From The South Facing Perch About Perch

After spending over 5 decades hunting the various fish that swim in Lake Mille Lacs, I have very few questions unanswered in that regard. Life has been consumed by analyzing and re-analyzing every imaginable aspect of what takes place under the surface of the big lake. Like brain surgery, its been a life or death effort to know all the whys and why nots about the big lake and it's under water world. But these days, a lingering question, now going on ten years without a good answer, is "why did the perch fishing go so far down hill ?"

One of the more seasoned Lake Mille Lacs perch hunters, Wally Swenson. kept a perch hunting log book for many years. Swenson fished perch almost exclusively at the big lake, for several decades, 5 to 7 days a week, all winter, from his north shore home base. One could invite him to a pretty good walleye bite and he'd shrug his shoulders and say "thanks but no thanks". So what's the Swenson perching log book say these days? First you have to ask when he last perch fished? It has been years now.......and there's no question why.

Honestly, I can't recall when I last saw a full 5 gallon bucket of Lake Mille Lacs perch. Now I know we didn't get a bucket full EVERY time out for two of us, let alone per guy. It takes about 35 9 to 11 inch perch to fill a 5 gallon bucket. If Swenson's log book reported 18 or 20 in the bucket for two guys for a full day, it also added some negative thoughts and maybe some excuses for the slow day. Like Swenson, I quit perching too. Countless trips in the past 7-8 years have averaged less than double digit catch rates for two of us in a day. With a few exceptions of 15-20, after being used to much better results, 10 perch per day per guy doesn't cut it anymore for me--and the likes of seasoned perch hunters at Lake Mille Lacs.

So why have things changed?? Fishermen are better than ever in every asepct. Yet the results, consistently, don't compare to the history passed. Not even close! The camera shows all kinds of perch. But not like the screens showed back in the day. Now, the average size is 5-6 inches. Numbers are as good or better, however. So why don't they grow bigger like they used to? Years back, one in ten was under 8 inches. Now, one in 30 are over 8 inches?

The DNR says perch numbers in the big lake are fine. Decent size as usual. I dare them to show me! How can the modern day angler, now covering ice like never before, keep avoiding them if nothing has drastically changed? How can a good fishing report these days speak about 10 keeper perch for a whole weekend---consistently? ONE "jumbo" is a big deal these days! I don't get it.......but I bet somebody knows and ain't saying.