Too many dink perch, is it time for a size limit or is it just muddy water?

[naterade]

Not implying one way or another, just wondering what everyone thinks.

[ficious]

Dink perch this year are jumbo's a few years from now for the ones that make it past the smallies and walleyes and ski's. It takes a good year class to make jumbos down the road.

Harry

[naterade]

Dink perch this year are jumbo's a few years from now for the ones that make it past the smallies and walleyes and ski's. It takes a good year class to make jumbos down the road.

Harry

I take it you say we're in the low side of the normal cycle then.

I remember killing huge perch on Higgins as a kid with my grandpa but lately a lot of dinks in the summer up there. My kids still don't know the haydays I had there after 4 years of them on the water in the summer.

Either my grandpa took a secret to the grave (possible :) ) or the perch have been getting weeded smaller on Higgins.

I know they reproduce like rabbits and I trust your knowledge Harry so I'm looking forward to this class turning into the bumpers of years to come.

For anyone that is leaving them on the ice or keeping them just to shave their eyes out: Stop it! Fish with the eyes of a keeper and throw dinks back!

[CASTMASTER 5000]

Two words for you. Mitchell's Bay. For some reason the fishing there is superior to any part of the US side of the lake every winter. The big perch are always there. Limits and limits of them.;)

[naterade]

Two words for you. Mitchell's Bay. For some reason the fishing there is superior to any part of the US side of the lake every winter. The big perch are always there. Limits and limits of them.;)

I'm as good as there.

I'll PM you when we make it that way if you'd like to show a few yanks around :)

[CASTMASTER 5000]

Possible. But it seems that everytime I plan on going ice fishing, I somehow talf myself out of it. And it doesn't take very much self-convincing.:lol: Heck there are days when all you guys are ice fishing, and I'm at the rivermouth handlining!:yikes:

[jiggineyes]

Before i vote... Im a little confused on your options. Does "size limit with no keep limit" mean to change it to no limit on number of fish? Or no limit change with size limit implimented?

[woody95]

Derek, you are canadian for christ sake. You sound like your from FLA. Pack your gear, pack a cooler, and get on the ice. I'm not talking about standing in the cold. Find a nice heated shanty, crack one, and the fish part is a bonus. If the fish is what you want, just reverse what I said. The beer is now the bonus... either way, you win!

You canadian guys always say the fishing is better over there anyway...

[naterade]

Before i vote... Im a little confused on your options. Does "size limit with no keep limit" mean to change it to no limit on number of fish? Or no limit change with size limit implimented?

Size limit with no keep limit would be keep as many as you can catch as long as they're a certain size.

[jiggineyes]

Thanks naterade. Thats what i thought, just making sure.

Seems the american side is just a nursery for Canada!:sad:

[Robert Hoover]

we have our good times on this side too just alot harder than it used to be.their is no shortage of slobs just lack of ice to get to them.yes 70 percent of the time when the water is clean and i can get to where i want i will go to visit dereks people .but you have to rember most of the spots we get fish over their in the fall we can get to in the winter.The last time you got good fish outta genos in the fall was about the last time it produced well in the winter.it is almost impossible to get to good perch grounds all the places we caught good fish this fall were down buy nine on the channel . good luck getting their on the ice.back in the hay day of genos it was the same smaller fish in tight for the majority and large fish out in 10+ most of my marks are 3.2 plus miles out, whens the last time we had good ice to get out their ?03/04.i dont think the problem is the size fisherman are keeping.if you read the papers and outdoor articles comericail fisherman on erie have well overtaken their limits of fish for years and were fined but probally wont stop.personal limits and comercial limits have been reduced for reasons also.

[jiggineyes]

I agree. Perch naturally want deeper water. Hence the reason why Mitchells is so good. There just isnt the access to deep water on this side.

[Chrome steel]

Just my thoughts!! I had read an article a few years back about ice fishing perch on lake st.Clair. That ice fishing contributes to the most part of the decline in the perch population (sizes).

On top of the decline of perch the growth rate is slower then most fish, I believe it stated (do your own research) it takes 6 years (even longer) for a perch to reach 8 inches. Not saying that the perch population as of right now is low, but the size balance is not adequate.

Id like to see management program set for perch. (at least for lake st.Clair & like lakes) Id like to see a size limit established with a slot limit. I say a slot limit for one reason thous 12 & 14 inch perch are the breeders for a health perch size/populating.

