catching larger perch

[stinkies daddy]

I have a problem! My daughter is 4 soon to be 5 (yes i already hate teenage boys) and here in arkansas we have alot of perch which she enjoys greatly. The problem is that we are only catchin the lil 1's and would very much like to get on the bigger sunnies blue gills and so on. We know where the fish are but how do i get the bigger 1's to bite? this is a pic of lil stinky with a typical fish for us and she caught it

Please help us out cuz it would take bout 1500 of these to feed the fam

[deathb4disco]

She's very cute.

In my experience, there are two reasons for catching lots of small fish:

1) The bream in the lake/pond are overpopulated and stunted, so there just aren't any big boys to be caught.

2) You're not fishing deep enough.

From the looks of the lake in the picture, I'd say #2 is more likely in your case. Try 10-12' depths. If that doesn't work, try a little deeper. Also, fish as light as possible. I use a 4# main line with a 2# or 3# leader (6X or 7X fly tippet.) Use as small a hook as you feel comfortable with. I use 14's and 16's.

[dixieangler]

What Kevin said except I don't like to use hooks below a size 12 as I don't like to remove them from the bream's belly, they just take the smaller hooks too deep. Sometimes they even take size 12s too deep. Like Kevin said, its what you are comfortable with.

[stinkies daddy]

Thanks to both of you, we went deeper.......and

[dixieangler]

That's great :D. Looks like she's a happy camper as long as she's catching no matter what size .

[stinkies daddy]

Shes the best and thanks for all your help. She wanted to keep them, hell she caught them, so i couldnt say no.................... but i'll tell u what, them things make skinny fillets

Stink

[SteveJ]

Scale them and then just cut each side off, sometimes I love the taste of brim with the skin on, gives it a different flavor.

[shipahoy41]

Hey,

This is old ship here. Everyone was right on when they said to fish through the small Bluegills. :D Use a slip bobber to adjust your depth. Also, use a #8 hook or small #8 marabou jig like mine. Tip them with a wax worm for scent. You got to train the fish and let them know you have some "Hot Sauce" waiting for them after they go to Lake Crisco. :D :D :D Tell 'em you mean business! Talk to them. "Come to Poppa" "Who's yo daddy?" "Send up your big fat cousins" "Here fiiiiiiiishy fiiiiiiiiishy"

Fish slower. Watch your float for the slightest activitity. http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/showthread.php?t=19609

After you catch them, here is how to really fillet them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqCoph-C6Jo

How To Filet A Crappie
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQXIbS5Y-Qs

Thanks again for your help in May at Midfield. Take care. Don't forget to sign my guestbook on my website.

old ship

[joejv4]

For filleting gills, that crappie video above is the same way I do gills - the only real difference is you don't get the belly meat from a gill like you do from a crappie. My gill fillets go from tail to back of the rib cage then along the spine on top of the ribs - and you can get some decent meat off fish like the ones Stinky is holding in the photo above (the ones on the stringer, not the one outdoors in the boat LOL!)

Like was also mentioned, you can clean them the way my grandpa used to -
scale them, cut the head off, gut it, then cut out the dorsal and anal fins.

Roll in a mix of flour and salt & pepper, then pan fry in butter - Yummy!!!!
You'll want to make sure you teach Little Stinky to be careful of bones if you prepare the fish this way (which is part of why I fillet everything - so I don't have to worry when my kids eat the fish we catch).

[kayaker]

Or put them in a ziplock bag with 3 parts corn meal to one part flour, plenty of salt and black pepper – shake shake shake – fry in pan of olive oil inch deep – with onion slices optional.