Irondequoit Bay perch

[red lobster]

First off, no docks in as of Monday. A real pain alone. Took home 33 nice yellow perch. Only about 10 throwbacks.  Averaged about 7/hour. Not bad but not killing it yet. Fished with fatheads, emeralds and worms took a few. Water only 38 degrees. Would have loved to release some of the big females, even tried, and they just floated back up. Fishing mainly 45 to 51 feet deep. Their air bladders were popping out from that depth. Nothing shallow this trip. I'll give everyone a tip about the perch here. You leave your line slack when dropped down and they will scoop it up quicker than tightlining or jigging. they seem to want no tension on bait. Fished channel markers, North of bridge on East side and South of bridge. Went by Cranberry and Long ponds after going to Stews. 2 cars at Cranberry and about 15 at Long pond about 720 am. Good luck.

[Sk8man]

At that depth at least some of them will make it if you very  slowly retrieve them. Otherwise their eyes pop out and they are pretty much toast.

[Pequod1]

Nice report.  Your technique of slack line fishing is right on. Early spring perch react  like this everywhere I fish for them.  Expect them to get more aggressive after the spawn and then begin to actively feed..