Speckled Perch Fishing Tips And Tactics

It is important to remember that speckled perch, or black crappies, can be caught in several different ways, and it really is a matter of finding what works for you best in whatever special conditions you are fishing. The best thing you can do is a little research. Once you are familiar with the area in which you will be fishing, and the variables caused by conditions in which you will fish, you are ready to make some decisions regarding the type of tackle you will use to catch speckled perch.

You can start out with a couple of Shakespeare Wonderpoles. These are telescopic, fiberglass versions of the classic cane pole. Choose sizes from ten to twenty feet long. You can use these versatile poles for applications anywhere from putting a bait in the water beneath the low branches of a tree, or for fishing in the midst of lily pads. One of the best things about the wonderpole is that even the slightest nibble on your line will be easily evident on a Shakespeare Wonderpole.

Try rigging your wonderpole with anything from a five to ten pound test line, and make the line about as long as your pole. Tie on about a #6 size Daiichi Round Bend, Aberdeen, long shanked hook. Add a couple of split shot and a tiny cigar cork slip rig, at a one to six feet depth. Now, all you have to do is hook a mud minnow or even a Missouri minnow through the lips, and you have one of the best set ups you can get for catching specs.

Another approach is to use the exact, same line and float rig, but rather than using the same hook, use a little jig, a lead head in 1/32 to 1/64. To this, add a little soft plastic lure. A good one to use is a Mr. Wiffle in a two inch size. You could also try Exude hair or feather crappie jigs, or even a small piece of Fishbites. All you have to do is cut it to look like a curly tail on a soft plastic. Chartreuse is the color of choice, but white also works well. Another option, if you have it, is adding a spinner blade to this presentation.


Once you get this set up you can just put your poles in rod holders and troll at a slow speed. This works really well when you are trying to find where it is the fish are holding. Just set your baits at different levels, and try different colors of bait. Once you have established where it is the fish are holding and what it is they are biting, you can set your poles wherever they are holding and use the lure that seems to appeal to them the most. Just remember to adjust your depth for the speed of the boat. It holds true that if you are going faster, it will pull the bait up higher in the water. You will have to adjust that depth when you stop the boat to get into some serious fishing. Another approach is to tie more than one lure on each pole, one a few feet down from the other to pin point at what depth the fish are biting.