What lb line for float fishing for perch with lobworms

[Anderoo]

Thanks again everybody for their advice.

 

Vis a vis where I am fishing, it will be on Thames tributaries including the Lee, Mole and Wandle. Probably on quite upstream stretches of the Lee where it is quite narrow. Probably not the Thames itself which I have fished around the Windsor area but found it to be a real challenge. In summer whilst fishing on maggot I got completely swamped by bleak - I've never come across so many bleak!

I'm sure it's no secret to post online that the Thames is probably the best place to get a really large perch at the moment but there is something about the intimacies of a smaller river which presents different challenges and which I find more appealing. That being said, some real monsters have come out of the Thames this autumn...

 

Vis a vis hook lengths vs fishing straight through, I always thought one of the main reasons for fishing a hook length was if you got snagged you wouldn't lose your terminal tackle. Anderoo - fishing 6lb double strength as your hook length and another type of 6lb line as your main line surely negates this?

 

I know what you mean about the tributaries

 

The 6lb double strength breaks before the 6lb (Sensor) mainline. Sounds a bit odd I know but I imagine it's because the Sensor's BS is understated and is more stretchy than the double strength. The double strength is much thinner and a much more subtle colour than the mainline, which I think can only help if the perch are being fussy.

 

The fish in my avatar was actually on a day when I was fishing straight through with 4lb line. I can't remember why now, but there was a good reason at the time!

[gozzer]

Yes, I do. See this article of mine that discusses this for various species including perch:

 

Thanks for the answer Steve, it confirms something I thought many years ago on a water coming back from severe pollution.

The entire stock had been wiped out, and when it was safe to restock the owners stocked with a mixed bag of small fish. Tench, roach and perch with a few carp and bream, nothing above about a half pound. Over the next few years we noticed the fish growing, obviously, but started to see some perch were much bigger than the rest. We at first thought that some might have escaped the pollution, but that was dismissed due to the severity of the pollution, and they didn't look like 'old' fish. We thought maybe someone had put them in, but it was unlikely, as it was only a small group of us that had access to the water. The only other reason we could think of, was that some had changed their diet earlier than others. They weren't massive fish but, were around 1.5lb compared to the average 10/12oz. I later read of the 'two types' of perch, and it's something I've believed ever since.

The water has now sadly gone, another pollution incident, and it's now a housing estate.

John.

[arbocop]

As I mentioned my favourite pattern (Ashima Super Maggot) has long been discontinued and I bought up all the few size 6 when Ashima closed down. I added that what are sold on the continent as Zander hooks will probably be perfect. They're usually fine wire, short shank, wide gape and with a very small barb. All the ones I've seen have been spade end though.

 

I've used Sumo pattern 6553 in sizes 4 & 2 and these were excellent, being very similar to the Ashimas. I suspect that a size 6 is available. However I can't find anything on a quick Google search.

 

Perhaps one of our German members can help. Derek?

 

 

Good man thanks. Spade end is no major problem for me. I normally used eyed larger than 12, and spade below, but for perch I think they would be fine, I'll try and find some.

[watatoad]

I have been going through my old notebooks and have noticed something that for some reason I have not taken any notice of before. The two years following a hard or severe winter the Perch are far more predominate in many waters, I was wondering if any of you has also noticed this phenomenon?

[Anderoo]

I have been going through my old notebooks and have noticed something that for some reason I have not taken any notice of before. The two years following a hard or severe winter the Perch are far more predominate in many waters, I was wondering if any of you has also noticed this phenomenon?

 

Could it just be that the severe winters are poor perch fishing conditions and the following mild winters are much better?

[tiddlertamer]

Good point. I have in fact bought some pre tied hook lengths but struggled on the river bank when attaching to the main line.

 

I believe the following two methods are popular.

 

The first method is to tie a loop knot in the main line and then feed the hook length loop over the main line loop and then feeding the hook back through the main line loop before pulling tight. I struggled with this technique on the bank as my loop knots on the main line were a bit ham fisted.

 

The second method is the water knot. This looks simpler on paper as it just entails one manouver with both lines.

 

Which is most effective?

 

See:

 

http://www.pleasurefishing.com/html/knots.htm

 

Sorry to become an obsessive knot bore. Quite ironic for someone so ham fisted with his knot tying ability...

 

But I'm looking for advice on tying on a hook length. (Even though I've always been a fan of fishing without them, it's good to have options!)

 

Is the loop to loop or water knot method most effective?

[Anderoo]

Probably equally effective, TT. I use either loop-to-loop or join the mainline to the hooklength with a swivel (half blood knots or grinner). But I use water knots to tie on tippets to leaders when fly fishing, which is essentially the same thing as tying on a hooklength.

 

However, if the mainline and hooklength are dramatically different diameters, the water knot has the most potential to go wrong.

Edited October 22, 2010 by Anderoo

[tiddlertamer]

Probably equally effective, TT. I use either loop-to-loop or join the mainline to the hooklength with a swivel (half blood knots or grinner). But I use water knots to tie on tippets to leaders when fly fishing, which is essentially the same thing as tying on a hooklength.

 

However, if the mainline and hooklength are dramatically different diameters, the water knot has the most potential to go wrong.

 

 

Advice appreciated.