Hello K&D,

I went out of Conny with Fishon667. As soon as the marks showed, we started catchin'.
Bill was using Ole Pete's Jigging Spoons w a single hook below.
I was using 2 #6 gold hooks above a 3/4oz bottle sinker,,, a stacker rig that I make myself. Very similar to a sabiki rig,,, w short, 2" leaders off the main line. NO EMERALDS.
We both were tapping bottom, to call 'em in, then picking up slowly.
Now, No Way am I more seasoned than Bill, but my rig caught 4 doubles and a couple singles to his 2 or 3 singles,,, a cupla times.
There was a time or two when I had to leave both hooks/ baits down in the mud to get a bite, and it usually gave me doubles. (and I even tried his side of the boat! )
What I believe saved the day,,, CUT-BAIT. I started with perch belly strips,,, but I doubled my hits when I put on GOBY strips.

That's the first time I fished next to someone who uses jigging spoons,,,
I an NOT a believer at this point. Maybe next time, when the large perch are bang'n, we'll have another show-down.

 

I put the hook directly on the jig/spoon and then use that as my weight with a crappie rig. But I am the world's worst perch fisherman. One thing I notice is that sometimes green works, sometimes orange and sometimes purple. So I keep three rods rigged and just keep changing until I get consistent bite.

 

K&D there is no set way to fish Old Pete's jigs. Each day is different and also changes while you are fishing. Sometimes pounding the bottom and a slow lift and sometimes it takes a quick lift to get their attention. I also drag the bottom with them at times and sometimes let them set for a few seconds before lifting. Color makes a difference also. I prefer his gold plated jigs in clear water and purple in stained water. I add a piece of silver flash tape to the backs of both also. You need to experiment to find what is working at the moment.

 

Craig at ERieOutfitters turned me on to the crippled herring 8 or so years ago. I use gold almost exclusively in 3/4 oz. size. I will use fire tiger colors when cloudy. I mostly fish for perch 4 or 5 times a year in front of cleveland. I used to have a 2" leader with a #2 truturn red hook. I found out I had to wait until it felt like the fish was swimming away to get the hook in them. Now I have 2 hooks on the spoon, a 2 inch snelled #2 and a 7 inch snelled #2. Now I can catch doubles like the spreader users. I usually catch the larger perch with this rig compared to the others on the boat. If the fish are not biting I may cast it out 15 feet or so and bounce it back. Once the fish start biting all around, I lower it to the bottom by reeling backwards. This allows me to detect the bite on the way down and still catch them. I've only used a crappie rig or spreader a few times since I got the hang of the crippled herring lure. Sometimes the larger perch are the ones on top of the pack feeding up, not down on the bottom. You just have to experiment in order to find the bigger fish.

Oh yea and my minnows I hook through jaw then turn hook to hook up tail. This keeps the minnow on long enough to wait for the stealer to run away. Doesn't matter if minnows are dead or cut this way.

 

Thanks guys, great info- K&D

 

I'm a believer in the Ol Pete's jigging spoons. When the perch are negative, putting on a 1 ozer on and pounding the bottom turns them on, nine out of ten times. When the perch are feeding, the Ol Pete's jigging spoons consistently catch bigger perch than your standars setups, such as crappie rigs and spreaders.