Big Thames perch

[Anderoo]

The Thames is finally looking in better shape, and I am hoping to be spending a lot of time there over the winter for both chub and perch. I've had a few perch sessions so far in poor conditions and it seems like I either catch loads of small ones or nothing.

 

The question I keep coming back to is this - do I fish through the smaller ones and hope a big one comes along, or should I fish a spot where I'm getting no bites at all on the basis that if I do catch anything it's likely to be bigger than average?

 

What do you reckon?

 

The spots that don't produce anything look just as good as the ones teeming with the smaller fish. Yesterday I was catching several smaller perch from a classic spot (deep margins, shady, overhanging tree) and decided to move to another spot a few hundred yards away which looked just as good (far margin, outside of a bend, thick norfolk reedbed, deep water) where nothing happened at all, apart from one sharp bite which I missed...

 

On the smaller rivers, if I'm catching small perch I always move, but on the bigger rivers maybe that's the wrong thing to do. However, the only big perch I've hooked so far (and lost, grrr ) was in amongst lots of small fish.

[Kappa]

The Thames is finally looking in better shape, and I am hoping to be spending a lot of time there over the winter for both chub and perch. I've had a few perch sessions so far in poor conditions and it seems like I either catch loads of small ones or nothing.

 

The question I keep coming back to is this - do I fish through the smaller ones and hope a big one comes along, or should I fish a spot where I'm getting no bites at all on the basis that if I do catch anything it's likely to be bigger than average?

 

What do you reckon?

 

The spots that don't produce anything look just as good as the ones teeming with the smaller fish. Yesterday I was catching several smaller perch from a classic spot (deep margins, shady, overhanging tree) and decided to move to another spot a few hundred yards away which looked just as good (far margin, outside of a bend, thick norfolk reedbed, deep water) where nothing happened at all, apart from one sharp bite which I missed...

 

On the smaller rivers, if I'm catching small perch I always move, but on the bigger rivers maybe that's the wrong thing to do. However, the only big perch I've hooked so far (and lost, grrr ) was in amongst lots of small fish.

 

Depends on how small is small! I'd also say it depends on whether you are using lives or worms! If its lives I'd expect bigger fish straight away if they are about! So if you aren't getting any or if they are only small I'd move!

 

Rich

[Anderoo]

Depends on how small is small! I'd also say it depends on whether you are using lives or worms! If its lives I'd expect bigger fish straight away if they are about! So if you aren't getting any or if they are only small I'd move!

 

Rich

 

Small = up to about a pound and a half. I've been using both worms and fish baits, but so far neither seems very selective, there just seem to be too many fish! That big one I lost (it's really haunting me now ) was on a bleak though, and was out of the blue in amongst lots of small ones, out in the middle nowhere near cover, and after several hours!

 

My instinct tells me to move but maybe I'm moving from a swim containing one or two big fish plus loads of small ones, into a swim with nothing in at all...

[Dales]

It's a hard one to work out, when ever I have been catching very small Perch of a few ounces I have never been able to fish through them to catch a big Perch.

 

However when I have been getting Perch up to around a pound and have stuck with it I have been able to go on and hook fish up to 2 1/2lbs leading me to believe that Perch in the 1lb class may well shoal or at least hang around much larger fish, but maybe very small Perch would not hang out in the same spot as their larger brethren may see them as a food source.

 

I used to do alot of Trout fishing many years ago and would often see Perch from around 1lb to maybe 4lb in the same shoal but I would never see any small ones with them or catch any small Perch from the same swim. So my conclusion was that very small Perch would not inhabit the same area as big Perch.

 

If only fishing was that simple, but if it was would it be as much fun.

 

So not catching any small Perch in a swim may be a good sign, but then again by discounting swims with small Perch are you missing out on a big fish?

Edited November 2, 2009 by Dales

[JV44]

The Thames is finally looking in better shape, and I am hoping to be spending a lot of time there over the winter for both chub and perch. I've had a few perch sessions so far in poor conditions and it seems like I either catch loads of small ones or nothing.

 

The question I keep coming back to is this - do I fish through the smaller ones and hope a big one comes along, or should I fish a spot where I'm getting no bites at all on the basis that if I do catch anything it's likely to be bigger than average?

 

What do you reckon?

 

The spots that don't produce anything look just as good as the ones teeming with the smaller fish. Yesterday I was catching several smaller perch from a classic spot (deep margins, shady, overhanging tree) and decided to move to another spot a few hundred yards away which looked just as good (far margin, outside of a bend, thick norfolk reedbed, deep water) where nothing happened at all, apart from one sharp bite which I missed...

 

On the smaller rivers, if I'm catching small perch I always move, but on the bigger rivers maybe that's the wrong thing to do. However, the only big perch I've hooked so far (and lost, grrr ) was in amongst lots of small fish.

 

When the river looks good i generally catch a big bucket of baits and give every likely looking spot 15mins tops with a live and move but often that means just lifting the anchor drifting 50yrds to the next overhanging tree/bush/bridge whatever and trying there as they normally hit a live very quick if they are in that swim ,as soon as i have started to catch bait one goes on to fish on the edge of where i am catching as this often produces.

