![]() ![]() Shallow perch are usually feeding on minnows, crayfish and a few insects, while in deep water they feed on insects, like mayfly larvae or bloodworms. If there are perch in deep water, they are usually in 20 feet and close to the drop-off, rather than in 30 feet or more beyond like they can be in many other lakes in winter. The bulk of this fish’s population in Leech is late in the winter, usually relating to the chara-covered weed flats that are so prevalent in the large shallow bays. Crayfish are almost always a preferred food source for big perch, so the largest may be doing something different than the rest of the perch population. Insects, minnows or freshwater shrimp are all viable food sources during the winter. Whatever food source is most abundant and easiest will usually attract the most perch. Schools are usually split between two or more patterns during the winter: The majority of the perch are often using one main pattern, with the rest split between one or more other patterns.įood is usually the key factor in their location, regardless of season. Once a few “keeper-sized” perch are caught, the odds of success go way up because you are usually close to a good school of perch if you can fine-tune your location. In winter, locate and pattern these fish. If the forage is more scattered, the perch will likely break down into smaller groups as they search for food. These fish will travel in huge schools during the winter if food is plentiful and concentrated into specific areas. The best perch lakes usually have several age-classes of harvestable perch at any one time and seldom have large gaps between age-classes. Most good perch lakes have decent growth rates, with the species reaching a harvestable size of 8 to 9 inches around year seven of their growth cycle. A healthy population of perch provides food for just about everything else in the lake, with plenty of perch left over for anglers to harvest. Perch are capable of living in many environments, as long as they can find a suitable food source. Perch are one of the most prolific species in the lake, with many anglers fishing for walleyes during prime time in the mornings and evenings and then fishing for perch during daylight, when the walleye fishing slows down. Leech is a gem, no matter what time of the year or what species. The wide variety of habitat here provides great fishing for walleyes, muskies, northern pike, large and smallmouth bass, crappies, sunfish and even whitefish and eelpout. One of the best perch lakes in Minnesota is Leech Lake, with its many bays, plentiful forage and wide variety of both shallow and deep habitat. ![]()
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