Lake Wylie - White Perch?

Kayak Fisherman here that usually fishes the NC side of Wylie around the Belmont/Mt. Holly area. Until this spring, I was new to crappie fishing, but after some much needed help from some of you here and on the lake, I can now catch a few about every outing. I am now wondering how to target white perch. Where should I look and what should I use to catch. I have caught a few off some points while trolling crank baits from the YAK, but have never got into them while crappie fishing. I actually have never caught one while fishing for crappie with live minnows. From everything I have read they are a nuciance to the lake, have no limit and are good to eat (want to verify myself).

I have been crappie fishing mostly around bridges and in the river channels around cover. Since I have never caught one, I assume they have not been located in these areas the last few months. Any help with locations, rigs, bait, etc would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Generally speaking you can catch them the same ways you catch crappie.

Never been on Wylie but on Norman there in big schools, mostly over deeper water in creek mouth. They are really good eatin. We skin all the ones we keep instead of scaling them. Got 2 white perch today crappie fishing.

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Originally Posted by jnbwolf

Kayak Fisherman here that usually fishes the NC side of Wylie around the Belmont/Mt. Holly area. Until this spring, I was new to crappie fishing, but after some much needed help from some of you here and on the lake, I can now catch a few about every outing. I am now wondering how to target white perch. Where should I look and what should I use to catch. I have caught a few off some points while trolling crank baits from the YAK, but have never got into them while crappie fishing. I actually have never caught one while fishing for crappie with live minnows. From everything I have read they are a nuciance to the lake, have no limit and are good to eat (want to verify myself).

I have been crappie fishing mostly around bridges and in the river channels around cover. Since I have never caught one, I assume they have not been located in these areas the last few months. Any help with locations, rigs, bait, etc would be much appreciated.

Thanks

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please tell us all how NOT to catch white perch while crappie fishing...that would be a trick

Like jrc62 said on norman they are usually in big schools. This past sunday while catfishing on norman with my catfishing buddy we found a big school while pulling a creek and lowered 2 sabiki rigs and were catching 6 at a time. we caught 50 in 20 minutes, vacuum sealed and froze for bait. Starting August the first in NC you can catch white perch with a cast net west of I 95 and no limit!!!!!!!! They have all but elimanated the white bass in lake norman. Once you find a school drop a sabiki rig and they attack like phiranas. A very nice way to keep kids occupied fishing!!!!!!!!!

fishinROD - sadly the "no perch while crappie fishing" is not due to my crappie catching abilities. Being in a Kayak I have limited amount spots I can get to, and must have found my hole where no perch likes to live.

I am thinking about putting out two rods in holders with double hook drop rigs covering as much of the water column I can and just trolling (paddling). I have heard one guy say to use a jig head with strips of cut bait the size of minnows and roll in on the bottom around points?

I do have a fish finder on Yak and have found structure, but not sure I would even know what a Perch school would look like until I experience one.

Thanks again

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Originally Posted by jrc62

Never been on Wylie but on Norman there in big schools, mostly over deeper water in creek mouth. They are really good eatin. We skin all the ones we keep instead of scaling them. Got 2 white perch today crappie fishing.

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Nice mess of fish! Were you trolling, on brush, or at night?

hey jnbwolf....here's alittle tip for ya....white perch LOVE nightcrawlers.......go to the mouth of a creek or deep cove and fish the bottom, from the mouth to the back, right down the middle

Appreciate it. What kind of rig do you use? Hook size?

please take and keep all you catch!!!! great for eatin and gardening:biggrin

Caught most around bridges and deep docks. Just soaking minnows.

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Originally Posted by jnbwolf

Appreciate it. What kind of rig do you use? Hook size?

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it doesnt matter , they dont care, just stay near the bottom, any hook size you would use for crappie/bream is fine......but its best to use a swivel because you will pick up cats too......a buddy of mine fishes Lake James, he trolls for walleye using a nightcrawler harness. he usually catches 15-20 good sized white perch an outing......you can also use a sibiki rig with a jigging spoon....

Attachment 166735

Found them

:biggrinI should say you sure did, congrats good catch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :biggrin

How'd they taste? ive thrown back about a 1000 this year, lol might have to feed some to the kids soon, Falls is so loaded with these guys,

good fishing

I think white perch taste almost as good as crappie!

First time trying them out myself . They were great and light tasting. I was dreading cleaning them but that was no problem either. I chose to cut whole sides off then cut out ribs. When you have a huge mess of them, you don't stress if you mess a few up or leave some meat here or there. I was left with filets the size of a fish stick. Hot grease and some House Autry=. Awesome. Honestly some of the best fish I have ate.Attachment 166912

Yup you sure did. They are good eating fish when filleted and skinned. First time we cleaned some small ones whole we did not care for them, but once we started filleting and skinning them we love them.
Now you will be asking how NOT to catch them.:Rofl

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Originally Posted by jnbwolf

First time trying them out myself . They were great and light tasting. I was dreading cleaning them but that was no problem either. I chose to cut whole sides off then cut out ribs. When you have a huge mess of them, you don't stress if you mess a few up or leave some meat here or there. I was left with filets the size of a fish stick. Hot grease and some House Autry=. Awesome. Honestly some of the best fish I have ate.Attachment 166912

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Not Fair! I can take seeing buckets of fish I am not catching, but, then you show me a beautiful plate of fried fish ...well, it's just not fair. I got a bottle of malt vinegar, if you're interested!

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Originally Posted by Big Crappie 2

please take and keep all you catch!!!! great for eatin and gardening:biggrin

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Mostly gardening, lol

Is skinning not the second cut of the fillet. I don't understand how you can have a fillet with skin on it. :twocents

I always skin mine but I think fillet actually means (from the french word) a boneless cut of meat. Some folks scale the fish and leave the skin on, a matter to taste.
We fillet salmon but leave the skin and scales on if we are going to smoke it.