F.F.T.T. at Willard 2-22-24

[TubeDude]

Nice report Pat, glad you got some tugs and didn't get skunked yesterday. 

We went out today as well so here's our report: 

9:55       Perch – on blue and silver snare spoon tipped with chub meat (SBSP)  13”
 
Then nothing. As we pulled lines in to relocate, we got our second fish….
 
10:15    Perch     SBSP      13”
 

Happy to hear you guys got out on the water.  Also glad you killed the skunk on your first trip.

I got my only perch on a blue/silver jig also...and one of the cats.

What depth did you find your fish?

13.5-14 FOW fish were not schooled up or together at all. But happy we each got to catch one. We never saw any big shad schools just small clusters here there as we trolled around.

That's pretty much what I found.  Only small clumps of shad and the perch were scattered.  I tried dropping to some individuals and small scattered groups in the shallower water but couldn't get bit.  Only perch I got was out in 20 feet while catching catfish.  That's a switch.  I usually catch a few catfish while fishing for perch.  

I suspect that the perch will not be schooling up again very much until they are getting ready to spawn.  And then they are usually harder to find and harder to catch.  Like the walleye...their big cousins...they don't feed much during the spawn and then take a while to get active again.  But, also like the walleyes, they will have a big post spawn feedup beginning in late May to June...after the water warms over 60 degrees.  Last year there were a lot of perch caught by anglers dragging bottom bouncers or pulling cranks for walleyes.  I'm guessing we will see more of them this year.  And knowledgeable perch-jerkers can probably score well on the perch if they hunt them down.

Are you gonna play around in your new float tube this year?