14” perch....

[capper]

I’ve been hunting perch pretty much exclusively in the hard water season for
The last 6 Year’s. I have learned a ton over that time and have caught a lot of great fish. What I have never done is catch a perch over 14”. Lots of 13.5”, a few 13.75” but never 14” plus. Is a 14”perch a once and a lifetime now or are there still guys here that catch them on the regular? I’n Alberta? Here are a few pics of my last few outings. So far the early season has been great. Seems like the big boys have been hanging in groups of 2-3. Both times I’ve been out I would catch 2-3 back to back then crickets for an hour.

[SNAPFisher]

Nice work!! Congrats on the tanker-sized perch. That is a beast.

Be prepared for the PM onslaught.

[super mario]

Congrats Nice Fish

[RavYak]

I finally caught my first perch over 14 inches this fall. 14.5 inches just shy of 2 lbs.

They are definitely out there but not common. Like most trophy fish you need to first find a lake that grows big fish then you need to put in the time to find the genetic freak. The average population just doesn't naturally grow that big even in the perfect lake/situations. If you know a lake with numerous 13's it is only a matter of time till you break 14.

If you are mainly catching 11-12's with the odd one over 13 then chances of a 14 are slim. You need to find the lakes where 13's are common first. Those lakes often aren't the best perch lakes(quantity/fishing wise) but if/when you get a big one there is a better chance of it being 14+.

[the11fisherman]

Originally Posted by capper

I’ve been hunting perch pretty much exclusively in the hard water season for
The last 6 Year’s. I have learned a ton over that time and have caught a lot of great fish. What I have never done is catch a perch over 14”. Lots of 13.5”, a few 13.75” but never 14” plus. Is a 14”perch a once and a lifetime now or are there still guys here that catch them on the regular? I’n Alberta? Here are a few pics of my last few outings. So far the early season has been great. Seems like the big boys have been hanging in groups of 2-3. Both times I’ve been out I would catch 2-3 back to back then crickets for an hour.

I am convinced that there just aren't many 14 inchers out there. I caught one when I was 13 and haven't seen one since. My father who does about as much fishing as I do has never caught a 14 inch perch. We have caught many that are close, but only the one that broke 14 inches.

The funny thing is is that I caught that 14 incher out of a small pond that is infested with stunted perch and is overfished, so I have no idea how it managed to get that big.

[Fario]

Hi! I think you should take a trip to Europe and you will find lot of much bigger perches. I caught few over 20in

[Red Neck]

This is why I love my sport. The "Posabiltys" are always there for thouse of us who put in the years of doing what we love to do anyways Go get a 14.5!
Red Neck Out

[nast70]

I'll trade honey holes with you...
you go first

[Barnes19]

Wow! that looks like fun.

[Isopod]

From Wikipedia:


"The world record yellow perch (18 in., 4 lb. 3 oz.) was caught in 1865 from New Jersey, and is the longest standing record for freshwater fish in North America."

[the11fisherman]

Originally Posted by Fario

Hi! I think you should take a trip to Europe and you will find lot of much bigger perches. I caught few over 20in

That is a different species from our local Yellow Perch though, so it sorta defeats the purpose of the quest for the 14-inch yellow perch. It looks very similar, but in fact is a different species of perch. The perch that you are talking about in Europe are Perca fluviatilis. yellow perch are Perca flavescens.

[3blade]

Originally Posted by the11fisherman

...

The funny thing is is that I caught that 14 incher out of a small pond that is infested with stunted perch and is overfished, so I have no idea how it managed to get that big.

Same. Only time I've broken the 12 inch mark, was from a "stunted" pond. Got into a school of jumbo 9-10s and then hooked into that football - 13" even

Capper, you're doing better than most. I too target perch pretty much exclusively, though for me it's a love of fish sticks so I keep smaller ones. There's only two spots I know of that have produced 14+, and both are better known for skunking those of us that go after perch.

