One thing I love about late fall in New Jersey is that yellow perch fishing turns on and this year there have been enough light wind days to allow me to capitalize on my SUL gear. My go to rod is the Major Craft Finetail FAX-632SUL. The reel, a shallow spooled Shimano Soare BB spooled with Varivas 2.3# ester line. When I use a leader, it's Kastking 0.16 mm 4# flouro, but I frequently do without.
Almost all the fishing is bank fishing, which oddly enough usually proves more productive than in the kayak or tin boat. Jigs heads used range from 0.5 - 2 g. The heavier end is almost always less productive but sometimes necessary if the only findable schools are fairly far out or there's too much wind. Soft plastics include Trout Magnets, Crappie Sliders, micro tubes and slender paddle tails.
The bite is best on cloudy or rainy days. Caught 60+ fish in an afternoon by suffering through cold and rain. Suffering is a poor word choice, since I found it to be pure joy, despite the elements. It's so rewarding trying various spots, depths, retrieve techniques until you find the key to that day's fishing.
Between the wonderfully sensitive Finetail and the no-stretch ester, even the lightest takes can be detected. I call this rod a magic wand, because somehow it tells me subconsciously when a fish is on. You know, those times when the fish takes the bait from behind and swims with it. You just "know" its there and set the hook. Such a great feeling.
I'm amazed by how often the hooked perch come cartwheeling out of the water like trout. Not sure I remember it happening as much in the spring or summer.
Of course I won't complain when a bass takes the lure. When I hooked the one pictured below it immediately conveyed the weight of a bass but then did such perch-like head shakes that I thought maybe I was in to record setting, monster perch.
