The Perch of Cascade Lake
 

Cascade Lake in Idaho has been gaining in attention the last few years across the Ice Belt in the USA and Canada. Do not forget your Jaw Jacker when you are heading to this lake. Each year we go it seems there are more fishing groups out on the ice in search of the monster perch that roam below the ice. We have met guys from all over the place out there. Even though you may watch this video and think we had an amazing day fishing, most other guys were getting skunked or only catching a handful during the same time period.

https://youtu.be/fUSiT6QJ2jE

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Cool stuff man, thanks for sharing

Absolutely slayed them my man, congrats on those humpbacks!

Wicked Perch. What if a guy wanted to mount some? I assume you can bring them back whole and frozen for your Taxidermist of choice here?


Cool pics.

Yes, you can take the whole frozen or fresh back to Canada if you want to mount them. Technically if you read the regulations about crossing the boarder with fish you're only allowed ten perch per person. That's the canadian import
regulations. Has nothing to do with fishing regs.

Cascade Slabs ........ nice.

I really wish we could grow them (consistently across an entire age class) that big here. What's the forage base in that lake? depth? water classification?

I genuinely interested in seeing what makes so many of these grow so big there.

No predators, no walleye, little competition. They eat mostly blood worms, and juvenile perch. At least thats what they've spit up when I've caught them. Its a river fed Reservoir probably muddy bottom. Large areas of shallow flats and then the river channel ranges from 20 to 60 feet deep. So pretty much the perch are everywhere. No winter kill.

The killed this lake off over 10 years ago, poisoned the whole thing and then restocked stunted perch from another lake. This is what happens. So its those first few year classes that are growing big because there weren't much for numbers in the lake then. Who knows how long this will continue. Hasn't always been like this.

Won't last long. Perch live 7 years. Without predation stunting is around the corner.

Some beauty perch there.

I think they say the big ones are 8 to 10 years old now. As long as they eat enough of themselves it might help. Projection estimates already put the perch population in the lake at 1 billion... although I don't know where they all are because seriously I have trouble finding perch in that lake and can't find the little guys. They must be hiding from the big ones.

Over time it will tend toward the mean and they aren't really sure how long that will take. 2016 test netting results show that overall the average size of the perch was still increasing. So it hasn't even hit its peak yet. So we're probably ok for a few more seasons.

Speaking with Tackle Tom down in Cascade he said prior to the original perch Collapse a large fish was around 12 to 13 inches. So eventually will probably get back to a regular fishery. Till then I'll be hitting it just for kicks.

That looks incredible. Certainly better than Mons lake

Return trip to Cascade
 

Are you returning to Cascade this year? I’m planning on a February trip 15-22. I have never been but have watched your videos multiple times. I need to experience it for myself now Covid testing is no more to cross the border.

This is a 5-year-old post

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Oh so sorry I didn’t realize there was a limit on asking a question on older posts. My bad. What is the limit in your eyes as to when you aren’t supposed to inquire? I will be sure to avoid that at all cost.

You're a funny guy just letting you know it's a 5-year-old post and the guy isn't even on here anymore I don't believe

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I did realize how old it was and didn’t feel the need to explain the back story in the question but here we go. I have commented on Brandon’s YouTube videos and had conversations about going to cascade with him. He stressed he was waiting for the restrictions to come off before entertaining the thought of going. Just noticed the older post and made a innocent comment. That’s all but still a valid Question.

I haven't seen him on here in a long time. That said, looks like he finally posting again on YouTube. Probably have a better chance of reaching him on UTube.

Okay thanks I didn’t realize he has abandoned this forum as I only chime in for ice season usually as I get excited for ice fishing and read posts I have interest in. Some good tips and info in the archives I like to read.

All good. I watched a bunch of Cascade videos last year...again...thought about it but likely will stay close to home. Good luck if you end up going.

All in all those are some good snackers. 35 years ago we could catch some pretty close to that size from Duck Lake in BC just north of Creston.

Honestly, 35 years ago you could catch them very near that size at Lake Isle. That's about all my wife could keep down when she was pregnant with our first child, so I made lots of runs out there. Those are the perch I grew up catching, which is why I'm always scratching my head looking at even the "stars" on YouTube holding up a "slab" 10 inch perch...no depth in the body...no hump. :confused::confused:

Anyways, Brandon's last log in here was back in January FYI.

He still posts on IG if anyone is looking for him. Cascade has really gone downhill for fish over 15" inches from what I've read. All the social media attention definitely thinned out the monsters.

Actually, Alberta used to have an absolute perch factory in Missiswawi Lake by Lac La Biche. Big perch were very common. Big as in 16 inch. The secret was the fresh water shrimp. Fishing pressure was high and limits were 30 per person.

The lake level dropped about 10 feet for various reasons and the lake winter killed.

No idea if it could be rehabilitated with a weir to hold the water or restoration of natural drainage and restocking, as the water levels have returned to a number of lakes in the LLB area.

Drewski

Sylvan lake and believe it or not Chestermere lake had lots of over 12 inch hump back perch in the 70 and 80 not much for size left in either

There’s still a bunch of lakes in Alberta that hold large perch. Not many anglers like to post or even talk about these lakes tho.