Hey there, fellow anglers! Ready to reel in some serious perch action? Look no further than our Oak Harbor perch trips, launching straight from Magee East Marina. We're talking Lake Erie's prime fishing grounds, where the yellow perch are practically begging to jump in your cooler. At Savage Pursuit Guide Service, we've got everything dialed in to make sure you have a blast and go home with a cooler full of tasty fillets.
Picture this: You're out on the crystal-clear waters of Lake Erie, the sun's warming your face, and your rod's bent double with another feisty perch. That's what we're offering, folks. We provide all the gear you need - rods, reels, and bait - so you can focus on what matters: catching fish. Our trips are perfect for everyone from seasoned anglers to first-timers, and with a max of three guests, you're guaranteed plenty of personal attention from yours truly.
Alright, let's talk shop. We'll be using light tackle and live bait - usually emerald shiners or golden shiners - to tempt those perch. We typically anchor up over promising structure and use a simple rig: a spreader with two hooks, each baited with a minnow. It's a technique that's been putting perch in the boat for decades, and trust me, it still works like a charm. Keep your line tight and be ready for that telltale tap-tap-tap of a perch nibbling at your bait.
"Aaron was a fabulous guide. leading us to a great catch. Hecwas kind, personable and oh so helpful to a trio of old duffers! Thanks for checking off one of the biggies on Mike's bucket list! We highly recommend Aaron and his charter company." - Wendy
Let's talk about our target species: the American Yellow Perch. These little fighters are the bread and butter of Lake Erie fishing. They might not be the biggest fish in the lake, but what they lack in size, they make up for in numbers and taste. Yellow perch typically range from 8-12 inches, with anything over a pound considered a real trophy. They're schooling fish, so when you find 'em, you find a lot of 'em. The best part? They're absolutely delicious. There's nothing quite like a fresh perch fry after a day on the water.
Perch fishing is good year-round, but fall is prime time. As the water cools, these fish go on a feeding frenzy to fatten up for winter. This is when you can expect non-stop action and the chance at some real jumbo perch. They love to hang around structure like reefs, drop-offs, and weed beds, which is exactly where we'll be targeting them.
Listen, if you're looking for a fun, action-packed day on the water with a good chance of taking home a mess of tasty fish, this is your trip. We've got the spots, we've got the gear, and we've got the know-how to put you on fish. All you need to do is show up ready to have a good time. Don't forget your soft cooler for drinks and snacks, some sunscreen (trust me, you'll need it), and a bigger cooler for your catch. Oh, and maybe start thinking about your favorite perch recipe - you're gonna need it! So what are you waiting for? Give us a shout and let's get you booked for some of the best perch fishing Ohio has to offer. The perch are biting, and your spot on the boat is waiting!
September 9, 2025
The American Yellow Perch are one of the smaller-sized members of the perch family, Percidae. They have an elongated, oval body with a long blunt snout. Like most perches, it has two separate dorsal fins. The first dorsal fin contains 12-14 spines and 12 soft rays. The second has 2-3 spines and 8 soft rays. They are a golden yellow, however, their color can sometimes vary from bright green to olive green or golden brown. Their sides have a pattern of vertical bars. Their pectoral fins are transparent and amber in color. The juveniles are paler and a whitish color.
Yellow Perch have a large number of sharp teeth. They are rough to the touch because of their overlapping, comb-like scales.
The largest recorded American Yellow Perch is 20 inches although they are more commonly found at 7.5 inches and 2 pounds.
Yellow Perch eat a variety of invertebrates such as insects, mollusks, chitons, snails, and worms. squids, along with small fish.
The Yellow Perch spawning occurs in the spring when water temperatures rise above 36 degrees and typically occurs at night or early morning. Along the shorelines, the females extrude their eggs in long ribbons. You will find them draped along submerged vegetation, dead branches, and trees. Once the females extrude their eggs, groups of male yellow perch will follow and fertilize them.
Yellow perch is one of the easiest fish to catch in all seasons and tastes great. It makes up around 85% of the sport fish caught in Lake Michigan.
Common names for the perch are yellow perch, American perch, and lake perch
In the Northeastern United States, these Perch are an extremely important food source for birds. The cormorants specifically target yellow perch as their primary prey. Other birds that also prey on them include eagles, gulls, hawks, and many more.
Survival rates of juvenile yellow perch are low because they are much preyed upon.
To catch these fish, a good ultralight spinning or spin-cast combo spooled with 2-4lb (1-2kg) mono works well.
Most yellow perch catches will be made with live bait. You can't go wrong with minnows, leeches, or worms, but you can use almost any insect or small fish or fish parts.
If you are looking at lures, small jigs, spinners, and jigging spoons will work.
Yellow perch are schooling fish and it's not unusual to see a school of 200 fish. Go get'em!
These Perch live in ponds, lakes, creeks, and slow-flowing rivers. You will find them in heavily vegetated waters among reeds, weeds, docks, and other structures. You may find large schools of Yellow Perch near the shore during the spring. They can also be found in brackish water.
Yellow Perch are found in the rivers of the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River basin, and throughout the majority of the northeast United States and parts of Canada.
Vehicle Guest Capacity: 6
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Aaron was a fabulous guide. leading us to a great catch. Hecwas kind, personable and oh so helpful to a trio of old duffers! Thanks for checking off one of the biggies on Mike's bucket list! We highly recommend Aaron and his charter company.