So I generally always use artificials, but I am wanting to try some live bait for stripers. I know shad would be preferable but I’m not set up for that yet so I’m planning on using perch. I think I can keep them alive better until I get set up right.

1. What type of hook/size should I be using?
2. How is the best way to hook the perch? Through the nose or towards the back?

Any input appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Randy

I like Gamakatsu 2/0 Octopus hooks, and hook through top lip.

I usually hook through both lips on perch. Sometimes on bigger perch, I will hook through the "shoulder" just behind the head where it's meaty. I quit using octopus hooks because my gut-hook ratio went up considerably. Went back to using pure circle hooks. I like the circle hook size to be about size of my thumb for medium size perch. When using smallish perch, I'll reduce the size so as not to overwhelm the bait. I can keep perch alive all day long in a livewell but my skill for catching shad is less than poor so I'm usually fishing with some perch and artificials. A famous man once said, there's a thousand ways to catch a fish and they all will work sometime.

Hook them through the top lip. Hook size depends on bait size. Use a No 2 if they are small up to a 2.0 for big ones.

I used to use perch all the time at PK for stripers before the BRA opened the flood gates in 2019 and sent them all down the river. If you are fishing a lake with a lot of shad the stripers may not take those perch. Perch can fight back with their fins and shad are like rabbits and just die easy. I've had big striper take a perch and run with it for 30 yeads and then spit it out when the perch got his dorsal fins up. If you leave the perch the striper or LM Bass will come back and take that bait.

Good luck.

This really isn't an answer to your question, but something useful anyways:

I've had best results using sunfish that have orange or red colors rather than the ones with all drab coloration. I don't know why they do better for me, but they do

Appreciate all the input. I am fishing Whitney and there are shad everywhere that I’m sure they are feeding on, I just don’t think I can keep the shad alive long enough to be able to fish... gonna start with the perch and see what happens. Have had great success this year on artificials for sandies and done small stripers. I’m just trying to get the kiddos on some bigger fish so I thought I’d give live bait a try...

Interesting discussion. Let us know what you find out.

When the striper are feeding you are able to catch them on the dead shad also.