# Best eating size for perch?



## ausable_steelhead

What's the best size range to keep perch, 7-9", or more/less?


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## tubejig

I really don't mind which size perch I eat. The way I have it figured is that any size perch is better than no perch. I do try to stay around 8 inches or bigger for cleaning purposes.



tubejig


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## jeremy L

perch are good no matter what size. That said, i will not keep anything under 6 inches on a "bad day" of fishing and 8 on a "good day" of fishing. I know a few people whop will toss back ones bigger than 10 inches, they say that they taste alot worse. I would like to get perch bigger than 10 inches because there is bigger fillets and they are easier to clean.


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## johnny white

eight inchers are perfect for cleaning and eating


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## WALLEYE MIKE

Nothing less than eight. Small ones are too hard to clean.


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## bigberniegb

I like ten inch up to fourteen inch Jumbo perch. Though it's been several years since I've cought anything over eight inches. I blame over harvesting as in commercial gill netting .Their was a PBS program that I wish would air again called Empty Oceans/Empty nets .The program will shock you .You can find Information on-line at www.pbs.org/emptyoceans/


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## sfw1960

9"-11" is what I'd prefer - however sometimes beggars can't be choosy....
7-10" is more like what I'm used to , they ALL taste like chicken!!!!!!!!


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## hoffie1

For me the smaller the better for taste but i will only keep 8" on up.Just to much hassle to clean under 8".

hoffie


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## Banditto

I throw back 9" or less.


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## [email protected]

They are all good but all arnt worth cleaning


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## Tattoo Mike

7" and up


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## Cap'nJon

"I guess I found out the hard way that catching 50 5 inch perch aren't worth the time to clean"...What an Idiot!


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## Ruler

I really wish I could keep only 8+ inchers. Unfortunately, my cutoff is usually around 6.5-7".  There was one time though when the tiny fish in the pile was 7.5.  What I keep really depends on the day. Never have caught anything over 12 though.


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## Chuck1

I fish over in Canada alot for perch, and the really big ones , 12-13" fish are still good eating but they have an extra set of rib bones, So the 12" s go in the bucket the 13+ go back in the hole.


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## Gone Fishing

Hard to find a bad Perch but 8 - 9's are what I find to be the best for my families tablefare! Gotta get back to tonights Perch dinner, it's in the pan!


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## gomer

the best eating ones are the smaller ones (imo) but you dont get as much meat as the jumbos


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## Doughboy

First dozen must be over 7" than the 8" or better kicks in for me. Most places I fish except Simcoe average around that 8" mark. You gotta remember a pound of fish is a pound of fish.


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## Joe_G

If I can even catch one thats 8 inches, I'm grinning from ear to ear. With that said, 8 inchers are about my favorite size. But after heading over to the Bassett area with Gone Fishing and GSEPAN,
catching them 12 & 13 inch monsters, I may never look at an 8 incher with the same respect again


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## sfw1960

> I may never look at an 8 incher with the same respect again


You got 'dat right!, Joe_G...
 
**********
Hey Ruler.... I have a kind suggestion , and we could make it a friendly wager too , if the stakes aren't too high.... hehehe
PUT a swedish pimple on the line & keep it on there for a good while and see if a 12 -13 "er doesn't CHOMP on th' dang thanggg... hehehehe
Almost seems like I saw something that remotely resembled "dissin' pimples" in a nother post somewhere...lol
Russian hooks do work well - but any lure deserves a second chance and even deserves to be flailed once or twice to make certain , it just isn't worth a hoot...
Bro , now would old SFW B.S. ya about a bait that's worth 3 times the price they charge for it???


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## Ruler

Didn't mean to sound like I was rippin on the pimples sfk- I just have never caught anything on em. From what I've seen, they're more for big fish (pike, walleye, lakers, etc), which I can't seem to catch through the ice.  Maybe I will give em another shot for perch next time I'm out though. What color and size do you suggest? (This'll be really cool if it works.  )


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