Perch Have Been the Surprise of the Season
By Bob Lamb | Tribune Outdoors Editor, La Crosse Tribune, Wis.
Feb. 22–If there is one fish species that has been the biggest surprise this winter, it may be perch. There are increasing reports of perch being caught up and down the Mississippi River as the ice fishing season winds down for the winter.
Walleye and sauger anglers are catching perch below the locks and dams on the mighty Mississippi. Panfish anglers are also catching perch in addition to the commonly caught bluegills and crappies in winter.
Tony Christnovich, at Schafer’s Boats and Bait on Brice Prairie, said the 36th annual Lions Club fishing derby produced some very nice-sized panfish.
“Many large perch were brought in along with some nice-sized bluegills and crappies,” he said. “Only one bass was entered and no northern pike or walleyes were caught.”
Christnovich said most derby anglers had their best luck using red spikes or red worms for perch. Wax worms were best for bluegills. Crappies were caught with Swedish Pimples or minnows, according to Christnovich.
Donna Boser at Lawrence Lake Marina & Bait Shop in Brownsville, Minn., said “bull bluegills” in the 8-inch, 13-ounce range, were biting well on the north end of Lawrence Lake. Most anglers used an orange Marmooska jig and wax worm in three feet of water near weed edges.
Boser said jumbo perch are biting on crappie minnows without a jig in Lawrence Lake.
“We are having the last fishing derby of the season on Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon,” Boser said. “People can fish in the bay area or any part of Lawrence Lake.”
Christnovich reported that Round Lake, Third Lake and Mud Lake have very good for northerns and bass on tip-ups and shiners.
Meanwhile, male cardinals are singing in the morning and flocks of robins continue to be reported across the state.
Karen Perry, co-owner of Wild Birds Unlimited in Onalaska, said grackles and redwing blackbirds are migrating into the Coulee Region.
“Some folks don’t care for these birds at their feeders, so once you start seeing them, you can start to switch over to safflower seed in your feeders,” she said. “These birds tend not to like safflower.”
Perry said if people wish to reduce the number of starlings at their feeders, they should offer seeds that are still in the shell, such as black-oil sunflower, striped sunflower, safflower and white millet.
Warmer temperatures are a good time check, clean and repair birdhouses, according to Perry.
Most black bear cubs have been born by now. Fox and coyotes are beginning their mating season and will be running in pairs soon. Bobcats are also starting their mating season.
—–
Copyright (c) 2007, La Crosse Tribune, Wis.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News.
For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.