Bigjay73
Well-known member
Looking to chase some perch, going to be in Laramie sometime this month. Is Hattie the best bet? If so, anyone have any pointers?
Hattie perch
- Thread starter Bigjay73
- Start date
BuzzH
Well-known member
Haven't been out there this year, but I caught only 3 last year and I know what I'm doing. Year before I caught maybe 30. I'll probably get out this weekend.
The population seems to be pretty low, still some around but unless things really changed, I wouldn't plan on catching many. Plan on working for what you do catch. I talked to nobody that did any good last year, but most don't know what they're doing when it comes to perch.
Fish deep 35+ and if you don't get bit in the first 5 minutes, move. Drill 50-150 holes and keep moving. If you catch one, get your stuff right back down as quick as you can. Pound on them until they quit, then move. Drop you stuff to the bottom every minute or so, it creates a cloud of silt and lots of time will trigger them.
It was really good about 10-15 years ago, stupid good.
Year before last:
The good old days, probably less than an hour:
Bigjay73
Well-known member
That's discouraging, but I appreciate the tips. I'll give it a go and see if I can't catch one or two.
Carl 9.3x62
Well-known member
I remember those 50+ perch days out there. Seemed to change when the reservoir filled back up.
BuzzH
Well-known member
You can fish for trout/slimers at the same time, move up and down the water column jigging all the time. They usually hit right on the drop. Might pluck a kokanee or two as well, orange pimple, sometimes white maribou jigs, jigging all the time. The kokes really move around the water column, usually in the top 15 feet, but I've caught them right on the bottom too. I've also caught them 2-3 feet below the ice in 35-40 feet.
Dead stick with a maribou jig, waxie/small crawlers rigged like slow death on a jaw jacker will keep you busy on slimers. Likely won't catch any kokes on them, but trout AND sometimes perch.
Dougfirtree
Well-known member
I gotta ask: what is a "slimer"?
BuzzH
Well-known member
Trout
Dougfirtree
Well-known member
Ah, that makes sense. Slime makes me think of pike, but those didn't seem like pike tactics to me. When you guys figure out what makes perch populations crash, let us know. We have a bunch of trout ponds here that have been taken over by the tasty little buggers...
BuzzH
Well-known member
On Hattie it was over fishing...and I was part of the problem. Along with half of Colorado, Nebraska, and about 25% of the Dakotas. It was unreal how many people were traveling long distances to fish perch there. In fairness it was pretty spectacular fishing.
