What size Perch do you consider a Keeper?

[GrillBoss]

I released every perch I caught today because they were all too small. I generally don't keep any under 9 inches. Where do you draw the line? What is ethical and practical?

[Talking moose]

I rarely keep em, but when I do I implement my own slot size. 8-11” I would keep, under 8 isn’t worth it, and over 11 I’d rather put back.

[GrillBoss]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

I rarely keep em, but when I do I implement my own slot size. 8-11” I would keep, under 8 isn’t worth it, and over 11 I’d rather put back.

I like the way you think. Keep a few but conserve the resource.

[Sundancefisher]

Lol

At Sundance they all see the Plaid Jacket Sun God and visit their forever home.

While every perch left the lake and recognizing provincial limits don’t apply, we see a lot of different uses.

Some people gut and deep fry cook whole perch as small as 4 inch. Eating the whole fish, skin, fins, head is cultural and deep fried it is all crispy.

Some use the 60 second method and bake.

Some fillet and skin and remove ribcage for boneless perch bites.

Smaller the perch...the more work for less meat.

Some would bury small perch in vegetable gardens...25 five inch perch made for some huge potatoes.

Now that the average perch is over 8 inch...a bucket of 8-10 inchers and the odd 11 and 12 incher makes for quite a bit of meat.

It is now easy to call a few people up who want to take them away.

I am hoping for more than a few buckets of perch once the lake opens.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

I rarely keep em, but when I do I implement my own slot size. 8-11” I would keep, under 8 isn’t worth it, and over 11 I’d rather put back.

For a public lake you are likely doing the best thing possible. Keeping the larger fish genetics for spawning... taking some of the more abundant years classes.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by GrillBoss

I released every perch I caught today because they were all too small. I generally don't keep any under 9 inches. Where do you draw the line? What is ethical and practical?

8-9" or larger is good for the amount of meat you get.....

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

I rarely keep em, but when I do I implement my own slot size. 8-11” I would keep, under 8 isn’t worth it, and over 11 I’d rather put back.

Good on you! I wonder how many on here would follow this. Maybe our perch lakes of yesterday would be better off today.

[old dog]

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

Good on you! I wonder how many on here would follow this. Maybe our perch lakes of yesterday would be better off today.

Totally agree

[Bigwoodsman]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

I rarely keep em, but when I do I implement my own slot size. 8-11” I would keep, under 8 isn’t worth it, and over 11 I’d rather put back.

This is what I follow. Fishing Buddies go nuts when I throw the larger ones back, then I explain it to them and they shut their perch holes.

BW

[aulrich]

I have a personal code for pike big enough to have spawned once or twice or the chance to. And then not too big that you are killing only females I like to top out while the sex ratio is about 70/30 female to male.

I don't know what that would be for perch but the 8"-11" is a reasonable place to start.

Some sort of deepwater release aid would be a good thing to work out they are using them on the coast for rockfish.

[HuyFishin]

Originally Posted by aulrich

I have a personal code for pike big enough to have spawned once or twice or the chance to. And then not too big that you are killing only females I like to top out while the sex ratio is about 70/30 female to male.

I don't know what that would be for perch but the 8"-11" is a reasonable place to start.

Some sort of deepwater release aid would be a good thing to work out they are using them on the coast for rockfish.

I wonder if the smallest size of the seaqualizer will work.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by aulrich

I have a personal code for pike big enough to have spawned once or twice or the chance to. And then not too big that you are killing only females I like to top out while the sex ratio is about 70/30 female to male.

I don't know what that would be for perch but the 8"-11" is a reasonable place to start.

Some sort of deepwater release aid would be a good thing to work out they are using them on the coast for rockfish.

I know looking at the urogenital opening by turning over a pike seems strange and isn't always 100% clear - but generally - if it's "a red round outy" and bigger (indicating likely a female) versus a smaller "slit" (like the males will have) you can generally be pretty sure about the sex of your pike.

I generally keep a bigger male if I'm keeping one to eat and let the females swim. The 4-7lbers are the best I find.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

I rarely keep em, but when I do I implement my own slot size. 8-11” I would keep, under 8 isn’t worth it, and over 11 I’d rather put back.

Pretty much what I do, but I vary the size depending where I am. Some lakes you can wait for the 10"-11" for keepers and afford to throw back only the smaller ones or the ones over 12" knowing there will be plenty in that slot size.

Other lakes ….. a 9" perch is a monster !!!

But yes, I agree, small ones are not worth filleting, and the big ones should swim.

