Airboat Perch Fishing + Dropper Chains for Deep Water Fish
Category: fishing tips
Feb 12th, 2022 by Keith Worrall
Modified Feb 12th, 2022 at 12:46 PM
Backwater Shallow Jumbo Perch
Just filmed a new episode on the Mississippi River for jumbo perch with Bill Ortiz. If you follow professional walleye tournaments, you probably remember Bill as he had a lot of success on the PWT back in the day including winning multiple tournaments and winning the PWT Angler of the Year. Bill guided for me on Devils Lake for a few years and he is now guiding on the Mississippi River out of an airboat. We used the airboat to access some side channels and slack water cuts along sand bars where there was good ice. The airboat shines for crossing the bad ice to reach these locations. The fish were shallow and we caught some great fish.
Devils Lake Fishing Update
Back home on Devils Lake, we are finding perch much deeper, often fishing in forty feet or more of water. We made a quick video explaining dropper spoons, hanger weights, and pencil rigs for fishing deep water. Besides Devils Lake, we use this stuff on Mendota Lake (near Madison Wisconsin) as well, where anglers often target perch over deep water. Very effective way to get small tackle into deep water.
Next on JMO
This weekend on JMO TV, we fish a snowstorm blizzard early on Lake Sakakawea. Yes… I forgot my net as we hurried to get out on the water and yes, my hands were freezing from landing fish. Forgetting something before we head out on the road is not entirely unusual so bear with us! We share a deadly little trick I like to use early in the year when the water temps are cold, and the fish are in a funk by using extra-long shanked jig hooks, so the hook comes out further down the back of soft plastics.
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