Northwest Fishing Reports

While ice fishing last week, my buddy and I were experiencing a slow perch bite. They had bitten decently earlier in the morning but had suddenly stopped. I figured the bite was over. My buddy began working the column and he found some perch about 3-4 feet off the bottom. They weren't real high up, just enough to no longer see our offerings near the bottom.

So, on my next trip, I tried something I hadn't tried in years. I tied a size 8 snelled hook into the line 3.5 feet above my bottom lure. Baiting both with a single perch eye, I began fishing. As I expected, the usual morning bite was on the bottom, where I got my first half dozen fish. Shortly thereafter, the bite slowed and I went without a take for nearly 30 minutes. Suddenly another school came through, providing several takes. Interestingly, 5 of my next 6 fish took the top hook! I now have one rig permanently set up with two hooks, and will go to it as soon as the bottom bite stops.

That's no coincidence, and makes me wonder how many times I've simply missed them by fishing under them.

I do that in bass tournaments, I'll have a shakey head on the bottom with a drop shot rig a couple feet up for the suspended fish.