Top 8 Most Popular Perch Fishing Rigs in 2023

When it comes to perch fishing, a nice perch setup might mean the difference between a good and a bad fishing day. Some rigs offer distinct advantages and are well-suited for targeting the specific areas perches like to hold in. If you’re going perch fishing, here are the top eight rigs that you should try.

How do you rig for perch fishing?

1. Jig Rig

The jig rig is one of the simplest rigs for perch fishing that is worthwhile to try out first since it is versatile and can be used with a wide range of baits and fishing techniques. 

How to set up:

Jig rigs can come in various configurations. However, if your main line is fluorocarbon or monofilament, a simple option is to attach a 1/8 to 1/4 oz jig head directly to your line. Otherwise, if you are using braid as your main line, you ought to use a 2-feet long, 6 to 8-lb test fluorocarbon leader. 

After that, add a soft plastic lure, such as a grub tail or paddle tail swimbait, on your line. A paddle tail is a great choice, as the tail at its back will thrash, making it look like an injured fish. An injured fish is an easy target for perch. 

Last but not least, the soft plastic lure can be easily changed out to try various sizes, shapes, and colors.

How to use it:

For yellow perch rigs, during retrieval, keep the rig as close to the bottom as possible. You can practice casting your rig with a jigging rod, then wait for it to reach the bottom before retrieving it. Also, remember to pause regularly throughout retrieval to allow it to sink back to the bottom. 

Your goal should be to maintain the sinker’s position at the bottom at all times while letting the flies gently float at the desired depth. In order to find your most effective fishing strategy, try the jig rig with various retrieval paces and cadences.

When to use it:

Since this type of rig allows anglers to cover a lot of water while looking for feeding perch, it is considered an excellent search bait. 

Or once in a while, when you are not sure if there are any perch around your fishing location or you are not even getting any bites from a live bait rig, believe it or not, this option can give you some hope. Move around until you come across a school of fish, and then try out various baits and presentation styles.

2. Slip Bobber Rig

Slip bobber rigs are extremely helpful when you want to modify the depth of your bait in the water column. In general, this setup comes in handy when fishing perch, as the fish frequently hold in different areas close to the weeds or drop-offs in the water.

How to set up:

To tie a slip bobber rig, first slide a bobber stopper onto your main line, followed by a plastic bead. Make sure you have your bead added since it will prevent the bobber stopper from getting stuck inside the bobber. 

Then comes the most important component of the rig, the bobber. Simply thread the bobber below the plastic bead. It’s advisable to use a reasonably thin finesse bobber because perch don’t react well to a lot of resistance when they take the bait.

Before tying the main line to a swivel, add some split shot weights underneath the bobber to prevent it from slipping down all the way. Lastly, measure out 2 to 3 feet of the 6 to 8 lb test fluorocarbon leader, then tie one end of the leader to the swivel and a size 2 to 4 bait hook to the other end.

How to use it:

Modify the slip bobber rig so that the bait is presented about 6 inches above the bottom. This is the strike zone for perch. After determining the right depth, bait the hook with a minnow or a worm and cast it out to the potential fishing spots. And then you only need to wait for bites.

Additionally, another option for keeping the bait near the bottom is to use a jig head rather than a circular hook.

When to use it:

Since anglers can easily alter how deep or how shallow they fish by simply altering the position of the bobber stop along the fishing line, the slip bobber rig is a great option for fishing in deeper water in streams, harbors, or piers.

This type of perch rig can also be used from shore or from a boat, as anglers only need to cast it out, wait for perch to pass by, and eat the bait. However, bear in mind that it will be more difficult to maintain your position if you’re drifting because the bottom’s depth tends to vary often.

3.  Drop Shot Rig

Drop Shotting is a finesse technique for fishing soft plastic lures. It was initially designed for challenging largemouth bass in high-pressure waters in Japan. Concerning motion, pace, and fishing depth, the drop shot rig gives anglers a great deal of control over their bait. 

Therefore, the main benefit is that, even while fishing with a static presentation, you can suspend your lure at any point in the water column. 

How to set up:

To start, tie a Palomar knot with a long tag end. Depending on the depth at which you want to present your bait in the water column, double 12 to 30 inches of the main line and then pass the end of the loop through the eye of the hook.

After that, tie a loose overhand knot with the hook hanging from the bottom of the created loop, but do not tighten the knot right away. Grab the end of the loop, then pass it over the hook while holding the overhand knot. You can moisten the line in the loop areas for better security. 

In the end, pull on both lengths of the main line carefully to tighten the knot and next the tag end. Once tightened, some anglers also pass the tag end line back through the eye of the hook from the top to secure the hook a little bit more. Finally, attach a drop shot weight at the end of the line and bait the hook. 

