Acrobatic perch

[Rykko]

Caught a stonking perch today from a very slow running and weedy stretch of the Suffolk Stour, this thing must have been very close on 2lbs. Unhooked it while it was still in the landing net, and as I reached for my scales the b*gger flipped up to head height and PLOP, right back from whence it came

 

Somehow a photo of an empty landing net doesn't do it justice.........

 

[ 28. September 2002, 08:40 PM: Message edited by: Rykko ]

[Liamsm]

What is the best size of perch around now a days?.

I can remember catching one over three pounds when I was about 11 years old, but they got wiped out at some point after that.

I know that they are very prolific now, but don't know how big they are getting.

Whats the best since the wipe out?.

........Liam

[Steve Burke]

The record's just been broken by ½oz taking it up to 5-09½.

 

The last major outbreak of perch disease was in the mid 80s, and since then the population has sharply recovered. In fact stocks of big perch have never been as high in my fishing career. However, I still rate any perch over 2½lbs a specimen on a national basis.

 

In reseaerching "The Book of the Perch" my co-editor, Peter Rogers, traced outbreaks of perch disease back to at least Victorian times. Another bout could hit at anytime so I'll be perch fishing as usual this winter.

[Nugg]

Last Sunday week I took the lad down the local cut,to use up some bait from Saturday, it's not much of a fishery, not much in there, but first cast a 1LB 13OZ perch, next cast a 1lb 8oz perch, it must have been a family outing, only caught small ones after that, oh and an eel.

[Liamsm]

Thanks! for the info Steve,

I think that the perch,is the fish of youthful memories for most of us.

.......Liam

[wunnus]

Its interesting but the upper Stour really has shown some stonkin perch 2LB+ repeated on several sections. Its starting to feel just like the 1970's. If it was one location then I would think it was just one very sociable fish. But some of the weedy sections really do reward a little clearing of weed.

 

The best spots for me have been at ....... well just follow the old railway bridges for em

[Rykko]

Much of the Stour from Long Melford through Sudbury is very badly weedy, silted up to hell and with restricted bank access for various reasons.It is hard work to find a workable swim but the rewards are great when you do.

[The Diamond Geezer]

I may be misquoting the great man himslef but I think he said something along the lines that nothing looks bigger than a BIG PERCH.

 

I am making a habit of agreeing with Steve B here, in that (a) it's important to actually weigh your perch (obviously) as guessing is just that, and ( that ANY perch that truly weighs 2 lb or over is a superb fish. Imagine breaking the reocrd with a 5 lb 10 oz perch !

 

D The :cool: G

[Bretty]

Steve Burke:

The record's just been broken by ½oz taking it up to 5-09½.

Thats massive!!

 

I caught a nice perch last week after it had killed my swim, i guess it was about 2½lbs and 10inches long. a thin battered old fish with a mouth that could swallow a 24mm boilie. (I caught it on treble maggot, but looking at it's mouth i thought thats huge!).

 

Bretty

[M.K]

Rykko:

Caught a stonking perch today from a very slow running and weedy stretch of the Suffolk Stour, this thing must have been very close on 2lbs. Unhooked it while it was still in the landing net, and as I reached for my scales the b*gger flipped up to head height and PLOP, right back from whence it came      

 

Somehow a photo of an empty landing net doesn't do it justice.........

The sabe bloody thing happened to me :mad: ! Except I had already put the fis in my fish-sack.(this wasin e.europe whare fis can be kept & eaten)