How to target perch ?

[craynerd]

Hi guys, just a simple question. I`ve caught quite a few fish now and have spent many many hours on the banks in only the short space of time of which i have been fishing, yet i`ve still not had a perch!

 

I remember a few years back when i was fishing, perch were amongst my most regular catch...yet not a single one so far. What could i do to try and target this fish or increase my chances of getting one? Any waters near Manchester area specifically to try, i`m not just looking for a major specimin (although it would be good), just to record a perch in my record of catches book!!!

 

Thanks again

Chris

[GlennB]

Lures and small dead/livebaits will eliminate most other species apart from pike, eels and chub (Peter Waller mentioned bream taking them too, but I wonder if he was kidding?)

A big worm - or a whole bunch of them - on a big hook will also serve pretty well but again other big fish like carp and chub will happily snaffle them too.

Personally I like the worm approach and if some other decent fish takes the bait, who am I to complain?

[Dick Dastardly]

Glenn,talk to anyone who has done any amount of eel or perch fishing with small fish baits (dead or alive) and they will be able to tell you of most species taking them.

 

At Claydon Lakes you can catch bream on a thumb nail size piece of mackeral flesh.

 

Whilst fishing for Eels,Perch and Cats as well for that matter Ive caught Carp,Bream and Roach on fish baits.

 

Ive intentionally caught Carp on fry and Chub on deadbaits.

 

Dont see this so much (if at all) when Piking/Zedding I think this is down to the wire trace/trebles and generaly bigger baits.

[Dick Dastardly]

Craynerd,first thing is to fish a water that has a large enough population of Perch to give you a chance.If the water holds some good size ones try the tactics Steve Burke outlines for commercial carp waters.Look in the articles section.