Top Perch Methods in winter

[Steve Burke]

As some of you will know I've been away from the Forum until recently as I've been very busy renovating and extending a cottage we bought in the summer. However I've just been catching up on a few old topics and this one caught my eye.

 

I reckon that the best bait for big perch varies a lot from water to water so there's no simple answer.

 

All my biggest perch have come on lobworms, yet they're far from the best bait on all the coloured commercials I've tried. Indeed, at such venues worms have varied from third rate to almost useless. Instead, livebaits and freshwater deadbaits have been by far the most successful.

 

On the other hand, on clear water gravel pits and reservoirs lures (that of course often imitate livebaits) have been excellent, as have worms. Worms have also been by far the most successful bait for me on rivers.

 

This is how I concluded an article of mine on perch baits here on Angler's Net, that analysed in more depth the successful bait for more than 1500 3lb+ perch caught between 1900 & 1988 as compiled by my co-editor Peter Rogers for "The Book of the Perch":

 

"This goes to show that there is no best bait even though a preference may be shown on a given water. When you begin a campaign at a venue you'll have to experiment until a pattern emerges. Even then it's important to be flexible, and I'd always advise starting a session using more than one bait. If you don't you simply won't know what you might have missed."

 

If you clip on the link in my signature below you can get to this and several other perch articles of mine.

Edited December 30, 2011 by Steve Burke

[Phone]

Steve,

 

I have this bookmarked. (I forget why?). Is it helpful or accurate for your circumstances? If not I'll erase it.

 

http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/04-1620

 

Phone

[Dave H]

Steve,

 

I have this bookmarked. (I forget why?). Is it helpful or accurate for your circumstances? If not I'll erase it.

 

http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/04-1620

 

Phone

 

Never erase anything phone if its no help to steve its always useful for others as a reference as in 'Search'....

[Steve Walker]

Is there just one species of Minnow, someone told me recently there's lots?

 

In the UK, a minnow is Phoxinus phoxinus. Elsewhere, it means other things. There are other species of the genus Phoxinus, there are fish not of that genus often called minnow and I believe in the US other small fish of the carp family are often generically called minnows.

[Phone]

Steve W,

 

Actually, we call most small NOT game fish "minnows" regardless of species. "Minnows" almost always leads to misunderstanding and misidentification among anglers in the US. You're right cyprinids (including carp) are true minnows. Most cyprinids are small fishes rarely reaching more than 12 inches in length - even as adults.

 

The word "minnow" in America never means the same thing and you should ask for further clarification. For example, if I cut the "spikes" off a bullhead catfish it becomes a "minnow". (don't ask me why, it just does). Another example, we talk about "game fish minnows" but they are just this years hatch (i.e. pike minnows). They aren't minnows, just minnows.

 

Phone

[JV44]

Spent the day on the Thames after Perch myself on lives Rusty on Maggots/Lobs/Drophotting we had not a sniff till the lights changed when i had a 2lb8 and he had ....well a bigger one ,worse bit is we are going to the pub for dinner and he will be like when i had my big Perch da BLA BLA....

his fell to Lobworm for the record....and a stunning coloured fish it was to .

[Steve Burke]

Steve,

 

I have this bookmarked. (I forget why?). Is it helpful or accurate for your circumstances? If not I'll erase it.

 

http://www.esajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1890/04-1620

 

Phone

 

It certainly is helpful. Many thanks, Phone.