Small perch are generally easy to catch (and plentiful in most lakes), but more prominent perch over 1 to 2 pounds are much more challenging to detect and require more expertise on the angler’s part. But, whether you want to catch your quota of panfish-sized perch or hook a trophy perch or two, knowing what rigs to use for perch fishing will boost your chances of success.
Here, we’ll go through the best perch fishing rigs 7 setups you need to know. We’ll go over how to tie each one, utilize it, and what use each one is best suited for.
Perch Fishing Rigs 7 Setups You Need To Know
The following are the most critical perch rigs:
- Ned rig
- Carolina rig
- Perch pounder rig
- Jig rig
- Slip bobber rig
- Drop shot rig
Each setup has its strengths and disadvantages, which we’ll discuss in detail below.
Jig Rig For Perch
This is by far the most straightforward perch rig to tie, and it’s always worth trying to get a taste of what the perch is looking for before moving on to more complicated setups.
How to tie it: You can skip the leader and connect your main line directly to a 1/8 to 1/4 oz jig head if you’re using fluorocarbon or monofilament as your main line (either plain metal or a coloured jig head is fine). You’ll need a 2-foot long 6 to 8-lb test fluorocarbon leader if you use braid as your main line.
Thread on a soft plastic lure (a paddle tail swimbait or grub tail) after tying the jig head to your line. Paddle tails are my favourite since they have a lot of motion.
Slip Bobber Rig For Perch
This is the best live bait rig for perch and one of the best beach fishing options.
Tying it: Thread a bobber stopper onto your line first, then a plastic bead (to keep the bobber stop from becoming stuck inside the bobber), and finally, the slip bobber.
When to use it: You can use this perch float rig from the shore since you can cast it out and wait for the perch to come by and grab your bait. You may also use it from a boat but bear in mind that the depth of the bottom will constantly change as you drift, making it more challenging to maintain your bait presentation consistently.
Drop Shot Rig For Perch
The drop-shot rig was designed as a finesse rig for bass.
Tie it like this: Begin by attaching a size 2 to 6 drop shot hook size to your line, perfect for perching . Then, as indicated in the image above, attach a 1/4 to 1/8 oz drop shot weight to the line beneath the hook and a soft plastic bait to the pin.
When to use it: When you’ve located a site with a lot of perch, the drop shot rig is ideal since it allows you to fish in one spot until you get a bite without constantly retrieving the lure. It’s also beneficial because you can zero in on a specific depth where perch are present.
Ned Rig For Perch
While the ned rig appears to be similar to the jig rig on the surface, it has a distinct and distinct movement in the water, making it a highly effective perch lure.
How to tie it: Use a mushroom jig head instead of a conventional round jig head to connect this rig the same way you would a jig rig. When choosing a soft plastic bait, make sure it’s suitable for this rig type and floats in the water.
How to use it: Cast the ned rig out and gently recover it, waiting for a few seconds each time it reaches the bottom. When your jig is on the bottom, perch appear to find this activity irresistible, and you’ll often receive bites.
When to use it: This can be used as search bait or when the perch are picky and don’t respond to other presentations.
Carolina Rig For Perch
The Carolina rig is one of the world’s most flexible bottom fishing rigs and works well for perch.
How to tie it: Thread a bullet sinker and a plastic bead onto your main line, then connect your cable to a swivel. The weight is kept from becoming trapped on the swivel or ruining the knot by the plastic bead.
What to do with it: The plastic bait (which has no weight other than the hook) lowers slowly to the bottom every time you break the rig, which usually causes the perch to bite.
When to use it: I like to use the Carolina rig when perch aren’t reacting to other presentations since it can stimulate bites from fussy, pressured perch.
Perch Pounder Rig
Tie it like this: To tie the entire rig together, use one length of the leader line. It’s preferable to use a relatively hefty fluorocarbon line of around 15 to 20 lb, which is quite stiff because you don’t want the rig’s side arms to become tangled up with the main line.
How to use: The best method to use this rig is to vertical fish from a boat in 50 feet or more of water, and it’s one of the best rigs for catching huge perch in this situation. Bait the two hooks with live minnows (thus the name “double minnow rig”) and drop them to the bottom of your boat.
When to use: The perch pounder rig was designed to capture perch in deep water in the Great Lakes, where traditional setups fail. It also works well in any lake with deep water where large schools of perch congregate.
Related post: How to Set a Fishing Rod and Reel Rigs
What Is The Good Perch Rig?
The drop-shot rig is the best all-around perch rig because it allows you to target perch with a light and delicate lure presentation near the bottom. Perch, unlike bass, require more finesse (especially in crowded lakes), which is why the drop shot setup works so well for them. Another benefit of a drop shot setup is that it may be used for vertical fishing from a boat and casting from the shore.
Quick Start Guide To Choosing A Perch Jig Setup
When casting greater distances and fishing deeper water, the braid’s near-zero stretch (and resulting sensitivity to bites) becomes even more advantageous.
Remember that the lighter the jig (and the larger the paddle tail), the slower it will sink through the water. So, depending on the depth of the water and the current speed (in rivers), the weight of your jig will determine how heavy it needs to be to reach the bottom without snagging.
Conclusion
The article above mentions the best perch fishing rigs that have 7 steps you need to know. With being considered, each of the rigs mentioned above may be the ideal solution in certain situations. Also, keep in mind that the jig rig and the Ned rig are the most basic possibilities, making them excellent search baits. After you’ve found a decent area with a school of perch, you should try out the various rig alternatives to see which one works best for you.
Read more: Best Bass Fishing Line
