Compared to previous years, we have very few perch ribbons. I have only seen 4 compared to 20-30 before. We have clear water, so I can usually see them down deep.

They showed up about March 15th with a late ice-out.

The interesting part is this year, they placed them in the tangle of cattails, where before they were on clumps of Chara out in the open. Probably the water was a tad warmer in the vegetation.

My theory is this year is I didn't plow off the pond at all, and the ice was pretty thick compared to usual. It was low O2 down there, and I lost a bunch of small crappie. The fish were more stressed this year, and mad at me. Thus the low ribbons. I still have plenty of large perch as evidenced by feeding them, but they are getting old.