I guess I shoot myself in the foot a lot Brian. But you know the way I shoot and probably would miss more often than not
just about 14’ is the magic number for not spooking perch. I can still jig them up under me at that depth. I would say a little deeper in Skaneateles and some areas of canandaigua where it’s clear.
perch move around in tight little schools almost like a flock of sparrows. They move so you better too In the fingerlakes, drift and cast until you find them, spotlock until they stop biting and then drift some more.
And by the way, don’t leave home without some worms on board. They worked 50 yrs ago and still work today. Just have to fish them in areas without gobies. The last two years I have been putting some nice Erie late summer perch on board using whatever worms I had left over from walleye fishing.