Jumbo Perch are popular ice-fishing targets in the winter, but anglers can have great success targeting these perch during fall.
JUMBO PERCH IN FALL
Jumbo Perch In Fall, known regionally as “jumbos,” are popular ice-fishing targets throughout the winter months. They provide good action, fight hard on light tackle, and for many anglers, make a great meal. Perch are usually plentiful, so keeping a reasonable number of fish while avoiding overharvest is like having your cake and eating it, too.
The question is, “Why wait for ice-up to catch them?” Good question! The answer is, “You don’t have to. You can catch them right now, during fall, in many of the same spots they’ll be during winter. And, you can do it from a boat, rather than atop the ice.”
By mid- to late-fall, perch begin shifting a bit deeper, from weedlines and perhaps sandgrass beds lying just outside the tall standing weeds. They settle down to the base of the dropoff—and then commonly roam across the adjacent basin. Not necessarily far out across the basin—although nothing’s stopping them from doing so. More likely, just a little bit outside harder-bottom structure.
Roaming the soft basin like a herd of cattle grazing on grass, perch progressively work over areas, nibbling on all manner of insects, worms and minnows. Once the food is depleted in an area, they move on. So, they can literally be here today, gone tomorrow.
