Quote Originally Posted by Three View Post
Hello everyone. I am looking for some knowledge on catching fish in winter. My crappie have quit on me... even though i can see them on my graph. I figured ring perch would be my best target. I wasn't sure where to post a thread about them.
Three:

I am guessing being from Virginia your winter fishing is open water rather than ice fishing. Where I live, we "get" to ice fish from November through March and when fishing for yellow perch we usually find the deeper areas of a lake or reservoir and fish these areas through the ice. Remember water is most dense at 39 degrees Fahrenheit so the water in the deeper areas of lakes and reservoirs will be the warmest water at 39 degrees F. Now, if you are fishing a reservoir that has a large stream or river feeding it, this will not always be true.

When ice fishing for yellow perch in my favorite water, I find 20-25 foot of water and fish with a small jig or one of the small spoons that has a chain or line dropper hook. I bait with a wax worm, meal worm or maggot and fish very near (within a foot) of the bottom. This method seems to work well where I ice fish. In open water during the winter you may have to find some deeper water and fish straight down so your bait is very near or on the bottom.

Just thought I would share how I fish perch in the winter. Your situation may be totally different.

ClearCreek