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TJ,

I agree! A great start for the new year! Post the YP as well. Set the marks to beat this year high!

Don't forget the hydrated pellets that sink because pinching makes them denser!

Heck Cecil, hard ta believe but I think I'm getting denser.

Excuuuuuuse me?!

I sell them to taxidermists. Nothing under 14 inches is sold and a 2 lb. plus yellow perch gets a good price. Going to seine this year and hope to remove at least 100 14 inch plus fish. Last spring we released a ton just under 14 inches.

Here a couple over 2 lbs. caught by one of my free help:

I know I am!

Hit it today just before the 35 mph winds and blizzard hit. Popped some SMB, BG, YP and WE. Cody - as promised, took a few extra shots of the female YP this time including the urogenital opening. Hope I don't get moderated...

Nice average SMB...pretty thick, happy with the body condition.


15" WE - still a little skinny, but hopefully will turn the corner soon.



12" Female YP - few shots to show side profile and bottom of fish.

According to the texts regarding the urogenital opening that last one is definitely a female as you say TJ. It has a distinct half moon shape on the genital opening. If your perch are like mine there won't be much egg development for another month or more when egg development suddenly explodes.

Maybe Cody's have more natural feed than ours? I note in the natural lakes around me egg development is as quick as Cody's and quite early.

That said, wouldn't bet my life 100 percent on the urogenital appearances to sex yellow perch out of the spawning period, although the above looks textbook.

I think I'm equal parts excited for TJ, while still being envious of TJ. Fantastic results from all the hard work.

Take the WE on a spoon?

Amen to that Tony!

Where's Bill Cody when he's wrong?

Come on out wherever you are Bill. I know your there!

Fantastic fish. Truly inspiring.

Yes Tony - 1/16 oz Slender spoon in nickel and chartreuse tipped with minnow head took all the YP and WE that day. I love their action, and they are pretty affordable compared to other brands and they are my go to weapon for WE, YP and Crappie.

TJ, outstanding fish.

So, has anybody really succeeded with SMB in a pond down this way? I know Chris and Bob have both stocked them in the past, but I'm not sure how everything turned out long term.

I don't know if Chris has fixed his water turbidity issue, so that may not be a good representative example if he hasn't.

Since when am I wrong on this thread? I'm here and not hiding. I saw TJ's second set of pictures. The 12" YP that TJ is showing in belly view did look like a female. This perch looked a little more plump especially the belly view than the 14" perch that I thought was a male. We also have to consider the 2nd perch was 12" and first perch was 14". I think the 14" perch if it was a female would appear fatter due to the egg mass being larger in a larger fish. Too bad we don't have a belly view of TJ's 14" YP. Maybe he will catch another 14"er this winter? TJ is this the same pond where you could not catch any larger perch or plump perch this summer?

Oh Bill you're so serious. You should know by now I'm just messing with you. When in doubt look at the emoticon!

TJ you need to go out there in the blizzard and severe cold to protect Bill's honor! We need another 14 inch perch like the one you caught earlier! Got it?!

I've grown them to 2 or 3 pounds but none of mine were as girthy as TJ's. And I found they did not grow as fast as the largemouths I've had. Also more seemed to go off the pellets vs. largemouths.

CB1 - I know your "messing with you tactics" by now. We all vote for Cecil to be the one out fishing on his across the pond dock in below 0 temps in blowing snow to catch a 14" YP female since he has a whole pond full of big, fatty perch. Chances of catching one is REAL good in a short time, so you shouldn't get very cold doing it. CB1 - Your fish are waiting for you to come out and harass them, plus I know they are hungry and just waiting for your sinking 'air squeezed out' pellet treats.

No Bill - fish reported from this Summer are from the "trophy" BB/YP pond with single sex fish. It's since been drained, seined, and refilled and all fish caged over winter. I'll reevalute their credentials prior to restocking this May/June. I'm going to ensure all fish are pellet trained prior to stocking and will triple verify sex during their spawning seasons.

Believe me, I want to pop another 14" YP...I'll be at it all season, will post ASAP if I'm lucky enough to see one again. Will include multiple photos.

Where the heck is it, anyhow?

You're going to...I have it all figured out. We're going to pop a .5 - 2 acre cell at el Rauncho and stock with TJ YP, SMB, WE and HBG or RES or RBS. Feed with well water and install a siphon system to take bottom water into pool, pump up to head of wetland, then down waterfall feature and back into pond. Gonna be a blast...and gives us an excuse to connect annually to supplementally stock. I have great sources for WE, and I'm raising both feed trained SMB and YP now. My nominal fee of tannerite exposition and a safe ride back home is surely reasonable. Oh, and I also want a big lolly - you know, the old fashioned ones that are swirled and big as a kids face.

O.K. will do! I did get my auger blades sharpened for this year and I don't have to actually go out on the ice due to my pier that goes all the way across! Heck I might even set the clam up on the pier!

We look forward to the pictures or your females.

Still talking fish, right?

At least they won't be pictures of me "mounting" them!