Rockport Perch Jerkin' 8-23-22 (With Video)

[TubeDude]

VIDEO LINK

Had a hankerin’ for some perch.  Weighed all my options and Rockport won the three sided coin toss.  Got a few nice ones there last year…even in the disastrously low water.  Figured the current higher water conditions might offer more potential.  I was right.
 

Launched about 7ish.  Amazing how much higher the water level is this year.  Last year I had to wade through sticky mud at the end of a long ramp to get my tube launched.  This year the ramp to the water was only about 1/3 as long as the ramp at Deer Creek on my last excursion.  Mo bettah.
 
Air temp at launch was a cool 49…warming to a lovely 82 at noon departure.  Water temp was 66 at the ramp but 68 main lake…warming to 70 by noon.


Couldn’t believe it.  As I was prepping my tube for launch a large wakeboard boat backs down right next to me…not even light yet.  And when I hollered that the lake was reserved for float tubes the response was unprintable on a family forum.  At least he did most of his big wake playing on the other side of the lake…as did the two other water skiers that launched on Tuesday.
 

Based upon recent intel received…and factoring in past experience…I headed south from the ramp toward the inlet.  Made a brief stop at the rocky outcrops and did some exploratory fishing.  Saw marks on sonar and sent down a couple of different sizes and colors of worm-baited whirly fligs.  Only got a few perch pecks for a few minutes.  Then I picked up a couple of basket perch and a couple of small smallies.
  

Moved slowly south off the mud and rock shoreline.  I was slowly bottom bouncing a couple of worm baited whirly fligs at about .5 mph…working in and out from as shallow as 12 feet out to over 20 feet.  Began seeing huge schools of baby perch along the bottom at several depths.  And also began to pick up perch with fair regularity. 
 

The earlier fish came from about 15 feet.  Later the bigger fish moved out to 20 – 22 feet.  Lots of bait stealers and dinks...and a fair number of half-footers (six inchers).  But between 8 – 11 am I managed to put over a dozen filletable sized perch in the basket.  They ranged from around 9 to 11 inches.  And I lost one humongo at the net that would have been an easy 12-13 inches.  There are still some bigguns in Rockport.


Besides the little whirly fligs, I had one rod rigged for vertical jigging whenever I found a concentration or a school of perch.  It was a tandem rig with 2 1/16 oz. pale perch colored PBJs (painted body jigs).  One was a “flat rinkee”.  The other was a wobble head jig.  Both produced a fair number of perch…from super small to respectable.
 

By 11:30 the fishing had slowed, my big battery was running low and my bladder was getting full.  So I headed for the ramp.  Chris Penne (DWR) came over to chat while I was getting my gear packed up.  He was there with some other folks from the Division doing some studies on the young of the year perch population.  Said they had been finding them at all levels…even up to 49 feet deep…but most above the thermocline which they measured at 32 feet.
 
Fun day on the water.  Plenty of perch jerkin’ and only a light smattering of other boats.

[jjannie]

nice basket full TD, looks great! Was wondering how the water was holding up this year. Looks like ice fishing will be good this winter.

[TubeDude]

nice basket full TD, looks great! Was wondering how the water was holding up this year. Looks like ice fishing will be good this winter.

Yep.  Don't know if you caught Adam Eakle's show on Rockport a couple of weeks ago.  They were fishing for kokes and caught a couple.  But they also caught several big chunky rainbows.  And with the higher water levels the fish should be more comfy and the "usual" patterns and locations should hold up. 

As far as the perch are concerned, it looks like the populations of all sizes are substantial.  There was evidently a good spawn and plenty of larger perch too.  I already posted one pic of baby perch schools in 22 feet of water.  And I saw MANY schools in several depths...including one at about 40 feet.  Also saw a few schools of larger perch in several areas.  As always, it will take some searching to find them and some finesse to catch them.  You cain't ketch 'em where they ain't.
  

[wiperhunter2]

In your pic titled wobble PBJ, that is the same location Joe and I found them a few weeks past but all along that shore line we found them as well. With the depth that Forest reported at Willard, in the North marina channel, I'm hoping that we will be chasing perch there this Fall but Rockport will be another option from what you are reporting and what we saw there. Maybe we will get lucky and they will get Echo open as well.

