Perch on largish rivers

[Sportsman]

All this talk of large perch has whetted my appetite to have a go. The problem is that locally the perch is seen as a food source and nothing over 8oz is likely to be returned so I don't know where I might find some decent perch fishing. I feel that my best bet is in a river so I will try the local R. Mayenne. It is a fairly large river averaging around 50 yards wide, slow flowing and generally fairly featureless. The nearest thing to features are trees/bushes growing down into the water and the occasional fallen tree / branch in the water so these are probably areas that I will look at first. I am happy float fishing lobs or fishing small spinners / lures but I am not particularly mobile so can't wander long distances along the banks (there is 87 kilometres of free fishing from the towpath and it all looks pretty much the same)

There are some very interesting weirs / lock gates but you are not allowed to fish within 50 metres of them.

The good news is that the local French anglers are fairly inept using crude heavy tackle and not catching much, so there may be a few Perch left

Any suggestion will be gratefully received and probably acted on

A Bientot

[Phone]

Sportsman,

 

Quick Google indicated the perch record from the R. Mayenne is 12 ozs. You think that is right?

 

Phone

[Sportsman]

Sportsman,

 

Quick Google indicated the perch record from the R. Mayenne is 12 ozs. You think that is right?

 

Phone

 

Phone

No I don't think it is right.

I would love to see the site that you googled as nothing comes up here.

I think you are a very naughty Phone

[Phone]

Sportsman,

 

You caught me!

 

Phone

[Renrag39]

I thought it was the largest ever returned...

 

Renrag

[Ken L]

If the locals eat all the perch they catch, can you not fish somewhere where the locals don't ?

A pay lake catering to the English carpies would seen the perfect destination for much the same reasons as they hold big perch here - muddy water, lots of food going in, high stocks of prey fish and nobody (else) specifically targeting the perch.

[Phone]

Sportsman,

 

Maybe I can rebound with a more sensible response. You know, when fishing for perch and "perch like" sunfish over here BB size 70% protein oily fishmeal pellets never failed me that I remember. Hook bait doesn't seem to matter if you can get them feeding. Never lure fished for these targeted species on purpose. Still???

 

Phone