Pond Boss Forums INTRO Questions & Observations Placing branches down for YP spawn

Yellow perch are known to readily lay eggs on spruce and pine branches, both natural and artificial. I have seen YP growers intertwine YP egg ribbons for hatching on artificial evergreen branches. I have good success getting YP to place eggs on leafless branches that are what I call "twiggy" with numerous small stems (1/16 to 1/8" dia). I think the small twiggy stems on branches are preferred by perch compared to widely spaced larger stems such as in walnut, cottonwood, or ash trees. The small twiggy abundant stems provide numerous attachment points for the female YP to attach the egg ribbon that is then pulled/extruded from her body. Good examples of twiggy trees are hard maple, apple, plum, dogwood, redbud, lilac. Bare shrub branches are also often good substrates. I have seen YP egg ribbons interlaced among last year's stems of emergent vegetation. If stems and branches are not available the perch will extrude the egg ribbon and eventually deposit eggs on the bare pond bottom or among the rocky shoreling. I think the male YP are fertilizing the egg ribbon as it is extruded from the female.