I just got me a new perch trap yesterday and was wondering what you guys like for bait. I sit it out a couple hours ago with an open can of potted meat and a slice of bread soaked in bacon dripping. Hope it works!

Hot dog buns and can cat food work for me.
Punch holes in can and place in trap.

Hot dog buns and can cat food work for me.
Punch holes in can and place in trap.

Bread works fine for me.

bacon is good, anything that will last a while, bacon, fish guts are really good, perch will eat anything.

what you used should be fine, but other things are simpler to use

Next time you fillet a fish, throw the fish frame in the trap. Leave it near some weeds in shallow water near deeper water for a couple of days. You'll have all the perch you can use.

All of the above---I just throw a hot dog or a tortilla in there.

bones from fried chicken

I use chucks of foam and quarter size pieces of the famous red and white beer can. Never goes bad and always draw in the bait.

I saw someone using raw ramen noodles and had about a dozen perch in half an hour in shallow water under a bridge.

My neighbor swears by the styrofoam pieces, he says the yeast in the bread kills them???? I dunno I still use bread or old bisquits

I always heat up a corndog or two and throw those in the trap.

Am I missing something? TP&W site says this....


Perch Traps:
For use in SALT WATER only.
�May be used to take NONGAME fish only.
�May not exceed 18 cubic feet.
�Must be marked with a floating visible orange buoy not less than 6 inches in height and 6 inches in width. The buoy must have a GEAR TAG valid only for 30 days attached.
�Must be equipped with a degradable panel as described for crab traps.
�Buoys or floats may not be made of plastic bottle(s) of any color or size.
�It is unlawful to place any type of trap within the area in Cedar Bayou between a department sign erected where Mesquite Bay flows into Cedar Bayou and the department sign erected near the point where the pass empties into the Gulf of Mexico.

Bluegill are not realy perch, we don't have perch in Texas people just call bluegill and other panfish perch