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New to big lake perch fishing. How much weight, or is the wind dependent?

I usually don't use spinner blades or beads on a perch rig, although plenty of people do


I like using as light a weight as possible, as long as I can keep the line vertical and in contact with the bottom. I usually use a 3/4 or 1 oz pencil weight, but will use 1/2 ounce if fishing shallower than 20 feet. Or 1.5 oz if fishing 45+ feet and there's decent current.


Usually I use the "bear paw" connectors, so I can quickly swap out hook sizes, fly types or colors, and/or move the hook position up or down the line. Frequently I run a bare gold aberdeen hook near the bottom and a perch fly 2-4 feet above the bottom

I almost always use live minnows. Tough to beat

If the bite is finicky I might ditch the bear paws and fly and go to just a weight and a long light leader to a bare hook. And go lighter on the weight and start drifting a bit more


I have always meant to use some gulp minnows on a spinner rig but for whatever reason have just never done it. I'm sure it would work pretty well and get larger fish on average. Plus way cheaper than minnows!

Those Bear Paw connectors look interesting. Any issues with them ever coming apart while fishing?

Nope, no issues at all. They fit together pretty tight

I have a bunch of pre-tied perch fly or hooks with loops to quickly change out fly color, hook size, etc. Just pop apart the bear paw, swap the hook/fly out, and back in business quickly

Forgot to mention - I like using 8 lb test braided mainline to make it much easier detecting bites and staying vertical

Micro swivel then a 6-8 foot leader of 6 or 8 lb fluoro , with a snap swivel on the end to quickly change weights if needed

I have commercially made perch rigs with beads and have made my own rigs with Beaver Flicks www.the-beaver-house.com/store/p135/Beav...1qfGbqU1pXl72RG3lg#/ Some days the beads work, others the blades. It's good to have the options available.

Haven't tried GULP yet, but have been considering it.

I do quite a bit of pan fishing early spring and in the fall I’ve tried gulp I just felt like after 2-3 fish it wouldn’t hold right on a hook so for gills n crappies I prefer Bobby garland and a piece of crappie nibble