Sandy Pond, NY 3/1-2/13
Ice is so strange in that pond! West and south side has 4-7 inch of ice. Meanwhile middle of pond is consist 7 inch of ice. East side has 3-4 feet of ice! (I didnt going to north end due to open water and I was walking at 2 inch of ice then I realized that I need to walk back out.)
Anyway, here is my story,
when I arrived that pond at 630am, first thing, I fell down and hit my right hip. I felt something odd about that. I realized that is where I put my phone.. Oops. I checked my phone. It is definitely gone! the glass screen is cracked and ink is spoiled. oh well. I kept walking 100 yard north from south end. Bam. lot of perch being caught and most of them was dink size. 3-7 inches. Also, several perch range 10-13 inches too. I decided to move to deep area that has 13 feet deep. It was nice decision. I was reward with 3 perch over one pound and couple of perch that are 12-13 inch range. definitely between 3/4 - less 15 oz. (this was at nearby east side) then I moved to middle and west side. no big perch at all. only bunch of dinks. I give up at 5pm. The best of 10 perch total weight was 7.78 lbs.
Next day, went up that lake again, at 7am. I went straight to that 13 feet spot. Caught bunch of dinks! no big perch at all. I walked to back to south end that where small creek that lead to another pond. Fished there, finally found couple perch that was 10-11 inch then rest of them was less 7 inches. I wasn't happy with the perch size. so I walked to middle of lake and caught nothing except 12 inch walleye - relased back. I give up and decided to go east side in search for big perch. that is how i found out that ice is 3-4 feet! I was using regular auger! not gas or electric auger. Image that! it took me probably 5 minutes to finally break through the ice. But it is definitly worth it! since I was reward with couple of 3/4 to 14oz of perch. Then bite started to shut off. I got one small perch that was 4 inch long. I reeled it to unhook perch but 34 inch northern pike smacked it! I fought with it for 15-20 minutes before landed it and released back. I decided to move other area due to pikes. Big perch was definitely gone. Since rest of day with dinks range 3-9 inches. Give up at 3pm. The best of 10 perch total weight was 4.81 lbs.
The only method that I did use was 2 pound line with 10-15 pound strength rod/reel. Caty lure with spikes on it. Also, has the sensitive bite tip on my rod to easily notice the lighest bite. I definitely need to buy sensitive rod for perch. I'll do that at next year when ice comes up again. anyway, that is just only one rod I have been consist caught perch. (walleye/pike was hit on jigging rapala on other rod that has 4 pound line)
I probably underestimate the number for myself. But I caught over 500 perch along with one walleye/pike. It was great two days for me and my friend. I tried eat the yellow perch. It was good. Not the best. but it is definitely good taste fish. I was happy with the result for fishing at that lake. Definitey will visit that lake again for sure.