I dont know most peoples size preferences but I never keep any perch under 8 inches, its not worth it for me.
Id like to see a size limit of maybe 7" with a slot of up to 12", any fish over 12" maybe a limit of 3 to 5 within the 50 quota. Id believe we could and would benefit from this process with a healthy and adequate perch population for us and our future fisherman.
Now these are just thoughts, I'm not a biologist so take it easy on me.

[naterade]

Here's an interesting excerpt from the Michigan DNR site on perch:

Perch average adult length is 4-10 inches, with a weight of 4-10 ounces, although adult size is quite variable. Perch are prolific breeders, but growth and ultimate size depend on population density and habitat productivity. Crowding results in stunted offspring that may never exceed a length of six inches; thus, a controlled harvest program can benefit both the angler and the fish themselves.

So perhaps my gut instinct to throw the smaller guys back is all wrong?

[CASTMASTER 5000]

Here's an interesting excerpt from the Michigan DNR site on perch:

Perch average adult length is 4-10 inches, with a weight of 4-10 ounces, although adult size is quite variable. Perch are prolific breeders, but growth and ultimate size depend on population density and habitat productivity. Crowding results in stunted offspring that may never exceed a length of six inches; thus, a controlled harvest program can benefit both the angler and the fish themselves.

So perhaps my gut instinct to throw the smaller guys back is all wrong?


There you go guys! Keep catching all those dinks to thin the heard so our Canuck perch can keep growing!:yikes::lol:

[MiketheElder]

When the fishing was good two or three years ago at Gino's we did a very unscientific estimate and figured that icefisherman took over a quartermillion perch out of the system in three months from that area alone. Everyone was catching fish and the place was crowded as hell.

My opinion, the DNR should let us kill every cormorant we see. That's where all your big fish are going. The little ones can hide in the weeds from the birds. The big ones are just that, too big. Easier for the cormorants to find. Those birds are voracious eaters.

[jiggineyes]

Sounds like they should start shocking!:yikes:

[sarge300]

Are those cormorant , the black birds that dive under water? I noticed them at a pond i used to fish alot at. Ever since i noticed those birds , ive noticed the fish population go down dramatically. Im tempted to start shooting those dam things before all the fish are gone. Are they protected lol

[UNREEL]

When the fishing was good two or three years ago at Gino's we did a very unscientific estimate and figured that icefisherman took over a quartermillion perch out of the system in three months from that area alone. Everyone was catching fish and the place was crowded as hell.

My opinion, the DNR should let us kill every cormorant we see. That's where all your big fish are going. The little ones can hide in the weeds from the birds. The big ones are just that, too big. Easier for the cormorants to find. Those birds are voracious eaters.


Thats right.

The muskies, pike, and smallmouth are NOT the problem, guys..

Its been 5 yrs since there was good fishing on this side, back when 8s got thrown back.

Will we ever see it again, of course. The lake changes, and the fish will adapt. We have to as well....

[UNREEL]

Are those cormorant , the black birds that dive under water? I noticed them at a pond i used to fish alot at. Ever since i noticed those birds , ive noticed the fish population go down dramatically. Im tempted to start shooting those dam things before all the fish are gone. Are they protected lol


Yes, they are protected. Shoot them anyway..

I've personally witnessed what a flock of cormorants can do to 100,000 king salmon fingerlings, when the DNR released them in Pt. Sanilac harbor.
They never had a chance...

[Chrome steel]

Here's an interesting excerpt from the Michigan DNR site on perch:

Perch average adult length is 4-10 inches, with a weight of 4-10 ounces, although adult size is quite variable. Perch are prolific breeders, but growth and ultimate size depend on population density and habitat productivity. Crowding results in stunted offspring that may never exceed a length of six inches; thus, a controlled harvest program can benefit both the angler and the fish themselves.

So perhaps my gut instinct to throw the smaller guys back is all wrong?

I'm not sure but would like to say from my experience of fishing other lakes this seems like an average for inland & other lakes, statistical there isn't an abundance of food unlike St.Clair. Mayflies are a perch's main food source (along with minnows) which we all now how St.Clair gets with its mayflies. I wonder if St.Clair falls under this category with its abundance of food and vast body of water????? I know each body of water can vary and should be managed differently!!!!

[hunter62]

I posted this in another thread but thought I would put it here since it ties in to what MTE said about fish harvests.


Personally I think it has more to do with how many people are keeping fish on a daily basis, regardless of the size. I see guys keeping six inch fish so they can get a few nuggets for lunch. It's no wonder the fish don't get bigger when they don't have a chance to grow.

For number purposes here is my example. Let's start with just 50 anglers. If they were to catch their limit 4 times a week that adds up to a lot of fish for the ice season.

