{"id":1641,"date":"2011-08-09T08:59:28","date_gmt":"2011-08-09T12:59:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.outdoorblog.net\/outinmichigan\/?p=1641"},"modified":"2011-08-10T18:08:12","modified_gmt":"2011-08-10T22:08:12","slug":"bigwater-perch-fishing-101-rods-reels-line","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.outdoorblog.net\/outinmichigan\/2011\/08\/09\/bigwater-perch-fishing-101-rods-reels-line\/","title":{"rendered":"Bigwater Perch Fishing 101 – Rods, Reels, & Line"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo courtesy of my friend Michael Thompson<\/p><\/div>\n

Summer is winding down and that means one thing for those of us that fish the big waters around the mitten: YELLOW PERCH! These tasty toothless cousins of the walleye are in great abundance here in Michigan. The tactics used on the big water are a bit different than those on the inland lakes, but one thing they have in common though is that they will hit the same baits either live or artificial once you get on them.<\/p>\n

To get us started on this journey of tracking down Bigwater perch we are going to have to cover the basic gear needed. Just like in my other 101 series we are going to start off with the Rods, Reels and lines.<\/p>\n

Rods<\/h3>\n

\"\"<\/a>One nice thing about perch fishing is that getting a perch rod doesn’t have to break the bank. Combos can be had for as little as $19.99. Yet for those guys looking to have that edge over all their other buddies in the boat, there are plenty of higher end options out there.<\/p>\n

What I look for in a perch rod is one with great sensitivity. Now this is not to be mistaken for flexibility. For more on this see my fishing article on fishing rod basics<\/a>. It has to have a light enough power to it so I can have fun with these guys, but also have enough strength so I can drop lead weights up to 1 ounce over the side of the boat. Notice I said drop not cast. You never want to cast a rod with more weight on the end of the rod than it is rated for, or you will break it.<\/p>\n

A light power 6’6\u201d rod that is made out of graphite seems to work best for me. But many anglers also use ultralight and medium lights for this fishing. Below is just a few of the recommendations, I made some that would match just about everyone’s budget. Just remember you get what you pay for. This is one place where I feel spending a little more on the rod is warranted. I will break them up into two lists: fiberglass\/composite construction and graphite construction.<\/p>\n

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My scale Covered rod after a cleaning<\/p><\/div>\n

Fiberglass\/Composite<\/strong><\/p>\n