[TubeDude]

In your pic titled wobble PBJ, that is the same location Joe and I found them a few weeks past but all along that shore line we found them as well. With the depth that Forest reported at Willard, in the North marina channel, I'm hoping that we will be chasing perch there this Fall but Rockport will be another option from what you are reporting and what we saw there. Maybe we will get lucky and they will get Echo open as well.

I have been hoping for  a shot at Echo too.  Just talked to the office at Echo this morning and was told that the opening date is still scheduled for sometime in October. 

There have been a lot of reports of anglers scoring well on walleyes in Echo this summer.  Some have been caught from shore but there are others who are trudging float tubes or kayaks down the hill from turnouts to launch off the shoreline and fish standard walleye tactics.  It seems that in spite of DWR's displeasure...and the mandatory keep and kill rule in place...the walleyes have proliferated in Echo and are likely to become a significant fishery...for those who know how to catch them.

[SkunkedAgain]

Hey Pat seen the video yesterday before you posted, it was pretty fast action from watching that video... Sure looked like a fun trip, thanks for a great post and video.... Not so into your back ground music though... Me thinks it's more fun without the tunes... Later J

[TubeDude]

Hey Pat seen the video yesterday before you posted, it was pretty fast action from watching that video... Sure looked like a fun trip, thanks for a great post and video.... Not so into your back ground music though... Me thinks it's more fun without the tunes... Later J

The action was intermittent.  Had to do some searching between hot spots.  Then would catch several fish and they would either quit biting or move.  However, there were a few stops when both rods would go down...although I seldom landed the second fish.  They get off a lot more easily than the heavier catfish that really sink the hook on the strike.  And there was one spot where I found a school of perch stacked up and dropped down my tandem jig rig...and actually brought in my only double of the day...both nice sized perch.


[b]About the music.  I don't much like background music either.  In fact on a lot of videos...and on many TV programs...the music is so loud you can't hear the voices.  So I have tried to keep my music on the mellow side, but I would rather do the videos without.  Will probably do so for at least a few of them.  Thanks for watching and thanks for your comments.  Now let's go fishing if we can get you outta the fields for a day.[/b]

[lovetofish]

Sounds like a fun trip I'm jealous. I was going to go up this past week but I'm giving my wife infusion treatments 3 times a day for the next 2 weeks and it's hard to get away.

I agree about the overbearing music when it's so load that it drowns out the people talking. I didn't mind the music you put in your video.

[Kent]

..."I would rather do the videos without. Will probably do so for at least a few of them."

Yippee skippee!

[TubeDude]

..."I would rather do the videos without.  Will probably do so for at least a few of them."

Yippee skippee!

Yeah...well you can't hear anything anyway.  But due to popular demand, I'll fire the philharmonic orchestra I have had on retainer.

[Freakyfisherman]

In your pic titled wobble PBJ, that is the same location Joe and I found them a few weeks past but all along that shore line we found them as well. With the depth that Forest reported at Willard, in the North marina channel, I'm hoping that we will be chasing perch there this Fall but Rockport will be another option from what you are reporting and what we saw there. Maybe we will get lucky and they will get Echo open as well.

There have been a lot of reports of anglers scoring well on walleyes in Echo this summer.  Some have been caught from shore but there are others who are trudging float tubes or kayaks down the hill from turnouts to launch off the shoreline and fish standard walleye tactics.  It seems that in spite of DWR's displeasure...and the mandatory keep and kill rule in place...the walleyes have proliferated in Echo and are likely to become a significant fishery...for those who know how to catch them.

Pat, 
Great video and nice work on those perch on Rockport. I think I am losing my touch at finding and catching walleye. I was out on Echo yesterday morning in the float tube with my son. Despite all my attempts of catching my first Echo walleye, nothing to show for it. My son landed a 20-inch brown as he was working a worm on a jig. I had one hit that had me thinking walleye just because of my catching some in the past on a jig and worm. I missed my only hit of the morning. I was marking a fish here and there that had me thinking eyes. I tried jigging minnow style plastics, jig, and a worm, jigging rapalas, ripping spoons off the bottom, and even a ned rig. Those that are lucky enough to be scoring them still must be dragging spinner rigs on bottom bouncers. That I cannot do in my tube because of my fin-powered tubing. This video has me thinking maybe I should go and target some perch at Rockport too. A few years back, I did well in August, kicking straight out from the camping area near the river inlet. 
Gabe

[TubeDude]

