4lb river perch or 30lb river pike

[Anderoo]

I think the difference between the two for me is that there's a reasonable chance that I'll catch a 4lb perch one day (if the dreaded perch disease doesn't strike again). I don't think I'll ever see a 30lb pike.

 

So I suppose I should have picked the pike!

[Steve Burke]

Despite already having caught a 4lb river perch but not a 30lb river pike, it's the perch I'd most like simply because they're my favourite species. Neither are likely though as I'm no longer fishing rivers these days.

 

Of the two I'd say the perch is the easier target. I had a "pilgrimage" to a tributary of the Great Ouse to catch a 4lb river perch, and luckily succeeded first time. However both are very difficult and the fish of a lifetime.

 

For me the size of the fish doesn't matter as much as the difficulty. Of course in most cases the bigger the fish, the more difficult it is to catch, but not always. For me though it's the challenge that's more important than the size of the fish.

[tiddlertamer]

I'm a useless predator angler spending most of my time long trotting for silver fish.

But both perch and pike fascinate me.

I love catching 'stripeys'.

I step back in awe when a big pike lunges at my long trotted prize of roach, dace or chub.

Which fish would you most like to catch and why?

The 4lb river perch or 30lb river pike?

 

 

I’m going to go for the 4lb perch.

I’ve only ever caught two over a pound but I have had the heartbreak of losing a two pounder at the net.

So I’m keen to catch a larger perch.

 

Other angling greats may agree. The Anglers Net forum ran a wonderful article by the much missed late great angler Peter Stone about 'the most spectacular' fish. It dates back to 1999. See:

http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/coarse-fishing...eter_stone.html

 

And the wonderful Chris Yates wrote his wonderful ‘How to Fish’ all about his hunt for the river perch:

“All perch look impressive and on an otherwise dull winter’s day a fish of a pound with its vivid colours, its striking markings and its superbly bristling demeanour, can send an otherwise dull angler into raptures.”

 

Just imagine what a four pounder would do...

Edited February 26, 2010 by tiddlertamer

[JV44]

tiddletamer wrote

And the wonderful Chris Yates wrote his wonderful ‘How to Fish’ all about his hunt for the river perch:

“All perch look impressive and on an otherwise dull winter’s day a fish of a pound with its vivid colours, its striking markings and its superbly bristling demeanour, can send an otherwise dull angler into raptures.”

 

 

 

This one wasnt 4 but a good example of winter Perch colours ,sadly taken by my boat partner but to good an example of Perch in winter colours to not repost ,Bloody freezing cold day but it warmed up our enthusiasm

 

 

[pikebasher]

I dont think there is a 30 in the part of the thames i fish,had a very long lean 15.12oz in july o8 behind cookham lock but,

the 4lb perch is possible,yes normally looking like a fat old blind man at that weight, but i have seen

a good 4 in a local marina, i laid on a floating walkway for 10 minutes watching it, it must have easily been 4lb but the strange thing is his eyes were crystal clear,colours were sharp & vivid & his body was dead straight not like the usual plump perch of that weight. i truly believe that there is a possibility of a natural 6 pounder in running water

[Dick Dastardly]

truly believe that there is a possibility of a natural 6 pounder in running water

 

Think we need to see a lot more 5's yet as without them you wont have any 6's!

[JV44]

Think we need to see a lot more 5's yet as without them you wont have any 6's!

Heard of a 5lb plus fish from Reading recently ,Only heard of mind but it would not suprise me at all as that bit does do big Perch but agree a 6 is a rare beast indeed .

They are hard to guestimate anyway but at that size!! and many don`t weigh them properly if at all which does lead to crazy claims afterwards ,same as earlier poster i have seen truely massive stripeys at our old marina just sitting under the floating pontoons waiting for a Roach to get careless so Thames has potential to throw up a bigun or three Steve.

[Anderoo]

Perch do get misweighed/guessed an awful lot. A decent one looks simply huge! God only knows what a 5lber looks like. I've watched Martin Bowler catch his 5 on CTI from the Ouse and even on film it looks massive, in real life it must have been staggering.

 

A 4 one day would be the fish of a lifetime, I'm sure I'll never see a 5. As for a 6...no chance! Although they do exist (albeit in tiny numbers), and if you're fishing the Thames you never know...

 

It's interesting that even on waters where the average size is very high (3lb+) 4lbers are extremely rare, and in some cases might just not exist at all. I guess any perch that breaks the 4lb barrier is a freak fish and one in a thousand, or has just eaten an 8oz crayfish!