Cookie, the Wookie, and I, have made a few quick trips to Rockport the last couple weeks. 2 before the cold front and one after (but before the snow)
We fished both sides of Rockport but on similar structure that I like for fall transition for perch: rocky points that fall into sandy bottom with a nice transition from shallow to deep with a cove (see video for examples). There are a number of these at Rockport and the perch are often found, in the fall or other times, using these transitions points to move between feeding and lounging areas. And most important for me - with in casting range of shore for my ultralight rig.
All three times I used Wookie Bugs and Pugly Perch bugs as a search bait. Once I found the bite I would throw out a second rod and dead stick it with bait (sometimes right off the bottom and sometimes floated up a few inches). The black shell with either a cream or yellow body bug worked best. I was always tipped with a worm or meal worm.
I was there at first light 2x. Both times there was a very active bite for an hour after first light and both times it died quickly. My Deeper Chirp suggested they had moved deeper and outside my cast range. I expect a boat would have kept me in the action a bit longer. I also hit an evening bite that lasted longer but did not yield as good of number of sized fish.
Picked up a number or 10-12 inch perch (see photo and video). The big ones normally took an active retrieve with the bugs and rarely a dead stick presentation. Photo is a 12 incher using Pats old fillet board (thanks - we will try to keep it well exercised) , my new bubba knife and methods I watched Mildog and Pat use.
I am excited to see size at Rockport - should mean a fun ice season.
I also learned I have to watch the Wookie closer. I caught him carrying the fish bag to the water and releasing my perch stash so he could play with them. A very naught habit that cost me 6 very nice perch. If he wasn’t having so much fun playing with his new toys I might have really got mad, but that sort of thing makes me smile, despite the reduction of fillets for the fry.
Oh ya and Cookie caught perch on pink fligs - but they have a long way to go to look like pat’s
Depth was all over the place. We caught perch on the evening bite as shallow as 3 ft and found fish past 30 ft.
here is the video
