INTERMEDIATE Ice Fishing Perch by Ross Robertson photos by the author W 16 hen the weather turns and ice forms, it can be one of the best times to fish for the often elusive but tasty perch. Many anglers who chase perch cannot get away from undersized perch in order to target larger perch or at least keeper-size perch. Here are several things to consider this ice fishing season when you head out for perch. Electronics Knowing what is going on below the ice is critical. Use several different tools to better see what is happening. While flashers have long been known and used by ice anglers, newer systems such as 360 sonar provide a bigger picture of what is going on. The 360 technology allows ice anglers to see more Pennsylvania Angler & Boater than what is directly below the ice and provides a 360-degree view. While seeing what direction fish are coming from can determine your next move, being able to see changes in bottom composition or small structures like rock piles gives additional essential details. Newer sonar technology like live sonar helps anglers see fish in larger portions of the water column and exactly how they relate to the lure. Traditional flashers don't show how close a fish is truly swimming to the lure. The last facet to consider with ice fishing electronics is an underwater camera. I admittingly haven't used a camera as much as others, because the peripheral vision can be limited. However, camera models are now available with either wide angle lenses or even four camera heads to get a 360-degree view. If you don't own or have the budget for a newer camera, older models can still be useful. One of the most overlooked advantages of an underwater camera is simply identifying the fish below the ice. fishandboat.comhttp://www.fishandboat.com