Pat, 
Great video and nice work on those perch on Rockport. I think I am losing my touch at finding and catching walleye. I was out on Echo yesterday morning in the float tube with my son. Despite all my attempts of catching my first Echo walleye, nothing to show for it. My son landed a 20-inch brown as he was working a worm on a jig. I had one hit that had me thinking walleye just because of my catching some in the past on a jig and worm. I missed my only hit of the morning. I was marking a fish here and there that had me thinking eyes. I tried jigging minnow style plastics, jig, and a worm, jigging rapalas, ripping spoons off the bottom, and even a ned rig. Those that are lucky enough to be scoring them still must be dragging spinner rigs on bottom bouncers. That I cannot do in my tube because of my fin-powered tubing. This video has me thinking maybe I should go and target some perch at Rockport too. A few years back, I did well in August, kicking straight out from the camping area near the river inlet. 
Gabe

Sorry you didn't find any walleye love at Echo.  I think the guys who are catching them are using crawler rigs.  But even though some are catching them, you know that they can be tough to find and even tougher to catch on any given day.  You might have to break down and put an electric on your tube.  I sure would be lost without mine now. 

I suspect you could find some perch almost anywhere around the lake at Rockport.  But the spot you described is where I found the most larger ones.  And they are all along the rocky rubble shoreline...either in singles, doubles or small schools.  But there are plenty of gooduns.

[wiperhunter2]

In your pic titled wobble PBJ, that is the same location Joe and I found them a few weeks past but all along that shore line we found them as well. With the depth that Forest reported at Willard, in the North marina channel, I'm hoping that we will be chasing perch there this Fall but Rockport will be another option from what you are reporting and what we saw there. Maybe we will get lucky and they will get Echo open as well.

I have been hoping for  a shot at Echo too.  Just talked to the office at Echo this morning and was told that the opening date is still scheduled for sometime in October. 

There have been a lot of reports of anglers scoring well on walleyes in Echo this summer.  Some have been caught from shore but there are others who are trudging float tubes or kayaks down the hill from turnouts to launch off the shoreline and fish standard walleye tactics.  It seems that in spite of DWR's displeasure...and the mandatory keep and kill rule in place...the walleyes have proliferated in Echo and are likely to become a significant fishery...for those who know how to catch them.

I've heard the same thing, we even went so far as to drive by the unloading location there along the road to find the general area when we were coming back from out scouting trip a few weeks back. We have fishing that section of shore line from a boat a year or two back and think we know the area good enough to have an idea where they are cathing them. If the actually open it up in Oct we will give a try and see what turns up and if nothing else I'm sure we can find the perch there too.  I'm not sure if the DWR are still stocking those sterile eyes at echo but if they are, that could be what those guys are catching.

[TubeDude]

  I'm not sure if the DWR are still stocking those sterile eyes at echo but if they are, that could be what those guys are catching.

My understanding is that some of the "sterile" planters turned out to be viable spawners...and there is now natural (uncontrolled) stocking.  The other possibility is that there is some bucket biology going on to "help" DWR.  That is the reason for the mandatory keep and kill.  But too late.  There have been reports of seeing large schools of young (unstocked) walleyes in the shallows.  Good for walleye fans but vexing to DWR. 

As I have said before...you can't manage the unmanageable.  I hope they don't break out the rotenone just to return Echo to another trout only environment.  Now if they could find something that was specific to killing only the carp I could go along with that.  But leave the perch, smallies, crappies, catfish and walleyes alone.  Anglers shall not live by trout alone.  Thus sayeth TubeDude.

[wiperhunter2]

  I'm not sure if the DWR are still stocking those sterile eyes at echo but if they are, that could be what those guys are catching.

My understanding is that some of the "sterile" planters turned out to be viable spawners...and there is now natural (uncontrolled) stocking.  The other possibility is that there is some bucket biology going on to "help" DWR.  That is the reason for the mandatory keep and kill.  But too late.  There have been reports of seeing large schools of young (unstocked) walleyes in the shallows.  Good for walleye fans but vexing to DWR. 

As I have said before...you can't manage the unmanageable.  I hope they don't break out the rotenone just to return Echo to another trout only environment.  Now if they could find something that was specific to killing only the carp I could go along with that.  But leave the perch, smallies, crappies, catfish and walleyes alone.  Anglers shall not live by trout alone.  Thus sayeth TubeDude.

