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Would like to try my hand at some perch fishing here in Lake Michigan. Have a 17 ft deep V Bass Tracker. 75 horse. 55 lb thrust trolling. Garmin echomap sv70. Any advice would be appreciated. What ramps to use. Bait. Water temp. What to look for. Live in Griffith. Thanks

Launch at Cal Park, follow the boats!

Yep this time of year, cal park and follow boats!.  There are other options but they will be hit and miss.

Thanks for the responses. Doesn't look like the weather is going to cooperate much here in the next couple weeks. Strong winds

Know your weather.....  Lake the most calm for your size boat on a high pressure day, in between weather systems.  I would prefer a colder day in the thirties with less wind than a fifty degree day like yesterday and sustained 25 MPH winds.   Listen to the weatherman, the more packed isobars on weather maps the more wind.  Also the later in the season the ramps freeze up early in the am, good idea to have some ice melt.                            KJK

Saturday should be a good day winds 7-10 mph. Air temp low 40’s. Trust your electronics, the bait balls are easy too identify even with the less expensive fish finders. Large flathead minnows, gold Aberdeen hook with color beads is my first choice, crappie rigs are my second.

Agreed with the earlier posts, Cal River mouth and down the river are great areas to target from now until ice up and then again in early spring as the fish migrate back out to the main lake. I do well on double hook drop shot rigs with a 3/4-1 oz bell sinker using minnows and sometimes cooked or raw pieces of shrimp. 

Thanks for all the advice. Greatly appreciated. Look forward to giving this a try