[Dewey Cox]

When I have it in my fist to take the hook out, if the whole head and just as much tail is sticking out, I'll keep it.
So probably 7 or 8 inches.
Unless fishing is really slow. I'm not cleaning 2 7" perch.

[aulrich]

Originally Posted by EZM

I know looking at the urogenital opening by turning over a pike seems strange and isn't always 100% clear - but generally - if it's "a red round outy" and bigger (indicating likely a female) versus a smaller "slit" (like the males will have) you can generally be pretty sure about the sex of your pike.

I generally keep a bigger male if I'm keeping one to eat and let the females swim. The 4-7lbers are the best I find.

I never knew that you could visually sex a pike, I'll start looking for that. But basically yes 4-7 lbs (my length guide is 26"-34")are eaters and everyone else goes back.

[spin]

I would say 9 - 11 inches is a good range as well. Caught a few around the 8 inch mark this past weekend and they seemed too small for me to keep, so they were released to grow a bit more.

[Drewski Canuck]

There is a technique of gutting and skinning small perch and pulling out the Dorsal fin. Then roll in bread with spices and fry. The bones are so solid that the meat falls away nicely.

I have seen it, tasted it, but do not keep small ones as more calories are burned in the effort than you get from the fish.

Drewski

[OL_JR]

Interesting question. Perch are one of those fish I've never really given to much thought to throwing the bigger ones back but I guess it makes sense. I know when I see a 40+ inch pike get bonked on the head it makes my blood boil.

I'd love to ask a biologist what the impact is of taking 12" plus perch out of the system but these are also the gals and fellas that have riddled this province with "1 over" regulations with pike and walleye for years although this last season they reluctantly changed course a bit.

On the smaller end I kinda gauge it by the day. Try to keep the minimum at 8" or so but if I'll take a couple slightly smaller to round out a pan if needed.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by OL_JR

Interesting question. Perch are one of those fish I've never really given to much thought to throwing the bigger ones back but I guess it makes sense. I know when I see a 40+ inch pike get bonked on the head it makes my blood boil.

I'd love to ask a biologist what the impact is of taking 12" plus perch out of the system but these are also the gals and fellas that have riddled this province with "1 over" regulations with pike and walleye for years although this last season they reluctantly changed course a bit.

On the smaller end I kinda gauge it by the day. Try to keep the minimum at 8" or so but if I'll take a couple slightly smaller to round out a pan if needed.

It would be the same as taking any other large fish of a different specie out of the pool.

[CNP]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Lol

At Sundance they all see the Plaid Jacket Sun God and visit their forever home.

While every perch left the lake and recognizing provincial limits don’t apply, we see a lot of different uses.

Some people gut and deep fry cook whole perch as small as 4 inch. Eating the whole fish, skin, fins, head is cultural and deep fried it is all crispy.

Some use the 60 second method and bake.

Some fillet and skin and remove ribcage for boneless perch bites.

Smaller the perch...the more work for less meat.

Some would bury small perch in vegetable gardens...25 five inch perch made for some huge potatoes.

Now that the average perch is over 8 inch...a bucket of 8-10 inchers and the odd 11 and 12 incher makes for quite a bit of meat.

It is now easy to call a few people up who want to take them away.

I am hoping for more than a few buckets of perch once the lake opens.

Green for envy.......You're killin' me

[pinelakeperch]

10 or 11 inches for me. Otherwise the juice isn’t worth the squeeze.

I remember as a kid my mom and dad cutting the tail fin off of perch and frying them. Did anyone else do that?

[Speckle55]

10 inches for me

on fly rod this day

was throwing back Perch over 10inches

till my buddy told me they were over and i measured

he took a few just under on a spin cast bobber set up

mmmm

David

[Moosetalker]

I find the best meat bang for your filleting buck is the 9-11" males anything obviously female as in big Humpies with fat middles get put back.

I have even rigged a way to return any caught deep-water ones back to depth Watch them on Camera as they recover and swim off.

The non survivor under 9" I will let freeze a bit peel and do the pliers trick with the dorsal.

[AlbertanGP]

I don't keep any perch...I very rarely keep any fish. I normally fish dawn 'til dusk when I go out. The last thing I want to do after a long day on the ice is clean a mess of perch. Besides, there are lakes around where you can catch 30+ walleye in a day. Why fish for little perch?

If I was going to keep them, I'd probably say 10-12". Cleaning a limit of 9" perch is not happening on my cutting board...ever.

[lifesagarden]

Wish the ethical ones would fish where I live... Watch the idiots pull 4-6in all day and keep them. Hiding them because they know it's disgusting. I should start posting there pics on here.