You can do the same from the bank just travel light with a bucket and pump if needed and try lightly looking spots ,If i catch smaller perch then i will give this spot a bit longer as it can turn up a biggy out of the blue inbetween all the smaller ones.

When the river aint so great say cl;ear and slow like it was [still is??] then i sit in the spots for a lot longer and often find boats that are moored for long peroids of time a good hunting ground cover over the head thing.

If she is in flood then its that get the time right thing ie when they have got used to that muddy water and find the big slack areas ,The whole move or sit it out thing can drive you insane as if you are not used to a big river you can continually question yourself about swim choice something i do a lot and hence the move thing ,Am i even near any Perch ?when things are slow prey on the grey matter.

If the conditions are the same as when you lost the biggy then that would be my first port of call even if you have fished it since with no result?? .

Re your Chub quest if you get out on the river a fair bit you may come across some of the carp guys in which case a pike rod/Perch rod set up with a live bait float often gleans you info about there accidental captures of big Chub which they are keen to tell someone about as long as you dont look like a Carp guy ,Just my experience but stick at it your bit don`t see much in the way of pressure and i think you could turn up a monster of both species good luck steve.

[SpecimenSean]

hasnt someone just beaten the Perch record on the Thames? I saw a news thing somewhere but cant find it now :S

[Andy Macfarlane]

Personally, I'd use a little float setup and chopped worm (not maggot or you'll never get rid of the wee ones) to fish for the smaller perch for an hour or so to try a mentally picture the perimeter of the shoal. Once I've worked that out I'd start fishing either 2-3 lobs or a minnow on a size 6 or size 8 hook OR I'd start throwing a size 1 Mepps approximately 15-25 feet outwith the shoal perimeter.

 

Big perch love eating small perch and it's highly unlikely to find differently sized perch in the same shoal, simply because of their cannibalistic nature but the big perch, which tend to be complete loners or the last of their 'shoal' will be about, stalking or just biding their time for one of their smaller brethren to stray too far from the safety of the main group.

 

That's how generally I find big perch. Find the wee ones first and start fanning my casts and try to picture where their boundary starts and finishes. Bear in mind though, the edge of their boundary can move, so put the big baits and lures down every now and again and just keep check where the wee ones are.

 

A match rod and a spinning rod should cover things.

 

....Andy....

[Anderoo]

Thanks for the replies. I think the key thing then is to either fish lots of spots with tactics and baits aimed at big perch (most likely fish baits on the Thames, maybe lobs once the water is colder and the smaller fish quieten down), or pick one spot, feed it to attract small fish, fish a perch bait to one side, and hold my nerve.

 

With the constant moving method you're looking to eventually drop onto a good fish and catch it quickly. With the sticking in one spot method, you're building up a swim and deliberately attracting small fish, and hoping to draw a big perch in. The one I lost was using this latter method - a fish bait on the edge of the area I was fishing with float-fished maggots for small fish. I think this may be the way to go.

 

This has been useful and helped me to collect my thoughts, ta

 

One interesting thing I have started to notice is that dusk is not a particularly good time on the Thames. Has anyone else noticed this? Dawn may be better, but I think a good fish can pop up at any time really. It's very different to the perch stream when almost all fish come in the last 15 minutes. It is much shallower there, so I suppose it's not that surprising.

 

There's just something so exciting about the Thames - anything could happen

[Kappa]

With the constant moving method you're looking to eventually drop onto a good fish and catch it quickly. With the sticking in one spot method, you're building up a swim and deliberately attracting small fish, and hoping to draw a big perch in. The one I lost was using this latter method - a fish bait on the edge of the area I was fishing with float-fished maggots for small fish. I think this may be the way to go.

 

This may work, I've never really done this. However as it gets colder etc I would expect the perch to shoal up and so If they were there I'd expect to catch them early!

 

I've had some very good hauls of perch at my favourite spot (you know the one) but it is very moody sometimes they feed hard sometimes they don't. One thing I have noticed is I have caught the most when it is very cold and the water is clear. I can't decide if they are always there but sometimes don't feed or if they only arrive in my favourite spot when the conditions are right!

 

One interesting thing I have started to notice is that dusk is not a particularly good time on the Thames. Has anyone else noticed this? Dawn may be better, but I think a good fish can pop up at any time really. It's very different to the perch stream when almost all fish come in the last 15 minutes. It is much shallower there, so I suppose it's not that surprising.

 

Again I'd expect to catch at any time if the fish are there and they are feeding. I have not fished at dawn enough to notice a proper pattern, though the few dawn session were very productive. I think you are right about dusk though, if I haven't caught all day I wouldn't expect one to pop up at dusk!

 

Rich

Edited November 3, 2009 by Richard Capper

[Steve Walker]

I've been nipping out at lunchtime to get a bit of exercise on my mountain bike, and my route takes me over a Thames tributary and past a small club water. I haven't fished the club water for perch yet, in fact I've only fished it once at all, but the lad in the tackle shop reckoned there are big perch in there.

 

Anyway, two observations - firstly, something was chasing small fish in the pond yesterday, which is really motivating me to go and give it a go, and secondly, you have some water coming. Lots of water, judging by the tributary.

 

What's annoying about the club pond it that there is no spinning and no fish baits allowed.