when I was young (about the time of the last dinosaurs) and lived in st joe, in the summer the piers, both north and south where packed with people fishing for perch.
the perch were there, limits were 100, and we got some.
I too remember those good-ole-days.
We'd spend 2hrs driving to Silver Beach Amusement Park, hit all the rides and then we'd buy a can of worms and rent a cane pole and have fun. Those are memories I'll never forget. I guess it was about 15-20 years ago I run into the old German couple who use to run that little coaster and the wheel. Spent the whole afternoon shooting the breeze.
Those were the days!!!
Martin
Perch populations were declining through the 1970's, 1980's, and 1990's, and the DNR reduced the limit a couple times. Then the Zebra, and Quagga Mussels were introduced into the lakes, and the bottom of the food chain declined, and Perch numbers declined even further. There were charters for Perch as recently as the 2000's, but they didn't fill their boats with fishermen, so they closed up shop. Now Perch are starting to rebound (for probably 5+ years now), and people are targeting them more.
Perch populations were declining through the 1970's, 1980's, and 1990's, and the DNR reduced the limit a couple times. Then the Zebra, and Quagga Mussels were introduced into the lakes, and the bottom of the food chain declined, and Perch numbers declined even further. There were charters for Perch as recently as the 2000's, but they didn't fill their boats with fishermen, so they closed up shop. Now Perch are starting to rebound (for probably 5+ years now), and people are targeting them more.
I sure do miss perchin off the piers. My kids would have a complete blast! I'm 36. if memory serves right, the perch fishing started crapping out bad right around 1995 or 1996.
I've talked to a few guys who target them where I steelhead fish. They claim that after a good south wind sometime in the summer the perch fishing will be pretty good but only lasts for a day or two than they are gone.
I too remember those good-ole-days.
We'd spend 2hrs driving to Silver Beach Amusement Park, hit all the rides and then we'd buy a can of worms and rent a cane pole and have fun. Those are memories I'll never forget. I guess it was about 15-20 years ago I run into the old German couple who use to run that little coaster and the wheel. Spent the whole afternoon shooting the breeze.
Those were the days!!!
Martin
My first coaster ride was at Silver Beach in the late '60s and it scared the hell out of me. I was a kid and no one told me what was about to happen, I hung on for dear life while everyone else laughed and held their hands up. I was afraid of heights back then. 8)
The pier in grand haven still produces pretty good but not like the old days. I used to go out with a few guys and catch a five gallon bucket of monsters. Last great outing was around 2003. I caught 14 huge perch and a burbot and 3 steelies. And a flat head it was a cold Memorial Day weekend and I was on the end of the south pier all alone in the rain except for the few brave walkers and galkers. It was heaven
Should be planting all the perch we can, they'll eat the mussels in 200-400 feet of water to bring back the bait, plus keep out the Asian carp, overwhelm the few smelt and alewife larvae remaining, kill Muslim extremists, bring back Ronald Reagan, get rid of the designated hitter rule, make homosexuality a crime, and get women to forego the right to vote.
Should be planting all the perch we can, they'll eat the mussels in 200-400 feet of water to bring back the bait, plus keep out the Asian carp, overwhelm the few smelt and alewife larvae remaining, kill Muslim extremists, bring back Ronald Reagan, get rid of the designated hitter rule, make homosexuality a crime, and get women to forego the right to vote.
Should be planting all the perch we can, they'll eat the mussels in 200-400 feet of water to bring back the bait, plus keep out the Asian carp, overwhelm the few smelt and alewife larvae remaining, kill Muslim extremists, bring back Ronald Reagan, get rid of the designated hitter rule, make homosexuality a crime, and get women to forego the right to vote.
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