Top 3 Perch Fishing Tips

Now that you know where to find perch, what do you use to catch them?

Luckily­, perch are not picky eaters, especially when they're in a feeding frenzy. If you like to use live bait to attract fish, your choices are many: small minnows, insect larvae (think maggots), night crawlers, wax worms and grubs. Perch also go for cut bait like crayfish meat and perch eyes. When using minnows, try hooking them through the tail rather than through the mouth; they'll provide more action, and that's what you need to attract the big guys.

­Lures should be small and lightweight because perch have small mouths. Leadheads (a lead ball with a hook) -- 1/64 ounce and 1/32 ounce -- are often the lure of choice for perchers. Lures come in many styles and colors. Perch are particularly attracted to bright, flashy colors. These are used for still fishing (simply dropping the line where you stand) or casting.

Heavier leadheads (1/8 ounce) are used for trolling and drifting. Slip-sinker setups, metal weights attached to the line and floating jigheads (leadheads with tails made of hair, feathers, plastic or rubber) are used in tandem with sinkers or slip sinkers because they make it harder for the line to snag. Perchers also find success with spinner rigs (a blade that spins around a wire), which create movement and attract fish. Metal jigging spoons are spoon-like lures that resemble small fish and are favored in the fall and winter. Bobbers, floating plastic balls that keep lines set to a preferred depth, are useful when fishing near vegetation or from shore [source: Mayhew].

If you're bored with the standard way of fishing for perch, read on.