I havent used live bait for bass in about 5 years and I want to do the same with perch fishing. Does anyone have any recommendations for crankbaits,grubs or any other style baits that work for perch. I know how to catch them with live bait but I havnt found a go to artificial lure.

Crappie jigs in 1/8oz or even 1/16 with a simple grub tail work well. Beetle spins and small meps or Silver Fox inline spinners as well.

If you don't want to deal with live bait, I like Gulp grubs for panfish and perch. They are every bit as effective as worms and they last 3x as long.

I like to drop shot 1" Gulp minnows nose hooked on a VMC #8 spinshot.

Perch take a variety of artificial lures. In addition to the advice offered above, I'd use crankbaits as well. I've caught many perch on my bass cranks, but I'd go smaller if you're targeting them.

Single tail grubs on small jigs, small crankbaits, small swimbaits, inline spinners. They also love perch colored baits, them cannibals

Gulp makes a variety of baits that they love. I like to tip small jigs with the maggots or grubs.

If your jigging for deep perch schooled up try a saltwater sabiki rig. Most of them come standard with 6-8 hooks. In PA you can only fish with three hooks so I cut them in half & add the hardware to make two rigs out of one. Sometimes they will outfish the live baits rigs. They also seem to catch bigger perch.   

I caught a huge one last year at Deep Creek Lake in MD on a perch LC Pointer 100.

I caught a huge one last year at Deep Creek Lake in MD on a perch LC Pointer 100.

 

 

I catch them on jerkbaits every year. They are always 12" and a lb or bigger.

If your jigging for deep perch schooled up try a saltwater sabiki rig. Most of them come standard with 6-8 hooks. In PA you can only fish with three hooks so I cut them in half & add the hardware to make two rigs out of one. Sometimes they will outfish the live baits rigs. They also seem to catch bigger perch.   

Same thing here with that rig. Most people dont throw it though because they are from shore. 

If your jigging for deep perch schooled up try a saltwater sabiki rig. Most of them come standard with 6-8 hooks. In PA you can only fish with three hooks so I cut them in half & add the hardware to make two rigs out of one. Sometimes they will outfish the live baits rigs. They also seem to catch bigger perch.

PA changed that law this year. Unlimited number of hooks allowed on a rod. You can daisy chain Jerkbaits now...haha.

PA changed that law this year. Unlimited number of hooks allowed on a rod. You can daisy chain Jerkbaits now...haha.

 

Steve I just saw that yesterday. I guess I'll have to come with a new rig for each arm of my old rig. It will look like a school of umbrellas chasing an umbrella.

If you're going to fish from the shore downtown like Navy Pier, guys throw flukes, tiny flukes, soft plastic swimbaits, and cranks, for them and I'd be willing to bet Gulp minnows would work. If your headed offshore in the spring down by Pastrick, or up by Waukegan, shrimp, or flies on a crappie rig.

If you're going to fish from the shore downtown like Navy Pier, guys throw flukes, tiny flukes, soft plastic swimbaits, and cranks, for them and I'd be willing to bet Gulp minnows would work. If your headed offshore in the spring down by Pastrick, or up by Waukegan, shrimp, or flies on a crappie rig.

Ive got a fluke rig that works but not many small cranks. Most of my stuff is geared towards bass so I would need to buy a longer lighter rod to cast light crankbaits a good distance

So I can fish with an unlimited A-rig now?

 

Good Lord. Watch out.