I have had some good luck for perch on the bigger mid size shiners. The Bigger Perch seem to like them. They do die in the bucket very easy, you need to keep them in a floating minn bucket or an aerated live well. And I ageree the cost has gotten crazy$$$. When there on fat heads work just fine.
Fished yesterday 6 to 11am for Perch , got both fathead and shiners. Launched out of trail creek, Only boated 5 perch all small. Marked lots of small fish by black ditch.18 to 25 fow. caught a few in 40 fow. Did not see anyone getting much. Today should be better, the wind was making it tough yesterday ,I had to run a drift sock to slow down.
I too hear that soft craws are the way to go , either cast them of troll em off the rocks.
Tore the Perch up last year on plain old fatheads, or worms. I think when there in it just doesn't matter much about type of bait.