Which is the best month for 'pb's?

[Steve Burke]

Steve,

 

Perch (I forget the Latin name) can have a 10% spawn. Females very quickly replace this loss. Females weigh most prior to building spawn is the most common. Males, after spawn can die tending to the nest. Males loose a LOT of weight after the spawn. If you are on a nest you can probably catch the same male 10 times til it dies.

 

ALL, from memory.

 

Phone

 

In this country male perch put on about 10% of their weight as they fill with spawn, females about 20 to 25%. They then drop sharply back to roughly their pre-spawn weight, before more slowly gaining weight in the Summer and Autumn..

 

Like many species, female perch are usually heaviest in Spring just before they spawn, males (because they don't increase as much at spawning time) are usually heaviest in the Autumn.

[Steve Burke]

I'd add that female perch grow bigger than males and so the best time to catch a really big perch is in March or April, just before spawning.

[Phone]

Steve,

 

Your comments are probably true here as well. Newt can address our black bass better than I can.

 

It is quit different with carp. Carp almost always (in the US) convert existing body weight to spawn weight. They are at their heaviest in the late fall (Oct).

 

Phone