What artificials are you guys using for perch?  I hate to kill a perch just for the belly meat to put on a jig head.  About a week ago, I caught my PB perch (11 inches) on a deep diver crankbait but have not been successful since.  

I'm thinking most of the perch aren't that big in this body of water and I was lucky to catch the grand daddy of 'em all.

Thanks and Cheers!

Are you talking white or yellow perch? But it almost doesn't matter to me. Both species take a wide variety of lures and for either one my preferences would be crankbaits and grubs on jigheads.

I use three different Rapalas:

1-Husky Jerk HJ06 in Tenn. Shad. Same size as the shiners in the lake.

2-Shad Rap SR05. More for the bigger fish.

3-If you are fishing from a boat, the Swimming Jig in the 1/8 oz 1 1/2". It's a great lure for fishing vertical. I've caught perch from 6" to 14" on this lure. My buddy got one 15 1/2" about five years ago, through the ice.

Good luck,

Falcon

A little one-inch white grub on a 1/64 jig head fished on 4 pound test with an ultralight rod.

For some reason they bream just eat these grubs like candy.

And so do the smallmouth if they are around.

I caught a 22 inch bass on this rig at a pond.  That was one heck of a surprise.

I use a split shot if I want to go deeper.  Put the slip shot sinker about a foot from the hook and fish the grub Carolina style.

But I get the best results just throwing the grub out, weightless, and reeling it in near the surface or just where I can no longer see it as it disappears into the water.

If they are yellow perch, try a #2 mepps.

2" curly tail grub on a 1/16 oz. jig head. Our yellows up here this time of the year can reach 2 lbs.  

last month on the Occoquan River, They were hitting the mepps #3 and the x-rap. They came in when we got our first small cold front.

slomoe... Is it safe to eat fish out of the occoquan?  I'd love to cook up a Perch dinner some time.

slomoe... Is it safe to eat fish out of the occoquan? I'd love to cook up a Perch dinner some time.

Not sure.   I don't like the taste of fish too much. Im pretty much C&R only. Im sure you can contact VDGIF and they would be able to tell you.