Aiming for PB Perch

[John Bogle]

I'd be surprised if pike can bite through braid as it's not that simple to cut through it with a pair of scissors! Possibly after a few fish it may get frayed and weakened that way? You should be able to get away with decent strength braid of about 20lb or more quite easily since it's so fine.

 

With regards to the Romney Marsh Budgie, I'm right on the edge of there. Live in a place called Wittersham which is on the eastern edge north of Rye.

[Andy Macfarlane]

Either you don't do much Pike fishing or the Pike round your ways eat too many sweets. Braid doesn't have a hope in hell against a Pike's gnashers.

[Dick Dastardly]

No guessing involved John its a simple fact a lot of us have learnt the hard way.

Yes I know Wittersham.The Rother is a great river which I have always thought very under rated.From mullet to carp and seatrout to pike it has the lot.Never tried for big Perch out of it and was interested by your comments.

[AndyM]

didn't have time this weekend for a bait and wait aproach, but did throw a few lures around for a couple of hours last night. No Perch, although I did have one I guess would be in the 1 to 2lb range follow the lure to the bank before spotting me and turning off near the locks, but did land a 14lb pike so not a wasted trip

[Steve Burke]

Lure fishing is a great way of locating good perch spots, so it was far from a wasted trip for another reason! You can then bait and wait there on a future trip. Having said that, perch do move around a fair bit, so it can be worth priming several spots and alternating between them.

 

However, as has already been pointed out, bridges, and to a slightly lesser extent overhanging trees, are nearly always a good bet. This is both because of their ambush potential and also low light.

 

I reckon the key to finding big perch (which have excellent eyesight) is light intensity - they like it low when they have maximum advantage over their poorer-sighted prey. At dawn and dusk though you'll often find them in shallow open water harrying the fry shoals.

 

For this reason finding the taking depth is critical. Remember too that the perch may not be feeding on the bottom, especially in poor light. This is one reason (another being the lack of resistance) why float fishing can be so productive.

 

I agree that braid isn't pike proof. When lure fishing with anything but a single-hooked lure I always use a wire trace if pike are present.

 

Finally, I agree that maggots, especially if flavoured, can be a great perch attractor. They also do catch some big perch. However, on my waters at least, I find they catch too many small perch as well - which I'm usually aiming to avoid. I'd therefore certainly expect to catch more specimen stripies on bigger baits.

 

Mind you, one of the great attractions of perch fishing is that every water is different. Sure, take advice from experienced perch anglers to use as a starting point. But if it's not working don't hesitate to try something different!

[Dick Dastardly]

I too have a lot of faith in maggots.I dont bother flavouring them but fish a live bait and spray maggots over the area I have it in.I like to feed the swim as if I was maggot fishing.I believe this encourages small fish in and this coupled with the feeding activity attracts the bigger perch.Works with lobs too.Dont know about deads as I ve never had much luck with perch on deadbaits.

 

On the subject of perch I would be most interested in your views on the following.Most of my perch fishing is carried out in the late Autumn and Winter I have been considering having a go for them (in a couple of local commercial carp waters)during April and May.Despite having fished quite regularly for big Perch for the last 10 or so years I dont know a great deal about their life cycle.I dont even know for sure when they spawn just having presumed as predators they would spawn early.Do you think it is safe/sporting/acceptable to fish for them in April May? Im not used to being in the country at this time of year since the closed season was abolished so it has never been an issue before.

[John Bogle]

I've never actually fished with braid for pike. I just remember they always used to recommend it in books and magazines about 10 years ago to avoid bite offs from Pike.

 

Guess you can't always trust what you read in books then!

 

 

Budgie,

 

Most of my best perch on the rother have come from just above the weir at Pothmans Heath Budgie. I have had several from the bridges of both Balckwall and Newbridge. My mate had a couple of around the 2.5lb mark from Blackwall. He also had several nice perch from Bodium.

 

I have for the past 10 years or so worked on a farm, so have never been free for much fishing in summer-Autumn, so have concentrated mostly on early season tench, bream and carp, and then winter pike. I have a year away from the farm this year, so hope to find some of the perch once again this year!

[Steve Burke]

BUDGIE:

On the subject of perch I would be most interested in your views on the following.Most of my perch fishing is carried out in the late Autumn and Winter I have been considering having a go for them (in a couple of local commercial carp waters)during April and May.Despite having fished quite regularly for big Perch for the last 10 or so years I dont know a great deal about their life cycle.I dont even know for sure when they spawn just having presumed as predators they would spawn early.Do you think it is safe/sporting/acceptable to fish for them in April May? Im not used to being in the country at this time of year since the closed season was abolished so it has never been an issue before.

Perch typically spawn in the second half of April on most of our shallow local waters. I don't fish for them then, nor immediately after they spawn as I feel they're even more vulnerable as they recover.

 

My favourite month is March. They're feeding up then but there's less natural food around then to compete with.

[PeterJC]

One thing that doesn't seem to have been mentioned is the time of day. First light or last light has always produced my biggest perch (although usually not by design, they pick up lobs intended for barbel).

Where I have targetted perch I often use maggots flavoured with curry powder etc.

Peter.

[Dick Dastardly]

thanks for your views Steve.I will follow suit.