[dryflyguy]

I've only ever seen one, about 20 years ago, my grandfather was trolling for walleye in LSL and hooked a 2lb 3oz. perch. There's a picture of it somewhere, was 15"+
Caught a handful in my time just over 13", in various lakes over the years, but nothing close to 14"

Great looking fish OP!

[capper]

Thanks for the input guys. I’m happy to hear that others have caught 14”+. I’m 30 now so I figure I got another 30+ Year’s to land the big one but Hopefully it happens tomorrow hahah

[pikeman06]

One word. Slave.

[Rikkles Fisher]

Best way to get a 14 incher is to release the 13.5 inchers! I wish you luck on your quest.

[Moefoe]

Originally Posted by Ricky7

Best way to get a 14 incher is to release the 13.5 inchers! I wish you luck on your quest.

What Ricky said!! We hit up a place NE of Hanna that is slab city...lake ain't big, maybe 10' at it's deepest but it is stuffed with big Perch and that's all that's in there. Lake is infested with shrimp and other bugs, Perch do well...it's ok, chuck the big ones back...

[capper]

I know not all of you will agree but if I catch a 14” it’s going on my wall! Last year I decided to practice a 1 for 1 system that both fills my freeZer and gives me hope that I will catch bigger ones. Anything over 12” - first one in my bucket, next one back in the hole. I have released many 13+ inch perch and I’ve also eaten a lot of em too lol. The system works for me! Im
Actually allergic to fish so I don’t eat them, just take some to feed the family

[blgoodbrand1]

Originally Posted by pikeman06

One word. Slave.

I’ve caught two 16 inchers.....both out of slave.


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[Sawridge]

Originally Posted by blgoodbrand1

I’ve caught two 16 inchers.....both out of slave.


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Really you've caught two 16" perch? Isn't that close to a world record perch?

[kostianych]

Originally Posted by Fario

Hi! I think you should take a trip to Europe and you will find lot of much bigger perches. I caught few over 20in

Are you talking about these ones?

[pikeman06]

If you want the ultimate alberta perch just put in your time on the west end of slave. She'll come by sooner or later. Helps if you have a camera because they are just big random loners hanging with the smaller wallies. They aren't hard to catch but if you have the camera it helps so you don't sting them when they bite light. If you do that they won't bite again. Never caught a bunch but one or two legitimate shots at absolute tanks per day if you are in the right area and got the right junk down there.

[BuckCuller]

Originally Posted by kostianych

Are you talking about these ones?

I can tell you guys are holding them out. 😜

[PerchBuster]

15-5/8” is my PB....she was a beauty!

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by PerchBuster

15-5/8” is my PB....she was a beauty!

Boom! She sure is.

[Kim473]

My biggest was 15.5 " still looking for the 16 incher to go on the wall. Been looking for over 40 years now . I know where she is , just can't get her to take the hook.

I think the problem of getting the really big one is, they are there but the smaller ones take the hook before the bigger ones even try. The big ones are more cautious and smarter, that's how they got big.

[capper]

Wow those are some amazing perch boys!!! I guess I need to set my goal higher lol..... I’ve fished slave a few times over the years.... normally for walleye and then the odd jumbo would roll And take the bait.

I know I’m about to detail my own thread but anyone fish Thursday? The early
Morning drive was amazing, sky was lite up the whole time with shooting stars/meteor shower but fishing was horrible, the worst I’ve done in 6yrs on that lake. Anyone else?

[jiggin4eyes]

Any pics

[silver]

A few years ago, I was at a small lake not far from here and one guy had a couple of 17" perch on the ice. Far bigger than anything I have caught. Since 90% of the plates were from out of province, I think the word had gotten out.

[Team Anzac]

Kimowan Lake (Hook Lake) has 14"-15" pearch and only issue, Daily limit is 5 and only 1 over 12"s. Which is alright, back in the 30 limit days we'd be cleaning fish for hours and all Hump back 12 plus inchers.