The Autumn Perch Thread

[Rusty]

All that lovely classic illustrative artwork, wrong?

 

No not at all but I think it does depend on the nature of the river. On the narrow Kennet and K&A Canal it will take a lot to convince me that perch don't 'hang out' in particular areas and those spots invariably have cover and slow or slack water. I've watched a few and from what I've seen I don't think they raid these spots for prey, they're definitely lurking. I've also seen a two 'banker' swims ruined by the features being cut down and the perch have gone from both (I'm persevering with one of them though), they prey fish are still there. A bit of a chicken and egg question really.

 

On the Thames (Goring downwards) it's seems to be different, Steve and I have had great sessions catching them from open water with no obvious reason why they should be there. We've also caught them from under moored boats and close to structures but we haven't managed to work out a pattern, perhaps the Thames is so stuffed with perch that when feeding conditions are perfect they just all switch on?

 

I don't fish for perch in lakes very often so I'd be just as clueless as fishing for them in the Thames.

[Anderoo]

On the little stream I mentioned, the perch definitely spent a lot of time under cover (usually tucked right into the thick bank side foliage. I guess they felt safe there. But the more I fished there the more I was convinced that when they were triggered into feeding, they'd go hunting out in the open. I did catch quite a few fishing near snags and tight to bank side cover, but ended up catching as many out in the open (I also then started chub which I didn't even know were there!). In the end I settled on 2 rods, one float fishing close in and one legering in the flow. Even then blanks were far from uncommon!

[Vagabond]

On the little stream I mentioned, the perch definitely spent a lot of time under cover (usually tucked right into the thick bank side foliage. I guess they felt safe there. But the more I fished there the more I was convinced that when they were triggered into feeding, they'd go hunting out in the open.

Yes, I would agree with that, do you think that is because the "triggering" is caused by prey fish being in the open rather than in cover ?

 

It seems to me there are two strategies available to a three-inch prey fish.

 

1. Stay in cover - but unless it is very fortunate, it must leave cover sometimes to find food.

 

2. If in the open, the safest place is in the middle of a shoal - the presence of a shoal may trigger the perch to feed. Consider another tactic of the perch fisherman - get a shoal of tiddlers feeding up in the water and fish perch baits on the edge of the shoal.

 

BTW Some of the streams I fish are so narrow that fish under cover of one bank are only a few feet from the cover on the other bank, Not a lot of open water in between !

 

 

However, my original comment concerned small still waters and perch behaviour therein. It is obvious from reading the posts of JV44, Rusty and yourself that there are differences (not least in feeding times) between river and pond perch.

[JV44]

Back to that different waters habits thing I guess ,the only prolonged Stillwater Perch hunting I did was at a few lakes nearby that were an early day ticket commercial type fisherie back in the late eighties early ninties where one deep clear weed strewn lake produced lots of big Perch ,general practice was rake a hole in the weed close in a sesh in advance then fish it the next day the water was stuffed with stunted Roach and Rudd and they were dropped in under a float or float pat into the hole under the rod tip usually and takes were normally within 5 mins,this then became a leapfrog water from one hole in the weed to the next with several 2lb plus perch in a day poss in the this fashion . We may well have caught as many sitting tight in one hole but the regularity of the first put in hits and anticipation of dropping bait into the new hole made it far more fun . I keep thinking of going back but its far more day tickety now than then with a Pikey site right next door and the is my car safe thought keeps me a way

[BobH]

Having done a lot of Perch fishing over the years, the only common denominator I found was low light levels.

 

This could be down to time of day, month of the year, fog or heavy mist or dirty water, as in flood conditions or in the case of commercials, the muddy water caused my the carp in such venues.

 

That's not to say there aren't exception from the rules and I had a number of decent Perch mid to late morning in bright sun shine, but most of those captures were almost immediate takes after casting in, where I think I must have drop the bait on the nose of the Perch and it just could not resist.

 

Bob

[gozzer]

Have you tried the old trick of hooking your livebait onto a hook baited with bread, Dave? I've had loads of perch by fishing a live bait under a crust, especially in shallower water. I remember you saying you'd done the same on the leger and had results. It sounds even more appealing when you say that it's a carp free water, not many of them about.

 

John.

[Vagabond]

Have you tried the old trick of hooking your livebait onto a hook baited with bread, Dave? I've had loads of perch by fishing a live bait under a crust, especially in shallower water. I remember you saying you'd done the same on the leger and had results. It sounds even more appealing when you say that it's a carp free water, not many of them about.

 

John.

Thanks for reminding me - yes its an old method I have used and forgotten about ! Will certainly give it a go.

 

Read BobH just before I left this morning. Agree all about low light levels being good - if they are low levels during the day. Not the low light levels caused by night approaching.

 

Got to pond, nice sunshine , set up,caught some gudgeon, started perch fishing as it clouded over, Yes, lowering light levels, good old BobH, now for some perch runs - and then it started to rain. It was not supposed to rain until the afternoon ! Coatless, I sat it out for a while in shirtsleeves, as I have caught plenty of perch in rain. The rain got heavier, seriously heavier. Sat it out a bit longer, but the rain gods were determined to win. Presently, still coatless, biteless perchwise, and bloody soaked. "Sod this for a game of soldiers" said I . Packed up and went home - for once was early for lunch.

Edited September 24, 2014 by Vagabond

[BobH]

Vagabond

 

I hate the rain, a lifetime of working in the stuff has taught me to keep well away from it and at the first signs I'm off to the car !!

 

As an example, the Perch below was caught at mid morning in bright sunlight conditions, but the bait had been flicked under a dense bush to my right, where there were low light conditions.

 

Bob

Edited September 25, 2014 by BobH

[Vagabond]

As an example, the Perch below was caught at mid morning in bright sunlight conditions, but the bait had been flicked under a dense bush to my right, where there were low light conditions.

 

By contrast, here is a perch also caught from a small water, mid-morning in bright sunlight conditions, but out in open water.

 

 

Once they are feeding, they tend to swim about a bit - to wherever there are prey fish - and in some smallwaters that could be almost any place in the pond. I don't know what is special about small ponds, but the timing of perch coming on feed seems quite critical.

 

BTW your register on your pictures file seems to be playing silly beggars - nice perch, captioned "Simon King with Ivel barbel"

 

Ah, I see you've sorted it now

Edited September 25, 2014 by Vagabond

[BobH]

By contrast, here is a perch also caught from a small water, mid-morning in bright sunlight conditions, but out in open water.

 

Perch 4-0.jpg

 

Once they are feeding, they tend to swim about a bit - to wherever there are prey fish - and in some smallwaters that could be almost any place in the pond. I don't know what is special about small ponds, but the timing of perch coming on feed seems quite critical.

 

BTW your register on your pictures file seems to be playing silly beggars - nice perch, captioned "Simon King with Ivel barbel"

 

Ah, I see you've sorted it now

Yes sorted it out, I had a set of pictures with Simon and one of his Ivel Barbel and it got mixed up with the Perch Pictures, which for some reason I cannot edit ?

 

Still, the Perch came out okay !!

 

It was my Lea PB at the time and just under the magic 4lbs mark.

 

It's only a number.

 

Bob