We've always used big yellow grasshoppers, worms, or soap. Going to the river today for a family outing and was curious if anyone has ever had luck with cut perch.

We use live perch to catch yellow cat. Also used cut Chad or Chad gizzards for channel and blue. Never have used cut perch for catfish...

We use live perch all the time... Never tried cut perch but don't see why that wouldn't work.

Live is best. Cut will still work.

jpb1999 said:

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We use live perch to catch yellow cat. Also used cut Chad or Chad gizzards for channel and blue. Never have used cut perch for catfish...

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I bet Chad wasn't very happy about that.

We would always either catch shad in a throw meet, catching sunfish out of stock tanks, or go catch grasshoppers out of corn fields. Tried goldfish a few times but already caught gar on them.

How do y'all rig the perch up? Under a bobber hooked through the tail?

Live for yellow cats/Ops. Cut for blues. The small yellows will eat cut too.

This time of year with the rivers low and hot, the gar are going to wear you out. On the bottom in the deepest water around will be your best bet. It's really a tough time of year to be fishing.

Chicken hearts and gizzards will still work well for channels and blues and the gar won't go after them as hard.

Eh I may go with yellow grasshoppers around log jams. It's been solid in the past.

AggieFabricator said:

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Eh I may go with yellow grasshoppers around log jams. It's been solid in the past.

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Probably a good plan. I just know the spotted gar will be on cut bait as fast as you can get it out, this time of year.

jpb1999 said:

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Also used cut Chad or Chad gizzards for channel and blue.

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This is the internet- so you might want to be careful about publicly admitting to killing Chad and using him for fishbait. A manslaughter investigation can really put a damper on your weekend...

Always used live bream on trotlines. The flatheads like like bait. Hooked right below the dorsal fin.

Have caught several in the 40-50 lb range and some big blue cats too.

AggieFabricator said:

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How do y'all rig the perch up? Under a bobber hooked through the tail?

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We would put a semi large weight about 4-5' above hook and put the hook about 1/2" under the back fin depending on size of perch used. This would take the perch to the bottom but allow it to "freely" swim around.

The 4-5' distance between weight and hook make it awkward to cast but it doable. Don't throw too hard or you will just throw the perch off during the cast.

Perch are by far the best bait there is for pylidictis olivaris. Imo.

Used them all my life. Hook under the dorsal fin and roll on. On a trot line there is no such thing as a perch too big.

We use cut shad and cut sunfish for trot lines, but use earthworms for pole fishing.

I do know that rockhead cut bait does not work, so don't bother.

And not to be that guy, but I'm not aware of perch in waters in Texas.

Raised on the Guadalupe river. Used carp for cut bait for channels and blues. Would bait the lines with dough balls during the day to catch the carp. Then fillet the carp and use cut bait chunks for night fishing for catfish. During fall and spring used live perch to catch the big yellows. Catfish Charlie blood bait also works well for all catfish. Have also used the old P&G soap for bait but cant find it any more. The modern day soaps don't work

Gunny456 said:

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Raised on the Guadalupe river. Used carp for cut bait for channels and blues. Would bait the lines with dough balls during the day to catch the carp. Then fillet the carp and use cut bait chunks for night fishing for catfish. During fall and spring used live perch to catch the big yellows. Catfish Charlie blood bait also works well for all catfish. Have also used the old P&G soap for bait but cant find it any more. The modern day soaps don't work

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I'm fishing on the San Marcos, we run lines a couple times a year for our family gatherings and it's usually worms and soap. Although my uncle and me have tore them up routinely on yellow grasshoppers around log jams, no bobber or anything. But I like to try out new stuff when you have a proven method figured out. My neighbors use bass and perch (I know the bass part is illegal) they catch an ass load of fish, although I don't support the bass part, I was curious how other people fair with perch is why I started the thread. Appreciate all the input, except from the smug there's no perch in Tx guy. Haha.

cupofjoe04 said:

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jpb1999 said:

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Also used cut Chad or Chad gizzards for channel and blue.

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This is the internet- so you might want to be careful about publicly admitting to killing Chad and using him for fishbait. A manslaughter investigation can really put a damper on your weekend...

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Dang auto correct!

A friend of mine use to use a "old family recipe" of stuff he mixed in a bucket and put flour/Wheaties/ anise oil/ let it ferment for a week. We used it at Choke Canyon for cats but holy moly did it stink! He had a container built on the back of his boat to haul it. It worked though. You did not dare get it on your bare hands.

Garc...there is... called the Rio Grande Perch ...Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum...Not a sunfish but a member of the Cichlid family. Ref: Freshwater Fishes of Texas Bulletin 5-A from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Just about every native Texan will call the sunfish, bluegills etc "perch or bream". The same as what some people call a pond we call "tanks" as in the best place to hunt doves in Texas is around a "tank". But the Rio Grande Perch is our real "perch" and native to Texas. One hell of a fight on ultra light tackle I might add.