Big Perch

[Per Mattsson]

Hello boys!

I´m from Sweden and one of my main target is Perch. Over here plugs and livebait catch the big ones.Worms and maggots is mostly used under one of those big round red coulered floats you get when you buy a beginners kit from the gasstation. If not livebait is legal try a pater noster-rigged deadbait and pull it with a jigging motion on the bottom. Sometimes you can let it sit for half a minute,the strike will come when you pull it again.

Tight Lines!

[Chris Goddard]

Lobworms, fished on the bottom around 3 or 4 on a size 4 hook. That WILL catch perch!! My mate John Driver used this method on a samll mill pond in Yokshire over a two week period and had fish up to 4lb 12oz and a lot of "Smaller ones" smallest would have been a couple of pounds!!Several of the fish (including two of just over 4lb and just under were also attributed to his good lady Sharon) were all contenders in the Angling Times fish of the week!! And that was ALL he ever used.

 

Chris Goddard

[Steve Burke]

As Andy says it's difficult to gauge the weight of perch. In particular it depends on the amount of food it has inside, as the big mouth of a perch can engulf very large prey in relation to its own size. Perch also vary a great deal in girth, and this is often difficult to see in photos.

 

There is an approximate weight for length scale that has been around for decades, and seems to be based on a 12" perch weighing a pound. In the light of the above it should be considered only a very rough guide indeed, and in fact does tend to underestimate the weight of the larger fish. This is probably because, as they grow bigger, perch often increase their girth disproportionately more than their length.

 

Incidently, the scale puts a 10" perch at 13¼ozs and an 11" one at 14¾ozs. However, bear in mind that having also estimated the length of the perch, this could be even more inaccurate than normal.

 

The weight of perch is often over-estimated, more so than any other species in my experience. Perhaps it's because with it's large dorsal fin, perch always look big and bristly. As Dick Walker wrote, the perch is the biggest fish of all!

 

I once saw an angler catch a big perch and then ask his mate how much he thought it weighed. "About 4lbs", came the reply. "Nah, I reckon it's more like four and a half". Matey then said, "O.K., we'll call it four and a quarter then". I didn't say anything (perhaps I should have as this catch duly became the venue record), but the fish was probably a scraper two-pounder!

 

In fact I've been asked to weigh a lot of "4lb perch". The heaviest weighed just 2lbs 10ozs!

 

Chris, whatever your fish weighed it was obviously a fine catch for the water, and one that you can be justly proud of. What's more, it gave you a lot of pleasure. Hopefully, you'll soon catch an even bigger one that you can get the weight of. You may find the articles I've written for Angler's Net will help you in this quest. Go to:

 

http://anglers-net.co.uk/authors/steve01.htm

http://anglers-net.co.uk/authors/steve04.htm

http://anglers-net.co.uk/authors/steve08.htm

http://anglers-net.co.uk/authors/steve09.htm

http://anglers-net.co.uk/authors/steve10.htm

 

[ 03. May 2004, 12:29 PM: Message edited by: Steve Burke ]

[Steve Burke]

Per Mattsson:

Hello boys!

I´m from Sweden and one of my main target is Perch.

Hi Per, welcome to Angler's Net! It's always good to hear from a fellow perch fisher, especially one from Sweden where I gather perch grow even bigger than in the UK.

[Newt]

Per, let me add a welcome to you.

 

Do you fish more with lures or with bait?

[The Diamond Geezer]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Per Mattsson:

 

Hello boys!

I´m from Sweden and one of my main target is Perch.

---

Hello Per and all you boys & especially girls of Sweden!

 

I am from England and my main target is pretty blonde Swedish girls.

 

They believe in much free love. This is very good because this is all I can afford.

 

Afterwards I go fishing also, for big perch

 

Here is a photo of my beautiful Swedish friend Greta. She is catching many big graylings, though not so many of perch

___________________

 

Also, here is another very good friend; do you know who it is?

__________

For a clue, his first=name is also Per, also from Sweden!

 

DG

 

Per, click here for more informations of the DG

 

[ 03. May 2004, 04:39 PM: Message edited by: The Diamond Geezer ]

[Dick Dastardly]

That copy of Book of the Perch went for a good price.I bet Mark was as sick as I am!

[Chris Playle]

Thanks for all the info. As always, a mine of useful stuff.

 

My Perch would have been about the same size as the first one pictured in the article posted by Lid. Certainly bigger than the usual 2-3" long Perch I usually catch

 

Anyhow, the only way to find out how much it weighed is to get out there and try and catch it again or even better it. I've got some more methods to try and, hopefully, a photo (and correct weight) will be forthcoming.

 

Once again, thanks for the info peeps.

 

Tight Lines.

 

Chris.

[GlennB]

Steve - where would 17" (nose to root of tail) weigh in, roughly?

I've had a trawl around Google but can't find a length-to-weight chart.

The fish concerned, I have to admit, was pretty lean and definitely not as plump as those pictured in your links above (some of which could do with a few sessions down the gym as far as I can see )

 

cheers

[Steve Burke]

GlennB:

Steve - where would 17" (nose to root of tail) weigh in, roughly?

I've had a trawl around Google but can't find a length-to-weight chart.

The fish concerned, I have to admit, was pretty lean and definitely not as plump as those pictured in your links above (some of which could do with a few sessions down the gym as far as I can see     )

 

cheers

Based solely on the suspect weight for length scale it would be 2-13¼. However I expect that this is based on total length rather than length to the fork of the tail.

 

There is a formula for estimating the weight of fish in general that takes the girth into account. I can't lay my hands on it at present. Can anyone help?