How to use it:

Cast your rig to a likely fish-holding area, such as under an overhanging tree, close to reeds, on the side of a boat, or on the walls near canal lock gates. Let the weight fall through the water until it comes to rest on the bottom.

Next, carefully use subtle movements of the rod tip to jerk the bait without taking the weight off the bottom. Do this for a few minutes before casting in different areas. Also, attempting to cover all the water while trying different lures or baits should have a higher chance of catching fish.

When to use it:

The drop shot rig is an ideal perch fishing rig when you have located a place where perch gather, as it allows you to fish in one spot until you get a bite without having to constantly retrieve the bait. 

Another great benefit is that you can focus on a very particular depth where perches are present. 

4. Ned Rig

The Ned Rig is one of the most deadly rigs for catching big perch thanks to its unique and distinctive motion in the water.

How to set up:

The Ned Rig has a similar appearance to the jig rig, and so does the tying process. First, choose a hook that matches your fishing line – a light hook for a light line, and vice versa. Then insert the hook portion of a 1/16 to 1/4 oz mushroom jig head into the top of a soft plastic bait. 

At this step, push the hook down about 1 inch through the center and out at the side of the bait, making sure the hook is securely attached to the bait. For more details, the plastic bait can be 2 to 4 inches long and match the forage or colors of the water in your fishing spot. 

Finally, attach the rig to the 8-pound fluorocarbon leader and then tie the other end of the leader to the main line using a line-to-line connection.

How to use it:

The beauty of the Ned Rig is that once you cast it out, it will slowly sink to the bottom and just sit there with little movement. Take advantage of this; it is this tiny movement that the fish find attractive. 

The most effective way is to use the “twitch, twitch, pause” technique, which makes the lure enticingly shuffle down the bottom. Cast out your rig to the far bank, let it sink, and as soon as you feel it touches the bottom, start the “twitch” retrieve. 

The distinctive feature of the Ned Rig is that the lure will kick up soil and silt whenever you twitch it, which imitates feeding and catches the perch’s attention. Also, when you pause the retrieve for a few seconds, its tail will stand up straight and attractively while sinking to the bottom, and this is often the moment when the bait is swallowed. 

When to use it:

The Ned rig can be used in any venue, including rivers, canals, and still waters of various shapes and sizes. Moreover, though the rig can work all year, it really shines when the water temperature decreases and the fish are less active.

You can use this as search bait or whenever the perches are picky and don’t respond to other presentations. 

5. Carolina Rig

Over time, the Carolina Rig has firmly established itself as one of the top bottom fishing rigs globally. Although it was originally designed by bass anglers in the USA, it has been equally effective for perch fishing throughout the UK and Europe. 

 

The huge benefit of this rig is that it is almost entirely snag-proof and was created to fish a soft plastic bait close to the bottom among dense weeds and snags.

How to set up:

First of all, attach a sinker to the main line, which can be an egg- or bullet-shaped weight. Then add a plastic bead or brass clacker next to the sinker, followed by a swivel at the end of the main line. The bead will keep the weight from getting trapped on the swivel or ruining the knot. 

Next, cut about 1 to 2 feet of fluorocarbon leader and tie it to the swivel. Tie the other end of the leader to a size 2 to 4 worm hook that is made for weedless rigging of soft plastic baits. There is a wide range of available baits, including imitations of minnows, shads, and worms. 

How to use it:

Simply make a long cast to the area where the fish are, and let your rig sink to the bottom. Once it reaches the bottom, wait for about 10 to 20 seconds before reeling in a few feet, and then pause, leaving the plastic bait to dip slowly downward. This is typically what entices the perch to bite the most. 

However, you ought to pay high attention to small taps or tugs, as normally the perch bites on the Carolina rig are pretty subtle. When there is a bite, reel in your rig until you feel resistance, then set the hook.

The ideal type of the main line is a braided line. Thanks to its sensitivity, anglers can feel their rig easier when fishing.

When to use it:

The Carolina rig is excellent for fishing from plateaus, drop-offs, or generally going a little deeper. For perch, this action is particularly effective. Although drop shotting is understandably highly popular, alternative techniques, like the Carolina rig, are appropriate when presenting a weedless lure on the bottom or over steep structures.

6. Perch Pounder Rig

Next comes the infamous Perch Pounder Rig, which is overwhelming at the same time. This type of perch rig performs well in deep water and is ideal for vertical boat fishing. 

How to set up:

Overall, you only need to use one piece of the leader line to tie the rig if you prefer not to have the side arms of the rig constantly become tangled with the main line. Commonly, a heavy fluorocarbon line of about 15 to 20 lb is perfect as a leader since it is quite stiff.

First, take the leader and fold a loop back on itself, then tie a few overhand knots to create a loop in the leader line. Pull it tight and cut one of the loop’s arms to make a straight line that protrudes from the leader.

After that, add 1 or 2 beads to this line, and then tie a size 4 to 8 bait hook at the end of the line. Do the same procedure to make the second line that is about 8 inches beneath the first one. Next, thread the beads, and then bait your hooks.

To proceed, cut the leader line approximately 12 inches below the second loop and tie it to a strong 1-ounce sinker. Lastly, trim the leader off above the top hook and use a swivel to connect it to the main line. 

How to use it:

By far, the Perch Pounder Rig has shown itself as one of the best rigs for catching large perch from a boat in the deep water of at least 50 feet. 

By using two hooks with live minnows, it is also known as the “Double Minnow Rig”. The minnows can swim and run around freely to attract perch for a bite. When you have your hooks baited, cast the rig out and wait for it to lower to the bottom of your boat.

When to use it:

Originally, the Perch Pounder Rig was designed for fishing perch in deep water in the big lakes since standard setups don’t work well.

However, as it is made for vertical fishing, it also makes a great ice fishing rig for perch. It works just as well in any lake with deep water where large shoals of perch tend to hold.

7. Paternoster Rig

The Paternoster Rig is also called Rosary Rig or Chicken Rig. With it, anglers can capture a wide variety of fish, including perch, especially when bottom fishing from an anchored boat. This has made the rig popular among offshore fishing enthusiasts. 

How to set up:

The concept of the Paternoster Rig is fairly simple: you only need to tie one to three hooks with dropper loops to your main line. Keep in mind to leave adequate space between each hook so that they don’t tangle with the main line in the water.

In detail, start by attaching a weight to the end of your leader. By doing this, you may be confident that your bait will sink and remain a little off the bottom. After that, attach hooks depending on the number of baits you intend to use. You can attach the snoods to the main line with dropper loops as usual.

To reduce tangling, the combined length of loops must be shorter than the distance between them. To tie the hook, form a cow-hitch by passing the loop through the eye of the hook, then passing the hook tip through the loop and pulling it tight to the eye.

Finally, use the swivel to join the leader to your main line, and your Paternoster Rig is ready to show itself.

How to use it:

You can bait your hook with live bait since they are the big perch’s favorite food. When you are ready, simply cast out your rig and wait for the result.

When to use it:

This rigging is perfect for all types of fishing, from surf fishing to boat fishing. By far, it is a multi-hooked bottom fishing rig that is best used from an anchored boat or pier when there is little tide running.

8. Maggot Feeder Rig

The Maggot Feeder Rig is one of the most adaptable and economical feeder rigs on the market. It can be used to target a wide range of freshwater fish species across the UK.

How to set up:

To start off, thread the 6lb line through the eye of a size 14 hook and tie a tucked half-blood knot. Then tie a micro swivel on the other end of the hook length to create a strong but extremely light connection with low resistance.

Thread the feeder onto the main line by using a clip bead and attaching the feeder to it. This enables you to adjust the feeder’s size to the fishing conditions while reducing resistance.

To prevent the maggot feeder from sliding back off the mainline, attach a line stop after the feeder. In the end, to complete this simple rig, tie the main line to the micro swivel and bait the hook with three maggots.

How to use it:

Maggot feeders are tiny plastic capsules of varying weights and sizes with holes bored into the sides of them to allow the maggots to move and escape when the feeder is submerged in water.

In terms of structure, it features a “door” that you can open to fill your maggots on the bank and once closed, the only way for the maggots to escape is through the holes. 

Like other feeders, they will come in a variety of weights, sizes, and even numbers of holes. Larger sizes allow you to fill the feeder with more maggots; heavier weights allow you to cast farther; and the number of holes affects how quickly the maggots feed.

When to use it:

Using a Maggot Feeder Rig is extremely effective when fishing in cold water during the winter when the fish aren’t interested in feeding at all.

Live bait fish simply won’t work in these circumstances because of their size and excessive movement. Therefore, the perch must use up more energy to grab those baits. 

On the other hand, maggots are now a much simpler target. They have a lot of protein, are tiny, and can’t swim away from the perch. All of this makes them the ideal cold water perch bait.

Best Live Baits For Perch

All in all, there are several different types of tiny live baits available for perch, and they enjoy them all. However, some just work better than others, depending on the day, the weather, and the natural food that the perches in the water you are fishing for are able to eat. 

Therefore, you can fill your tackle box with some of these baits to prepare for your next fishing trip: minnows, roach, rudd, bleak, worms, maggots, shiners, and nightcrawlers,…

Conclusion

While there are many other ways to catch perch, these eight setups are undoubtedly some of the best. If you are a novice angler and it’s hard for you to choose the most suitable one, just pick out one type of rig from these tools and experience it for yourself. We hope after reading this article, you will find success in perch fishing.