I'm fine with eyes in Echo and I see no problem with trout and eyes being in the same lake, they seem to do fine in Starvation. I would hope before the DWR makes any decision on if they are going to take any more action against eyes being in Echo, that they ask fisher folks for our opinion. I think it's cool to see eyes in a clear water lake,other than Starvation.

[perchinski]

VIDEO LINK

Had a hankerin’ for some perch.  Weighed all my options and Rockport won the three sided coin toss.  Got a few nice ones there last year…even in the disastrously low water.  Figured the current higher water conditions might offer more potential.  I was right.
 

Launched about 7ish.  Amazing how much higher the water level is this year.  Last year I had to wade through sticky mud at the end of a long ramp to get my tube launched.  This year the ramp to the water was only about 1/3 as long as the ramp at Deer Creek on my last excursion.  Mo bettah.
 
Air temp at launch was a cool 49…warming to a lovely 82 at noon departure.  Water temp was 66 at the ramp but 68 main lake…warming to 70 by noon.


Couldn’t believe it.  As I was prepping my tube for launch a large wakeboard boat backs down right next to me…not even light yet.  And when I hollered that the lake was reserved for float tubes the response was unprintable on a family forum.  At least he did most of his big wake playing on the other side of the lake…as did the two other water skiers that launched on Tuesday.
 

Based upon recent intel received…and factoring in past experience…I headed south from the ramp toward the inlet.  Made a brief stop at the rocky outcrops and did some exploratory fishing.  Saw marks on sonar and sent down a couple of different sizes and colors of worm-baited whirly fligs.  Only got a few perch pecks for a few minutes.  Then I picked up a couple of basket perch and a couple of small smallies.
  

Moved slowly south off the mud and rock shoreline.  I was slowly bottom bouncing a couple of worm baited whirly fligs at about .5 mph…working in and out from as shallow as 12 feet out to over 20 feet.  Began seeing huge schools of baby perch along the bottom at several depths.  And also began to pick up perch with fair regularity. 
 

The earlier fish came from about 15 feet.  Later the bigger fish moved out to 20 – 22 feet.  Lots of bait stealers and dinks...and a fair number of half-footers (six inchers).  But between 8 – 11 am I managed to put over a dozen filletable sized perch in the basket.  They ranged from around 9 to 11 inches.  And I lost one humongo at the net that would have been an easy 12-13 inches.  There are still some bigguns in Rockport.


Besides the little whirly fligs, I had one rod rigged for vertical jigging whenever I found a concentration or a school of perch.  It was a tandem rig with 2 1/16 oz. pale perch colored PBJs (painted body jigs).  One was a “flat rinkee”.  The other was a wobble head jig.  Both produced a fair number of perch…from super small to respectable.
 

By 11:30 the fishing had slowed, my big battery was running low and my bladder was getting full.  So I headed for the ramp.  Chris Penne (DWR) came over to chat while I was getting my gear packed up.  He was there with some other folks from the Division doing some studies on the young of the year perch population.  Said they had been finding them at all levels…even up to 49 feet deep…but most above the thermocline which they measured at 32 feet.
 
Fun day on the water.  Plenty of perch jerkin’ and only a light smattering of other boats.

[doitall5000]

One big zero for Rockport today. Trolled for 3 hours in 20 mph winds. Not one fish , tried for perch but hard in the wind.

[wiperhunter2]

Hey Mike, I see the reset worked but no reply?  Have you been fishing at Echo or Rockport?

[perchinski]

Been tearing 'em up myself the past few weeks.  Schools of 11" jumbos on highway side in 14', 18' and 22'.  Vertical fishing not as productive as slowly drifting over them with a nice ripple wind.  Tandem rig two Berkley 1/16th power-tubes in that perch color and you'll have your hands full.  A bonus bass here & there to boot.

[wiperhunter2]

Been tearing 'em up myself the past few weeks.  Schools of 11" jumbos on highway side in 14', 18' and 22'.  Vertical fishing not as productive as slowly drifting over them with a nice ripple wind.  Tandem rig two Berkley 1/16th power-tubes in that perch color and you'll have your hands full.  A bonus bass here & there to boot.

Awesome, thanks for the intel Mike, good to see you back on BFT. From Pat's post, to what we found a few weeks back and now your info, RP is shaping up to fish real well this Fall and Winter.