The author with a feisty smallmouth caught on the surface

Expert fly-fishing tips for catching walleye, bass, pike and lake trout

Advertisement

YELLOW PERCH

The usual challenge with perch, much like walleye, is finding them. Once you do, though, you can catch them fairly easily. I recall one evening when I landed more than 40 perch using a small black leech pattern in 12 feet of water. Perch are more aggressive feeders than walleye, and they’ll respond well to a fly that moves a little more quickly—I’ve had success fishing small, weighted streamers in black or white. Just cast, let your fly sink, then strip it back in, pausing momentarily between strips. Jigging a weighted fly near the bottom will also produce.

Advertisement