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The Autumn Perch Thread


Steve Walker

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For those of us who like to do our perching in the autumn, that time is coming round again. I've just kicked my season off with a short exploratory dropshotting session on a stretch of the Bristol Avon. It's one I've had access to for years but had only once fished before when it was horribly flooded. It's actually much nicer than the impression I got then - quite slow and narrow, mostly around eight feet deep. Lots of lily pads, reed beds, overhanging trees, but good accessible pegs. I had two perch, one scarcely bigger than the lure, the other an absolutely beautiful fish and a decent size, more than 2lb but less than 3. Took me on the drop, and I thought it was probably a pike until it surfaced. Fantastic colours. Annoyingly, it flipped out of the net and back in the river while I was fannying about with the camera and that was that. Best perch I've had dropshotting and probably also the best I've had on a lure.

 

I think this stretch has potential, so I may concentrate on it instead of the Thames this year. Need to check the club rules for livebaits, otherwise I shall be down there with the lobs!

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Good thread Steve, it coincides with my first concerted effort. BTW Mr Plumb has already used the ‘it flipped back into the water’ scam in one of his perching blog entries :D.

 

I was at my favourite lock cut, a swim where I had my best ever perch session and the place where I first witnessed a ‘four’. The features which held the fish have gone now but I pop back occasionally just to see if they might be having a re-union. I love fishing for them this way, a big lobworm and stillwater where you can see every movement of the float. The tiddlers grab and go but the better fish always give themselves away by inspecting the bait before they take it, if the float bobs you know something will happen very shortly.

 

Today saw a dozen sub-pound perch landed and three crayfish despatched to the pearly gates. Through laziness I lost something big, the combination of a size 16 hook (which I’d used earlier for trotting maggot) and lobworm wasn’t sufficient for the hook to get a good hold and after 30 seconds or so the end tackle pinged back towards me. I didn’t see the fish so I’m convincing myself it was a circa 3lb chub.

 

Out with the lures tomorrow.

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It's never a 'six', let's put it back

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Lacking my scales, I was already denied the glory of having a good gloat about the fish, but it was such a beautifully coloured specimen I was really gutted not to get a photo. I thought "bugger, never mind, it's still on the line", only to discover the hook in the net :(

 

Hook was missing the lure, too, I think it must have eaten it!

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Good thread Steve, it coincides with my first concerted effort. BTW Mr Plumb has already used the ‘it flipped back into the water’ scam in one of his perching blog entries :D.

 

I was at my favourite lock cut, a swim where I had my best ever perch session and the place where I first witnessed a ‘four’. The features which held the fish have gone now but I pop back occasionally just to see if they might be having a re-union. I love fishing for them this way, a big lobworm and stillwater where you can see every movement of the float. The tiddlers grab and go but the better fish always give themselves away by inspecting the bait before they take it, if the float bobs you know something will happen very shortly.

 

Today saw a dozen sub-pound perch landed and three crayfish despatched to the pearly gates. Through laziness I lost something big, the combination of a size 16 hook (which I’d used earlier for trotting maggot) and lobworm wasn’t sufficient for the hook to get a good hold and after 30 seconds or so the end tackle pinged back towards me. I didn’t see the fish so I’m convincing myself it was a circa 3lb chub.

 

Out with the lures tomorrow.

 

I am on the island Chris if you fancy meeting up and we could walk the canal from here up to calcot and have a go in the lake as well ,give me a call if you have not made other plans

We are not putting it back it is a lump now put that curry down and go and get the scales

have I told you abouit the cruise control on my Volvo ,,,,,,,bla bla bla Barder rod has it come yet?? and don`t even start me on Chris Lythe :bleh::icecream:

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- it doesn't bloody feel like it!

Horse chestnut trees are showing autumnal colours already, and we have already converted half a stone of blackberries to, variously, jam, jelly and puree

 

 

RNLI Governor

 

World species 471 : UK species 105 : English species 95 .

Certhia's world species - 215

Eclectic "husband and wife combined" world species 501

 

"Nothing matters very much, few things matter at all" - Plato

...only things like fresh bait and cold beer...

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and we have already converted half a stone of blackberries to, variously, jam, jelly and puree

So have we (well Jaq has anyhow!) One of our river beats has gated access - and the blackberry picking is awesome - we picked 11lbs in a little over an hour last weekend - the whole lot now converted to bramble jelly - lovely.

 

C.

 

ps - summer is returning this week planning one last blast at tench and crucians before I put my river head on properly!

"Study to be quiet." ><((º> My Blog

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I hope to be able to add some input to this thread as it progresses into proper Autumn, really looking forwards to some perch fishing, once the weather starts to curtail my summer obsession with crucian carp and tench!

 

Although I have kind of started on the perch front, quick trotting session last week reminded me of how gorgeous a perch looks, just over a pound this one, hoping to do a lot better in the coming months.

 

15068310366_8ce19d450b_c.jpg

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