Perch Fishing!

[Gray Ghost]

I thought it would be nice to start on a thread about one of the tastiest--yet vastly unappreciated--ADK species. My friends and I had a great weekend of perch fishing. We filled one and a half buckets Saturday and Sunday, filleted 'em, battered 'em, fried 'em, and devoured 'em for the Super Bowl. My freezer is happily full. I hope to put some pics up of our weekend. Anyone else passionate about the lonely yellow perch?

[Qtip]

Gray Ghost,

When I used to ice a lot we would clean the perch down to just meat and bones and boil them in salty water. When the meat seems to begin to fall off the bones; drain well and cool covered in the frige. When cooled strip the meat off the bones and dip in shrimp cocktail sauce. We called it "Poor Man's Shrimp". Yum!

Qtip

[Gray Ghost]

...

I have enjoyed that recipe before myself, and we call it the same thing! You know something, I'd rather eat perch than shrimp any day. They're delicious.

[redhawk]

Gray Ghost,

When I used to ice a lot we would clean the perch down to just meat and bones and boil them in salty water. When the meat seems to begin to fall off the bones; drain well and cool covered in the frige. When cooled strip the meat off the bones and dip in shrimp cocktail sauce. We called it "Poor Man's Shrimp". Yum!

Qtip

Boil a couple of hot dogs in Clam Chowder and you have "Poor Mans Surf & Turf"

[Gray Ghost]

Hahaha! Good one! Just make sure it's canned chowder.

[redhawk]

Everyone Knows that I don't fish.

But, If I did, and if I ice fished on Lake Algonquin, and if I was lucky enough to catch anything, it might be a perch and it just might look like this.

[Gray Ghost]

do you believe someone told me there were nothing but junk fish in Lake Algonquin? I guess he's never had the best tasting fish in the Adirondacks.

[Gray Ghost]

Even though it doesn't look like this is a very popular thread, I have to say that I had another great weekend...more fillets in the deep fryer.

[lumberzac]

I generally don't specifically go fishing for just perch, but I don't mind catching them.

[serotonin]

Even though it doesn't look like this is a very popular thread, I have to say that I had another great weekend...more fillets in the deep fryer.

Ghost-
Tell us how you're catching them, what you're using, how many, how big, how purty they are...
Seriously.
How thick is the ice? How cold was it? What depths are you targeting?
Sounds like you're catching lotsa fish, and having a good time doin' it.

Got any pictures?

[Gray Ghost]

Details

We use french-style tipups for perch fishing. They are a wooden tipup that remains in the ice for the month or two that we ice fish. Basically, we use drill a three-four inch deep hole, then freeze the tipup in using slush/ice particles. As I said, we leave them in the entire time, but we aren't worried about thieves. Someone would have to be pretty determined to chisel them all out. I will have to post a picture of the tipups. We have a homemade large wooden shanty to basically stay warm and eat. I use standard perch bait, or emeralds as they're called elsewhere. Size four hook, three inches off bottom. Lake Champlain is where we have been fishing, but Lake George is great, too. I haven't measured them, but we have had a few "Jack" perch. Last Saturday was pretty slow, but pretty slow meant thirty-two fish in a couple of hours. Early Sunday was the same. Perch are the only species I fish for with a meal in mind. 99% of the fish I catch are released, but I keep most sizeable perch in winter. I have a great simple recipe if anyone is interested. Hope to post some pictures soon.