# So you want some perch?



## TopH2O (Mar 18, 2009)

I went to Mill Meadow Res. today with a fishing partner. I caught about 30 pounds of perch! Unfortunately that weight was the total for the 151 perch I caught today. Believe it or don't! My friend caught about 75 of the fish. We also caught a couple of brown trout.

I kept 17 of the larger perch. The biggest ones were between 8.5 and 9 inches. Most of them were in the 6 to 8 inch range with some smaller ones. We fished from 0930 until 1600 in the area of the boat ramp. We were doing best in about 14 feet of water over a flat bottom. We used a typical attractor with a leader to a small jig or Ratfinkie. We used perch meat to tip the jigs. To say that the action was almost non-stop is an understatement. This is by far the most perch I've ever caught in one day at Mill Meadow. My previous best was 126 perch in December. The trick is to always hold your rod and to set the hook at the slightest bite. These perch will often hit very lightly and you need to be ready to set the hook immediately. If you set the rod down, you will miss many strikes. I have to the take the line out of the water to take a coffee or sandwich break.
The ice is about 14 inches with about 8 inches of snow cover. There wasn't any slush in the area we fished. There were some tracks of snowmobiles and four wheelers from the weekend. 
If you can handle the long drive down to the lake, it will pay off in a bunch of perch. Not big ones, but they are big enough to fillet or to make a batch of perch cowder....which is my plan for tomorrow.
Mike


----------



## mjschijf (Oct 1, 2007)

Cool, glad you got into the perch. I've always wanted to check out Mill Meadow. Thanks for the report.

Any size to the browns that you caught?


----------



## TopH2O (Mar 18, 2009)

The two browns we caught were both about 17 inches and somewhat snakey. I'd say they were around 1 1/4 pounds each. I saw another fishermen catch a rainbow about two pounds. Our targets at Mill Meadow are always the perch.
Mike


----------



## JAT83 (Sep 9, 2007)

Dang, that is a ton of Perch! I may have to consider taking the long Journey if it is producing like that! Thanks for the tips!


----------



## bullrider (Jan 21, 2010)

Wow, sounds like you guys had a blast with the perchey.


----------



## TopH2O (Mar 18, 2009)

I posted the same basic report on the BFT Utah fishing forum and some clown said I was "hotspotting" Mill Meadow and that apparently is a bad thing in his (shallow) mind.
I know enough about making fishing reports that can draw undue attention to a fishery that can't really stand additional fishing pressure. Mill Meadow has an over abundance of perch. Mill Meadow is also managed as a trout fishery with browns, rainbows and splake in the reservoir. All of the fish compete for food when they are young and growing. All young fish feed on plankton as their primary forage. Mill Meadow can only benefit from the removal of additional perch. The reason the statewide limit on perch was increased to 50 per day is that the DWR Aquatics biologists recognize perch are not usually impacted by sport harvest. My report was intended to generate some added interest in Mill Meadow and for a selfish reason: I think we will see larger perch at Mill Meadow next year if loads of them are removed this winter. Ice fishing is the best way to target perch. It's a long drive from the Wasatch Front, but I think many will give it a try when the results are a sure thing.

Now go fish!

Mike


----------



## El Matador (Dec 21, 2007)

That place can definitely benefit from perch harvest, especially since they quit stocking tiger muskie. In fact, I hope they resume that practice now that they have found more fish to stock. It used to be that you'd catch fewer but nicer perch and now the dinks are so abundant. I usually fish it for trout during the spring and summer and I'm constantly fouling my hook with dink perch. Sometimes they come off on the back cast, but often I have to strip my fly right in and unhook the little beggars.


----------



## muscles (Dec 13, 2009)

apparently the "hottspotting" joke hurt your feelings mike. that wasnt my intent. my post at BFT said this:

"yep...mill meadow is always non stop on the ice. sshhhhhh. im new, but i know hot spotting when i see it. LOL!

catching the perch is the easy part. its the fillets that take some time  "

i thought it was pretty clear that i was joking around.

in any event, my second post said this:

"notice i said in the same post that i frequent mill meadow and have the same results with perch their.

i also realize that the limit was increased in 2010 and the lake could use some additional perch pressure. "


----------



## TopH2O (Mar 18, 2009)

No harm, no foul. I just wanted to make the point that I also think it's unwise to highlight fishing spots or waters that could be adversely impacted by added fishing pressure.
Mill Meadow NEEDS additional perch removal to benefit all of the fish in that lake. It seems we agree on that point and I now know your comment was meant as a joke. I would like to retract my ealier "clown" comment about your first post. Internet fishing reports can be a great way to share information and to direct angler effort where it can benefit the fishery and provide anglers with unique opportunities. Now that we have cleared the air, let's get out there and thin the herd.
Mike


----------



## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

I was already going this weekend but good to hear the edges are good. Get down there and get those bait stealing perch out of there!


----------

