Perchin' The Pines

[RednekF350]

On every Good Friday for the last twenty plus years me and some friends have been doing a freshwater fishing outing in the pines. The list of participants has grown and then dwindled as the years have passed and 6 years ago we lost one of our first original fisherman to cancer.
I really like outdoor traditions and will be attempting to pull this trip off as long as I am able.

Yesterday was a stellar day with crystalline blue skys and clear waters. The fish really cooperated.
We had countless pickerel throughout the day and several nice bass but our main target is yellow perch.
For those who have never eaten them, they are as good or better than sea bass as table fare.
We ended with 13 perch for the day and they fed a good group of people.
Some crackling oil in a cast iron pan, egg dip and breading and a little crab seasoning are all that you need to enjoy a healthy dinner from the waters of the pines.

All bass and pickerel were returned safely to their haunts. Only perch were harmed in the making of this thread.

We had the pleasure of watching a pair of bald eagles working in the morning and one returned in the afternoon to snatch a yellow perch from the water. He devoured it while perched on a pine branch and we were able to glass him for about ten minutes with my 10x binos. It was an amzing sight.

Me with a stringer full of dinner.

A little cleaning to do.

A nice bass caught by my son's buddy.

My son's boat with my good friend Chuck on the bow seat. It was a little brisk in the morning.

 

[woodjin]

Very nice Scott!! I don't come across perch too often and it is always a thrill when I do. I've caught some in bogs and even in the rivers.

 

[bobpbx]

Good fun Scott! Love to taste one one day.

 

[joc]

Nice post & Pics , thanks for sharing !! Family friends and fishing , pretty tough to beat !

 

[Teegate]

It looks like you had a great day with good eating. Nice!

Guy

 

[Old Crazy]

Went to Tuckahoe Lake Saturday for opening day for trout. First time they stocked that lake. There was about 20 anglers there total during the hour I fished. Didn't see one fish pulled up. Went to Lake Oswego and caught a pickerel on my first cast and several more thereafter.

 

[manumuskin]

Beautiful critters Scott.
I wish I were a fish!
Famous last words of Mr. Limpett

 

[Pine Baron]

Looks like you fellas had a great day out on the water. The photos make the water and sky look amazing. Thanx for posting.

John-

 

[Y-BUC-BILL]

On every Good Friday for the last twenty plus years me and some friends have been doing a freshwater fishing outing in the pines. The list of participants has grown and then dwindled as the years have passed and 6 years ago we lost one of our first original fisherman to cancer.
I really like outdoor traditions and will be attempting to pull this trip off as long as I am able.

Yesterday was a stellar day with crystalline blue skys and clear waters. The fish really cooperated.
We had countless pickerel throughout the day and several nice bass but our main target is yellow perch.
For those who have never eaten them, they are as good or better than sea bass as table fare.
We ended with 13 perch for the day and they fed a good group of people.
Some crackling oil in a cast iron pan, egg dip and breading and a little crab seasoning are all that you need to enjoy a healthy dinner from the waters of the pines.

All bass and pickerel were returned safely to their haunts. Only perch were harmed in the making of this thread.

We had the pleasure of watching a pair of bald eagles working in the morning and one returned in the afternoon to snatch a yellow perch from the water. He devoured it while perched on a pine branch and we were able to glass him for about ten minutes with my 10x binos. It was an amzing sight.

Me with a stringer full of dinner.

A little cleaning to do.

A nice bass caught by my son's buddy.

My son's boat with my good friend Chuck on the bow seat. It was a little brisk in the morning.

 

[Y-BUC-BILL]

Yo Scott

Nice mess of fish.Who was high hook???

 

[RednekF350]

Yo Scott

Nice mess of fish.Who was high hook???

Kyle was the high hook Bill. First time he ever even saw a perch.
He has really taken to the pines and has kayaked miles of the Mullica in his own handmade kayaks since last fall.

Originally from West Chester Pa., he is shocked at how much woods we have to play in right outside the front door.
I assisted him with his first deer kill this year and he now knows how to skin and butcher a deer in about an hour. Kyle helped with our annual sausage making using his deer.
He also worked my trap line with me several times this past winter and he wants to learn how to make wine too.

I am thinking of starting a reality TV show next fall.
"The Rednek Apprentice"

 

[Hewey]

Looks like you had a great day, Scott. When I was a kid yellow perch were the only fish we would keep to eat. Very good!

Chris

 

[manumuskin]

Kyle was the high hook Bill. First time he ever even saw a perch.
He has really taken to the pines and has kayaked miles of the Mullica in his own handmade kayaks since last fall.

Originally from West Chester Pa., he is shocked at how much woods we have to play in right outside the front door.
I assisted him with his first deer kill this year and he now knows how to skin and butcher a deer in about an hour. Kyle helped with our annual sausage making using his deer.
He also worked my trap line with me several times this past winter and he wants to learn how to make wine too.

I am thinking of starting a reality TV show next fall.
"The Rednek Apprentice"

I'm not much on reality tv but I will tune into this one.Maybe I can make an appearance in my high heeled hipwaders.Oh thats right,this isn't Jerry Springer is it?

 

[Y-BUC-BILL]

Hi Scott

Kyle is really a nice guy.,as are all of you.Nice to see a group such as yours get along as one big family.

Sorry to say no one Hunts,Fish's or Traps in my family.

 

[strom]

Kyle was the high hook Bill. First time he ever even saw a perch.
He has really taken to the pines and has kayaked miles of the Mullica in his own handmade kayaks since last fall.

Originally from West Chester Pa., he is shocked at how much woods we have to play in right outside the front door.
I assisted him with his first deer kill this year and he now knows how to skin and butcher a deer in about an hour. Kyle helped with our annual sausage making using his deer.
He also worked my trap line with me several times this past winter and he wants to learn how to make wine too.

I am thinking of starting a reality TV show next fall.
"The Rednek Apprentice"

 

[strom]

hi rednek,
loved the story and pictures of the fishing.............my favorite sport.............all catch and release of course...........am puzzled.........what lake were you at to catch perch and bass,along with pickerel..............that is highly unusual for a pine barren lake...........most are too acidic to support anything but pickerel...................my wife accuses me of catching the same fish over and over again................she might be right.............maybe i better start tagging................have a small blue kayak which is great for fishing the pines..............press on,strom

 

[RednekF350]

hi rednek,
loved the story and pictures of the fishing.............my favorite sport.............all catch and release of course...........am puzzled.........what lake were you at to catch perch and bass,along with pickerel..............that is highly unusual for a pine barren lake...........most are too acidic to support anything but pickerel...................my wife accuses me of catching the same fish over and over again................she might be right.............maybe i better start tagging................have a small blue kayak which is great for fishing the pines..............press on,strom

Many species of fish in the pines have surprising tolerance for low pH and do very well. Some of the largest bass I have caught in my life were from lakes that were in the heart of the pines. For instance, Batsto Lake/River upstream of the village dam holds many nice bass and slab crappie, you just gotta work at it.

I'd tell where I was fishing but then I would have to kill you and I don't want to do that.

 

[piker56]

I've caught Perch in Batso, but not very often. Crappie, Bass and Pick's are what we mostly catch. Never new Perch were so good. Next one I catch will be with dinner.
Greg