile Tiger Muskie in Mantua.
I also like the thought of getting rid of some of the dink bass in there.
Win/Win!!!
They are small but young, they need time to grow… The average growth of a perch is only 1 1/2" to 2" per year on most waters in Utah…
And after all they all start small it just takes time to grow…
That whole lake for the most part is a bunch of dinks. If you know how to catch the bigger bass it’s not that hard but you have to get through the smaller ones first. As far as there being to many perch in that lake thats stupied concidering all the blue gill in there and for any one to come on a board like this and talk about killing fish with the exception of carp is a complete jack A$$. Edit that[;)]!!
He said that ‘tongue in cheek’. I know Nathan wouldn’t just catch perch and throw them to the birds for a snack.
Now me on the other hand…
Food for thought…What will they the Tigers eat when they get say 35" to 45"???
The bigger the fish the bigger the food must be for them to live and grow…
Perch has and does not make a good food source for bigger fish, just to many ups and downs with there numbers..
this was a good discussion. I did not think that this thread would get quite opinionated as it did. As for me being a jack a$$, I may have to disagree. I did not think posting a general question on this board for everyone to discuss qualified some one for that title. Now back to the idea of the small perch and blue gill. I heard one comment on this board a while ago about creating larger size restrictions for the bass. Something to the effect of only being able to keep bass over 18". does any one think that would help the problem?
Even if shallow Mantua has the most ideal conditions, I’m not so sure the Pike and Tigers would grow as big as you say, Cliff. Remember, we proposed a limited quantity, and sterile at that. We don’t want those gators reproducing! [;)]
I’m sure after a couple years almost all of the Pike and Tigers would be caught if only a couple hundred of those bad boys were planted in there. Neutered of course.
Just think, after a couple years, no more dinks, and the the panfish might actually have some size to them…again. And fishermen have a chance to catch a lunker Tiger!