Largemouth Perch?

The perch guy is back at the ramp at Yellowwood. He recognizes me, and I say back "Yeah, you're the perch guy." The first time I met him he told me had caught a 19 inch perch here.

He says, "You want to see some perch, come look at this." He sets his bucket out where I can get a good look inside. I'm curious, of course, since I haven't seen a single perch since I've been fishing here. I'm happy for the chance to clear up this perch thing.

I look in and see a bucket full of bluegill. Just then his friend or his son reels in a bluegill, and the perch guy exclaims with delight at what he calls its red belly. He says that's one of the ways you can tell they're perch.

OK. I know there are many regional names for these fish, and maybe he grew up in an area where sunfish are called perch. He asked me my name and introduced himself as Frank. So thanks, Frank, for the entertaining take on bluegill.

But this still doesn't clear up the story about that 19 inch fish. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a bluegill. Maybe it was one of those largemouth perch.

I had fixed up those old poppers with new tails and hackle, and I get a bass pretty quickly with one of them. Bluegill also like them and keep me busy for awhile.

This long stretch of weeds is full of tantalizing bass-like noises, but I have no weedless flies that I can plunge right in the midst of them. There are one or two splashy takes right on the edge--always just behind me after I've already worked that spot. I go back once but can't entice anything to my fly.

At the stretch of shoreline that I really like, and where I've caught my best bass, a boat is camped out. I wait to see if they're going to work past me, but when they move it's only to move out from the bank a ways. So I cross over earlier than usual.

Over on the shady side there are big bluegill wanting to eat.

I notice the water plants lining the shore are blooming. I still haven't identified them, but I can appreciate their beauty without a name.

I'm still hoping for bass, but I keep catching bluegill,

But I'll take them. As always, it's a good way to end the day.