Whether open or hard water fishing, try upsizing your bait to catch the big ones. Depending on the time of year you happen to be fishing, what is considered large as bait can differ greatly.
For instance, I’ve used nine-inch pond shiners in the summer and caught three-pound large mouths on them. I’ve also used jigs through the ice that were smaller than a pea, and caught the same sized fish. Knowing what big bait for the conditions you are fishing is a key concept in catching large fish. By focusing in on the lake forage species and understanding which food source is being utilized, you can choose the most effective bait.
The recent cold spell has thoroughly locked up Chenango Lake if conditions continue as they are, and the Perch Derby is just around the corner! The event is set to take place on Feb. 9t. Registration fees all ages, advanced is $4 and $5 on ice. Registration begins at 6 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m. The derby starts at 7 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m. Drawings and raffle will be held at 2 p.m., immediately after derby ends. Prizes are $1,000 for tagged perch, donated by NBT; $500 for second tagged perch, donated by Preferred Mutual. Every 15 minutes, prizes will be given for the largest perch. Mayhood’s Sporting Goods will be awarding $150 for the largest perch of the day. The same prize amount will also be awarded for the largest pickerel and is in memory of Dr. Polgar, and was donated by the family. If no tagged perch are caught, six drawings from registered fishermen will be held: $500, $250, $100, $75, $50 and $25. If the Perch Derby is cancelled, drawings will be made from pre-registered contestants only. The awards for cancellation will be broken down the same as above.
The addition of a tagged fish category may add some confusion to your normal big-fish tournament strategy. Here is what I recommend for tagged and multi-species tournaments: I like to put large minnows on my tip-ups for big fish, and use my hand rods to focus on the smaller species. The accompanying picture in today’s edition was of my tournament-winning channel catfish caught on a tip-up. It was 29 inches long and weighed nine pounds and six ounces I caught this fish and won the tournament by using the strategy that I am passing on. Buy the largest minnows you can get as big fish can and do eat much larger baits than you can buy. I like to place them on my tip-ups because you are able to multi-task this way. By using the tip-ups for your larger fish, you are able to jig the smaller and pickier species.
As with the larger species, I like to upsize my jigs to catch larger pan fish. We all have our favorite jigs that seem to produce numbers, but tournament and trophy fishing upsizing is the strategy used to produce larger fish. Knowing what size forage the fish are keying in on is important to picking the right size bait. The only way to know this is to pre-fish and check their stomach contents while cleaning. If you are using the largest lures you can buy, and findyou are still catching small ones, your only choice is make your own. I duplicate, but upsize versions of lures on the market so you can avoid some little guys that way. I find a fish caught on one of your hand-made lures is extra rewarding.
I have been asked several times how I cook my fish, so here are a few tips for the most underutilized species in our waters, the pickerel.
Pickerel are known to be an extremely boney fish, here are a couple of ways to deal with the bones: Surprising to most, you can pan or deep fry pickerel without choking to death. For fried pickere,l I start by scaling the fish completely. I then place the fish on a cutting board to prepare to filet. I hold my knife vertically directly behind the gills and cut to the spine. I then turn the knife while slicing so that it can lay flat on the spine. In a sawing motion, I run the knife through the ribs and continue until it terminates at the tail. I then lay the filet skin-side down and cut out the rib cage. The rib cage must be removed because of the size and thickness of the bones. Here’s the trick - slit the fish through the small bones to the skin, continue to place slits at quarter inch intervals the full length of the filet. Don’t remove the slices from the skin as it holds the fish together while frying. All that is left is to batter dip or dry rub the filet to be fried. The small bones dissolve in the oil, and you end up with what seems to be a boneless filet! Use your favorite recipe to fry up a batch of pickerel, and I believe you will be pleasantly surprised on how well they turn out.
Another favorite preparation for pickerel is patties. You do not have to scale the fish for this method. Cut the filets off and remove the ribs. You then remove the skin by placing the filet on a cutting board skin side down. I recommend using as thin a knife as possible. Place the knife on top of the skin at the tail end. Using my thumb to hold down the skin, I place the knife horizontally on top of the skin. Again, I use a sawing motion to remove the meat from the skin. I then cut the fish into small chunks and run it through a grinder or food processor. Pickerel pattie recipe to serve six to eight: Ingredients: 1 ½ to 2 pounds ground pickerel, one egg, half teaspoon salt, quarter teaspoon pepper, half teaspoon poultry or Old Bay seasoning, one onion, chopped fine, one teaspoon lemon juice, one cup of bread crumbs, oil for frying. How to cook: 1, Combine egg, salt, pepper and seasonings; 2, Mix in ground pickerel, onion, lemon juice and bread crumbs; 3, Shape into patties and fry on medium heat in oil as you would a hamburger.
The Chenango Lake Perch Derby and similar events are perfect opportunities to introduce others, young and old, to ice fishing. Food and beverages can be purchased at the booth provided by the Oxford Lions Club. Good Luck, dress warm, and if new to ice fishing, bring extra clothes.
Good wishes and hope you bag a tag.

For questions or comments on this article, Sheldon may be reached by email at sheldonsoutdoorbusiness@hotmail.com.