Summer Presents Plentiful Panfish Fishing Options

Our Outdoors
Nick Simonson

Panfish – be they sunfish, crappies, perch or white bass – are present throughout the upper Midwest. They comprise the midsection of most lakes’ biomass and present a sure-fire fishing opportunity for anglers young and old. If you are new to fishing, or already a panfish aficionado these species are right up your [...]

The Fishing Preseason – Spring Crappie Fishing

By Eric Hustad
Another April is upon us and I can’t help but get excited! What a great month: the Twins play meaningful games, the NFL draft, snow melting, longer days, and the start of what I consider my preseason fishing. Giving normal ice out, in the middle of April, crappie fishing is my preseason of [...]

Scud: An Ugly Word for Freshwater Shrimp

By Brian Brosdahl
 

 

 
A system is only as good as the weakest link. That’s a profound statement and applies to everything from a football team to stereo systems. Think about it. Well, in fishing, it also pertains to the freshwater shrimp – or scud as they’re referred to on the ice.
They’ll never make it into a [...]

Ice Fishing for Panfish – The Right Ice Rods

By Jason Mitchell
More ice anglers are discovering that the tip of the rod we are using has as much influence on our presentation as the actual motion we put on the rod while fishing. A rod with a fast tip for example will give the lure a distinct flash and pound that is more abrupt, [...]

Perch Fishing on Devils Lake

By Jason Mitchell
Finding and catching jumbo panfish can be a challenge, even on lakes where a good population of big fish exists. Ironically, the healthiest jumbo panfish Mecca’s are often bodies of water where catching these fish does indeed challenge the ice angler, demanding the right combination of mobility and finesse.
The healthiest fisheries are often [...]

Approaching Perch in the Month of March

By Bill Mitzel

 
Soon, it’ll be rotten out there. Not rancid like spoiled produce, but soft and dark nonetheless. I’m talking about the ice. It’s thick and resolute now, but it won’t last forever, actually, scarcely longer than a few weeks, less in some areas. Fortunately, though, ice fishing’s swan song is a cheery tune; one [...]

Ice Fishing with Plastics

By the Ice Team

 
Many ice anglers of today understand that winter’s fish live in water at its clearest. In such conditions, fish tend to locate and choose prey based on visual evidence. That might sound like mumbo-jumbo, but it means that what your bait looks like is more important under the ice than at any [...]

When Perch Won’t Bite Through the Ice

By Chris Hustad

 
Here’s a scenario that I’m sure most ice fishermen will play out a lot of the times during the winter. You’re setup for some perch ice fishing, with a few fish coming here and there, but you’re seeing a lot of action on your bobber or fish displaying on your sonar. If you’re [...]

Fishing with Spring Bobbers

Our Outdoors
Nick Simonson

 

 
I  cannot recall how many times I have watched fish rise up on the Vexilar as I work my lure in the water column only to have the fish pause at my offering then head back to the bottom. Be it a small jig with a wax worm or a spoon with a [...]

Bluegill Ice Fishing Tips

By Mark Strand
Depending on where you live, ‘early ice’ can be a brief period right after the ice forms or an ongoing phenomenon as fishable ice comes and melts, comes and melts.
In general, bluegills are good biters during this time, but you must locate them to be successful. No matter what you might read or [...]

Perch Ice Fishing – Catching Bottom Huggers

It was a call from outdoor writer friend, Ron Anlauf, which got the ball rolling. He had heard the perch were hitting on Mille Lacs, a huge lake in North Central Minnesota. Although I have pulled a lot of perch from this body of water, it has been a few years since there was a [...]

Ice Fishing for Panfish – The Right Ice Rods

By Jason Mitchell
More ice anglers are discovering that the tip of the rod we are using has as much influence on our presentation as the actual motion we put on the rod while fishing. A rod with a fast tip for example will give the lure a distinct flash and pound that is more abrupt, [...]

Partridge Patterns – Tying Fly Patterns for Panfish

Our Outdoors
Nick Simonson
As hunting season hits full stride and the first few birds are placed in the pouches of my upland vest, I can’t help but plan for two things – dinner, of course, and the number of patterns I will tie with the feathers attached to the birds I harvest. With the first partridge [...]

Bluegill Fishing

By Ted Takasaki and Scott Richardson
Fresh, golden brown bluegill fillets are bound to bring a smile when you lay them on a plate beside baked beans and coleslaw at the summer cookout. Bluegills are a summertime favorite for a lot of good reasons.

They are abundant and nearly everywhere.
Their populations can stand good harvests, within reason [...]

Approaching Perch in the Month of March

By Bill Mitzel

 
Soon, it’ll be rotten out there. Not rancid like spoiled produce, but soft and dark nonetheless. I’m talking about the ice. It’s thick and resolute now, but it won’t last forever, actually, scarcely longer than a few weeks, less in some areas. Fortunately, though, ice fishing’s swan song is a cheery tune; one [...]

In Pursuit of Rock Bass

Our Outdoors
Nick Simonson

 

 
Recently, my fishing buddy Einar came for a visit, and in between largemouth and smallmouth bass, rainbow trout and walleye, there was one fish he hoped to tangle with that he had not landed in the states before and was not available to him in his home country of Norway.
Muskie? Nope. Catfish? Uh-uh. [...]

Bluegill Ice Fishing Tips

By Mark Strand
Depending on where you live, ‘early ice’ can be a brief period right after the ice forms or an ongoing phenomenon as fishable ice comes and melts, comes and melts.
In general, bluegills are good biters during this time, but you must locate them to be successful. No matter what you might read or [...]

Deciding on Limits for Fishing Panfish

By Doug Leier
One of the more enjoyable aspect of outdoors communication is the debate that sometimes surrounds current issues. 
Should spinning wing decoys be limited? 
Should deer hunters be allowed to hunt after sunset? 
How do you define baiting, and should it be legal? 
What about issues such as roadless areas on public land, or restricting all-terrain vehicle use [...]

Unlocking the Perch Fishing Limit Theory

By Nick Simonson
A friend of mine in college, who was a part-time locksmith and adept at his trade was the first person to tell me the adage, “locks keep honest people honest.”
It almost seems hard for me to believe that in the 1980s there were no limits, no controls, no locks on panfish. I [...]

Fast & Easy Fish Cleaning Tips for Walleye, Perch, and Panfish

By Chris Hustad

The fish cleaning techniques described here are nothing new, and is mainly intended for beginners. This process takes about a minute for each fish, depending on experience. The example shown is using a walleye, but can work all the same on perch, crappies and bluegills. On those crappies, you DO NOT need to scale [...]

Perch Recipe List

Here are some favorite perch recipes of ours.

Baked Perch Recipe
This perch recipe is a crowd favorite for sure.

1.5 pounds of perch fillets
1 med. shallot
2 jalapeno peppers
1 tblspn green onion
1 tblspn minced onion
2 tblspns shredded carrots
1/4 cup red peppers (roasted)
1 tblspn parsley
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 8-ounce can of tomato sauce
1 tsp. seasoning salt

Preheat oven to 400°F. [...]