Perch questions/big baits/nucience fish

[Alan Pearce]

As Steve says rudd are great tackle tanglers but they are fine when legered especially when using a length of rigid in-line tube say 12 inches with 8 inch hook links. Half an ounce of lead is all that is needed use a light butt indicator but clip up lightly in front of the indicator / buzzer. As an alternative use one rod and a free rover set to fish 12 inches off bottom, serching out likely areas. Suggest using a float that will support 3/8oz to 1/2 oz of lead ten inches above the bait, thus restricting the baits upwards movements. Size 6 hook nicked lightly between head and dorsal fin I have found the best. Suggest starting with 6lb test main line and 4lb test hook link, joined by a small swivel. Softish Avon style rod of around one and a quarter pound test curve ideal.

 

Happy perching

 

Alan.

[singy]

I don't know much about the paddock eels and perch, but would expect it to be very similar to legger's. We had Eels to 5lb+ out of the Dam, but if you've allready spoke to seffo you'd probably know that.

 

Happy hunting

 

Cheers for all the advice guys.

 

Singy

[bobcarnelly]

The Book of the Perch is a book I have just finished reading, it is a collection of anglers' experiences fishing for big perch.Favourite livebaits are gudgeon and small perch, I am a bit of a lure man and find size 3 or 5 silver vibrax spinners will find any large perch ,it's a good way to explore the water. Best of luck Bob C

[Steve Burke]

Hi Bob, glad you've enjoyed The Book of the Perch. Peter Rogers and I have been asked to do a 2nd edition as it's so sought after, but have decided not to as I'm about a third of the way through writing my own perch book. This will be part stories and part instruction but won't be finished until after the typist (my wife, Peggy!) retires, which be next July at the earliest.

 

In the meantime you might find the series I've written on perch here on Angler's Net to be of interest.

[anglerusmaximus]

[ 22. November 2002, 08:14 PM: Message edited by: anglerusmaximus ]

[anglerusmaximus]

if it were me id fish a 2-30oz roach under a pike bob with not a wire trace as there are no pike present. I would definately not fish with a treble and only with a size 10 hook hooked in the lip or nipped lightly under the dorsal.

A killer method admitadely and well worth trying.

[Alan Pearce]

A size 6 hook would give a far better chance of hooking the perch. Likewise if you are lip hooking a fish bait the hooking ratio Ihave found to be better if the point of the hook is facing away and to the front of the bait rather than pointing towards the bait itself, i.e. insert hook from behind the lip and out of the mouth rather than the other way around.

 

Alan.

[Steve Burke]

A.M. - glad to see you don't like treble hooks for perch. They do far too much damage and aren't necessary for "stripies".

 

However I agree with Alan's points, and in fact size 6 is the smallest hook I'd use on a livebait of this size - any smaller and you miss too many fish on the strike or when playing them. The same happens with lobworms, although to a lesser extent.

 

I also find that bob floats cause too much resistance and can spook the perch. When I'm fishing a baited up area I prefer an undershotted waggler fished with a sunk line. This slows the bait down and also stops it wandering too far. The only time I use a top and bottom float when after stillwater perch from the bank is when I want to cover a lot of water.

[Alan Pearce]

I like to use the round 'pilot' type floats when perch fishing due to there viability. In the main I use sizes from one to one and a half inches across and select the size according to the size and strenght of the live bait.

 

Recently I have made some 'pencil' floats from 8mm balsa wood. They vary in length from 3 to 7 inches and are attached bottom end only with a float adaptor for ease of change according to the size of bait.

 

Early indications and trials are good and I think all my future perching will be with these.

 

Alan

[Andy Macfarlane]

Take a half ounce Wye lead and attach it to the top of Mepps with a small split ring. You can paint the Wye any colour you like but I reckon red is a Perch favourite. Plumbing or counting down may help you establish the depth of the water and once you do, keep the lure about a foot off the bottom and retrieve slowly and ever so mechanically. The John roberts bait savers are also good for attaching to the trebles. They flutter on the retrieve and can turn a boring lure into an attractive little fish. Works for me.