50 (fish) times 4 (times per week) = 200 fish per week.

200 fish times 50 (guys) = 10,000 fish per week.

10,000 times 12 (weeks in a 3 month ice season) = 120,000 fish harvested by only 50 guys. :yikes:

How many people do you normally see out at places like Gino's? It's easily over 200 on any given weekend, probably a lot more. Then add in the rest of the access points on St Clair and we're talking thousands of anglers.

There are people that fish every day and do, or try to, bring home a limit each time. It adds up very quickly when you expand my example beyond just 50 fishermen.

[jiggineyes]

Perch are one of the main targeted species here on lSC. I have always wondered why there is not at least a size limit on them. I would love to see one implemented! There is obviously plenty of perch in the lake. Just not the size we want. The lake is getting cleaner every year, especially with the zebra muscles. The walleye seem to have had lower numbers on this side this year as well. IMO- Cleaner water has increased alot of the weeds from what i can tell and have a feeling that has made a big impact on the lake. Thus changing its chemical makeup and maybe forcing both perch and walleye into the deeper water of the canadian side!

[Mark Sylvester]

Dink perch this year are jumbo's a few years from now for the ones that make it past the smallies and walleyes and ski's. It takes a good year class to make jumbos down the road.

Harry

I take most all I catch. I love those little bites!!!

Two words for you. Mitchell's Bay. For some reason the fishing there is superior to any part of the US side of the lake every winter. The big perch are always there. Limits and limits of them.;)

I'm In!!!

I'm as good as there.

I'll PM you when we make it that way if you'd like to show a few yanks around :)


Yeah!!
Possible. But it seems that everytime I plan on going ice fishing, I somehow talf myself out of it. And it doesn't take very much self-convincing.:lol: Heck there are days when all you guys are ice fishing, and I'm at the rivermouth handlining!:yikes:



If I can pull off the Meat and Greet you can have a gettogether on the ice...Like a tailgate party!!


Size limit with no keep limit would be keep as many as you can catch as long as they're a certain size.

No Good!!!

we have our good times on this side too just alot harder than it used to be.their is no shortage of slobs just lack of ice to get to them.yes 70 percent of the time when the water is clean and i can get to where i want i will go to visit dereks people .but you have to rember most of the spots we get fish over their in the fall we can get to in the winter.The last time you got good fish outta genos in the fall was about the last time it produced well in the winter.it is almost impossible to get to good perch grounds all the places we caught good fish this fall were down buy nine on the channel . good luck getting their on the ice.back in the hay day of genos it was the same smaller fish in tight for the majority and large fish out in 10+ most of my marks are 3.2 plus miles out, whens the last time we had good ice to get out their ?03/04.i dont think the problem is the size fisherman are keeping.if you read the papers and outdoor articles comericail fisherman on erie have well overtaken their limits of fish for years and were fined but probally wont stop.personal limits and comercial limits have been reduced for reasons also.


'Nuff Said!!!

Here's an interesting excerpt from the Michigan DNR site on perch:

Perch average adult length is 4-10 inches, with a weight of 4-10 ounces, although adult size is quite variable. Perch are prolific breeders, but growth and ultimate size depend on population density and habitat productivity. Crowding results in stunted offspring that may never exceed a length of six inches; thus, a controlled harvest program can benefit both the angler and the fish themselves.

So perhaps my gut instinct to throw the smaller guys back is all wrong?

I keep them Me so Hongry!!!

When the fishing was good two or three years ago at Gino's we did a very unscientific estimate and figured that icefisherman took over a quartermillion perch out of the system in three months from that area alone. Everyone was catching fish and the place was crowded as hell.

My opinion, the DNR should let us kill every cormorant we see. That's where all your big fish are going. The little ones can hide in the weeds from the birds. The big ones are just that, too big. Easier for the cormorants to find. Those birds are voracious eaters.


Those birds are a eating machine!!!






:coolgleam

[Robert Hoover]

Walleye are down kinda ,we had a major back to back boom of year classes so.... ya gonna happen. I still have had great success with a high catch of 59 fish in a night this year, i also have proof:evil:. when it was going great i only had a high night of 62 fish.... so not to much different. Their are plenty of fish if their werent you would and or will see many rule changes. as for the comrats how is something so terrible for the lake protected?May as well protect rusty crayfish , zebra muscles, gobies :dizzy:it is discusting when you see comrat tower.a couple shotgun shells would shure help,equal balance on a bird that has little benifits, keep in mind i am not saying make them extinc but it is a shame when you know of a better comrat honey hole than a mallard spot for duck hunting.:dizzy: