Jump to content

Attracting Perch to your swim


Tangled

Recommended Posts

I witnessed behaviour like that earlier this year, I was lure fishing (in a lake) when a good Perch struck at the lure as lifted it from the water, it missed but hung around in about 3 feet of perfectly clear water in front of my along with a companion of the same size. These were good fish aroung the 1 1/2lb mark. I think that they had followed my lure in together from as drop off into deeper water out to my front. They just hovered in the water in front of me, and if fish can be, and look 'confused' this pair did, like when you walk upstairs and when you get there think 'what I am I doing up here?' (readers of a certain age will understand this). They showed no interest in the lure dangled in front of them, and when I offered them a worm dangled on the nose, using the bait rod of a nearby friend, they refused this too. Eventually I had to wade away as there presence was just too frustrating.

"Some people hear their inner voices with such clarity that they live by what they hear, such people go crazy, but they become legends"
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the comments.

lure fishing is something I do do if not catching (mainly to keep warm and try to be pro-active) but have never caught a perch this way.But if a pike has followed the float or attacking the perch as I bring them in a few casts of the lure past where they are usually results in capture the largest so far was about 13lb.Have never tried lure fishing when catching on the float as as Emma says it is difficult to do both at once.

 

I have tried ledgering when trying to get out a bit further and when catching the bites were coming before the weight had time to settle I felt the bite on the line and would strike this prooved very hard to hit the fish.But once settled would never catch.The fact that the bottom is so weedy makes me think the worm is hidden and that lack of confidence in the method makes me reluctant to use it until I get a needle and try to fill a worm with air to get it to pop up as I have read is possible to do.

 

The light levels, temperature,and time of day have been pretty constant this year evening having been cold wet and windy.

 

Think that the idea that some days you catch others you dont is probably the explanation at the moment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agreed, I wrote something similar on another thread earlier. There was a video clip posted on here a while ago (that painter and decorator who filmed underwater, anyone remember or have a link?) that showed perch just resting on the bottom, doing nothing. I reckon they spend a fair amount of time like that, big ones anyway. On a stream I fish for perch, you can sit there all day and swear there wasn't a perch in there, and all of a sudden, just as the light goes, they'll switch on for brief but frantic feeding spell. If you're in the right spot, you'll catch, if you're not, you won't. It drives you mad! On those extremely rare but amazing days when everything's just right, you can catch all day.

 

On some days you just know that your worm has been sitting within gulping range of a big perch all day, and it's just sat there and ignored it. Then when the light levels change it moves forward six inches and sucks it in.

 

For big perch, I don't think feeding is all that important. (People with more experience like Steve Burke may well disagree!) I've found they behave more like other predators like pike and zander than other fish like roach or bream. Location and time of day/weather conditions are the most important things. If they're not feeding, you can't make them.

 

However, you can attract feeding perch into your swim by feeding. Trickling maggots in often works - they like maggots but also like the small roach/etc. that maggots attract. Chopped worms on the bottom is good too.

 

 

Yep, I think we can write off places as having no fish when a lot of them are just 'resting up'

 

I've caught a lot of big perch on red maggot but I'm not sure they were actually going for the maggots of the small bait fish that were probably in the area too nibbling the hookbait.

Edited by Neil G
Link to comment
Share on other sites

my local lake is full of perch and red maggot seems to have more success than other colours for perch where as the bream and roach dont seem bothered what colour they are

 

i have thought about dying lob worms dark red for the bigger ones, i dont know if the colouring would just come off or if it would affect the health of the worm making it less appealing but red baits seem to work better for perch and tench

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest tigger
my local lake is full of perch and red maggot seems to have more success than other colours for perch where as the bream and roach dont seem bothered what colour they are

 

i have thought about dying lob worms dark red for the bigger ones, i dont know if the colouring would just come off or if it would affect the health of the worm making it less appealing but red baits seem to work better for perch and tench

 

 

Mybe rather than trying to dye a worm it would be worth trying a Rag worm and see what happens ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mybe rather than trying to dye a worm it would be worth trying a Rag worm and see what happens ?

 

i remember a few years back when screaming reels was on channel 4 they was using lugworm for perch so ragworm would probably do the trick too

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ragworm? Lugworm? Are you kidding on? They aren't fussy carp. It's perch you're talking about. A plain old fashioned lobworm or a couple of decent dendrobes is absolutely fine. Use a float, find your depth, fill the hook and twitch it along slowly. If there are perch there they'll have it.

¤«Thʤ«PÔâ©H¤MëíTë®»¤

 

Click HERE for in-fighting, scrapping, name-calling, objectional and often explicit behaviour and cakes. Mind your tin-hat

 

Click HERE for Tench Fishing World forums

 

Playboy.jpg

 

LandaPikkoSig.jpg

 

"I envy not him that eats better meat than I do, nor him that is richer, or that wears better clothes than I do. I envy nobody but him, and him only, that catches more fish than I do"

...Izaac Walton...

 

"It looked a really nice swim betwixt weedbed and bank"

...Vagabond...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All these different opinions! I always thought perch were greedy and eat any piece of meat put in front of them but it seems this may not be so.Another question leading on from this and more about the presence of fry wether attracted by bait thrown in. very often when the windd drops I can see small perch fry moving on the surface around in front of me (not scattering and spreading) should that be read as a sign that they feel safe and nothing larger about or should I try to feed them and get them to cause enough commotion to perhaps attract larger fish.

 

Thanks

Dave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ragworm? Lugworm? Are you kidding on? They aren't fussy carp. It's perch you're talking about. A plain old fashioned lobworm or a couple of decent dendrobes is absolutely fine. Use a float, find your depth, fill the hook and twitch it along slowly. If there are perch there they'll have it.

 

small roach arent fussy, small bream arent fussy, but the bigger ones outgrow the little maggot snatchers for a reason

 

most carp are only fussy because they are heavily targeted there are a some farm pools i know that are only fished by kids and the odd passing angler who bothers to knock at the farmers door for permission where sweetcorn can pull in 20 upwards small carp in a 8 hour session but anything weighing over a few pound is rare unless you are willing to put the effort in.

 

most people i know have had carp to double figures but not many have had a perch over 2lb,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We and our partners use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences, repeat visits and to show you personalised advertisements. By clicking “I Agree”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent.