22 replies to this topic

[Sako]

The fight is similar to a smallie but the paper lips make then harder to catch. Even the hook set has to be different. You set the hook on a white perch, like it's a bass, and you'll have lots of white perch with torn lips and none in your pail. If I'm fishing them to keep I usually let them swallow the hook or at least give them time to get the whole bait in their mouth and then tighten up until I feel the weight and then twitch the rod. You really can't pull very hard or they will be gone. I'm not much for eating fish but white perch filets are unbelievable. Nice white flaky fish that are almost sweet. Leave the skin on and they are quite fishy but some people like them that way. All the fins you see in the picture are as shap as a razor or have points that will stab you. The gill plates are sharper than most knives and the scales are thick and quite large. If you are going to scale them a butterknife works well if the fish are fresh but the scales get hard and seem to attach to the fish better after the fish has been out of the water awhile.

[Hampton Fisher]

Kilarney Lake just North of Fton is open for icefishing and was stocked with nice little brookies last October didnt notice many people fishing it so I bet you would do well there.

[Sportsman]

If your looking for some fair to middling smelt fishing, try across from the church down brown flats, but be careful my buddy went through the ice at the shore line, there is was only about 4-6 inches of ice and its mostly soft candle ice.