Postseason perch

Fishful Faithful know that the Major League playoffs signal the beginning of great fall perching.

If perch were grizzly bears, we could probably attribute their heightened feeding activity to “laying on some fat” in anticipation of winter.

But, Joe, perch aren’t grizzly bears.

There’s no justifiable biological reason to compare feeding habits of cold-blooded yellow perch to warm-blooded critters.

“Say it ain’t so, Joe.”

Okay, Okay, it was a stretch—and a weak stretch to be sure.

But I wanted to sneak in the legendary quote of the boy who allegedly addressed Shoeless Joe Jackson about his involvement in the Chicago White Sox throwing the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds.

Back to catching perch…

While you’ll find hungry perch in pretty much the same places you’ve fished all summer, the edges of decaying beds of lily pads have always treated me well.

The water is most likely clear and not very deep so stealth will pay dividends.

Big perch are wary. Those pesky little guys not so much.

Anchor as far away as you can accurately cast and concentrate your fishing in the little “bays” where perch feel safe and secure.

Years ago, when I fished from an aluminum canoe, a carpet sample under my feet and removing the dog’s collar, kept perch within range without having to chase them.

One of the biggest faults of wormers is using too large of a piece of worm. A piece less than an inch long will out-fish an entire worm on every trip.

Don’t thread the worm. Hook it sideways.

There’s no need for using expensive lures. I mean, a $4.99 jig for perch, really?

A go-to rig is a one-inch plastic bobber, then a b.b. split-shot about half a foot above a size 10 hook.

Attach the bobber to the line so the bait is suspended within a foot of the bottom of the lake.

After casting, let the bait settle, then roll the bobber. If you don’t get a bite, crank in 2 feet of line, then repeat the settling and rolling.

Perch fillets make an excellent meal while watching the World Series.

Jerry Smalley’s Fishful Thinking column appears weekly in the Hungry Horse News.