Fishing Report Mitchell’s bay 1/31

Fishermanpaul

Fishermanpaul

Well-Known Member
Took a day off and went out to Mitchell’s bay with my dad… ice is super soft so I spudded out.. went out a little bit and it was straight up chocolate milk so I ended up searching for clean water and drilling a ton of holes in the morning. After finding the cleanest water I could we setup there and just stayed waiting for schools and roamers. Lots of other people weren’t catching anything and the fish were in a negative mood, anything moving too fast they rejected. We ended up catching about 70 or so, and keeping 48 of them… nothing crazy big just lots of good eater sized perch.

If you are thinking of going out there after seeing this please be careful, just because I got out there doesn’t mean it’s going to be safe tomorrow. I would recommend a float suit, ice picks and a spud… the ice is getting quite soft and rotten and remember that no ice is safe, you have to be wary and the ice conditions can change drastically daily. For all I know it could be completely unwalkable this weekend.
 

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@Red Fisher I do have some from the fall… they’re sealed nicely in vacuum bags 🤷‍♂️ The last bag I had was excellent.

I did have some walleye from July in a regular ziploc bag last week and it was good but I could tell the difference.

And yes Paul, if there’s a better fish we can catch around here I haven’t tasted it!
 
O B.. Perch are # 1 in my book, ziploc bags with water. Can’t wait to get back at them….. Enjoy them have a good one…….
 
Fishermanpaul said:
Took a day off and went out to Mitchell’s bay with my dad… ice is super soft so I spudded out.. went out a little bit and it was straight up chocolate milk so I ended up searching for clean water and drilling a ton of holes in the morning. After finding the cleanest water I could we setup there and just stayed waiting for schools and roamers. Lots of other people weren’t catching anything and the fish were in a negative mood, anything moving too fast they rejected. We ended up catching about 70 or so, and keeping 48 of them… nothing crazy big just lots of good eater sized perch.

If you are thinking of going out there after seeing this please be careful, just because I got out there doesn’t mean it’s going to be safe tomorrow. I would recommend a float suit, ice picks and a spud… the ice is getting quite soft and rotten and remember that no ice is safe, you have to be wary and the ice conditions can change drastically daily. For all I know it could be completely unwalkable this weekend.
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A great catch @Fishermanpaul to you and your dad! 👍 The way you had described the ice conditions out on Mitchells Bay,and “No Thanks!!” 😬 😳 Even though I have a one piece float suit,ice picks and a spud bar! But, I am much heavier than you and your dad the last time I have met you both @Xtreme marine in person that day. Therefore, I would perhaps,( maybe not ), break through the ice,but why should I take the chance. I guess that I am getting too old,and more cautious and perhaps a good thing. Either way, I am glad that you both were safe,and it looks like that I will be buying some perch at a local grocery store. Last Sunday,January 28,2024 30% off special while I was there on that day. I didn’t buy any,but as always , I would rather catch perch,etc., myself. I just had a Lake Erie walleye fry the other day,to tie me over for now. 🐟😋 Enjoy your perch fry to you both!! 🐟🐟😋 👍🙂
 

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geez, for that price ya'd think that the skin would be off.......... Steelheads in St Thomas might be worth a try.
 
I think they leave the skin on most fish....#1---To hide the brown fat lateral line..
#2---this is where most of the contamination in fish collects .... especially in Walleye.
I always cut this line out..
 
Outdorman said:
geez, for that price ya'd think that the skin would be off.......... Steelheads in St Thomas might be worth a try.
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Obviously because fish are identified by there skin the fish depot doesn't know where that fish is all headed. Also to note its illegal to store or transport some species in some areas with the skin off even if it's personal. I know aguy who got off lucky and the mnr only look the cooler of fish.
 
Don’t forget you pay by weight… so $55/kg for skin. I actually like pan fried skin on fish, the part I don’t like is scaling more than a few of them!

Regarding the skin on/off for storage… not sure about commercial guys but all us anglers are supposed to leave a patch of skin always, unless it is for immediate consumption (no matter which species or FMZ).

If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, leaving the skin on before freezing is handy… that way only one side can get freezer burn (no joke, it works! Lay your two filets meat sides together and skin side out)
 
For commercial processing of perch, scaling is easier than skinning and gives more saleable lbs - no brainer. I think the taste of skin-on perch is better, but it makes such a mess to do at home.
Strictly speaking - for storage or transport of sport-caught fish you need to leave enough skin to identify them and also store them in a way that they can be easily counted. Doing this properly is a huge hassle for fish like perch.
 
When I catch Walleye, Bows, or Perch, they go into the cooler with ice. Lots of ice....They stay that way until I get home. Then I fillet and skin each fish and cut the brown lateral line out on the skin side of the fish. End result is clean, fresh, looking fillets. As far as leaving skin on fish at home in my freezer. that will never happen.
 
Thirstystone said:
When I catch Walleye, Bows, or Perch, they go into the cooler with ice. Lots of ice....They stay that way until I get home. Then I fillet and skin each fish and cut the brown lateral line out on the skin side of the fish. End result is clean, fresh, looking fillets. As far as leaving skin on fish at home in my freezer. that will never happen.
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Ditto that Thirstystone!
 
Thirstystone said:
When I catch Walleye, Bows, or Perch, they go into the cooler with ice. Lots of ice....They stay that way until I get home. Then I fillet and skin each fish and cut the brown lateral line out on the skin side of the fish. End result is clean, fresh, looking fillets. As far as leaving skin on fish at home in my freezer. that will never happen.
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They need a warrant to check your home… so don’t F anything up on the water and your home freezers contents are between you and the
Missus
 
I am going to try a post some pics of walleye that I thawed and cut the brown stuff out....:giggle:
The #5 pic is the brown fat that I took off, and put in the white dish...what you see is a very thin layer sliced off while the fillets are slightly frozen.
Pic #6 is the clean looking fillets...
 

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