Huge perch

[Dales]

I think 2 lb plus Perch are now very common and fish in and around 3 lb are viable targets on a number of waters but for every ounce you go over 3lb the numbers drop off drastically and I think high 3 lb fish are hard to come by. However, I do think on some waters the very big fish are localised in are present in numbers rather then solitary fish.

 

On a river I often Pike fished, I photographed a few 4 lb plus Perch including high 4's for a Perch/Chub specialist. We used to fish the same stretch most weekends in Autumne/Winter around 100 metres or so from each other. Even though I knew which swims he fished, i could not replicate his success on that stretch. He claimed to have had 5's and I had no reason to doubt him and I lost a hooked Zander in that stretch to a Perch that hit it while I was reeling it in that was as big as some of the Perch I photographed for him. I fished that swim a lot over 2 seasons but never managed to hook anything of that size but did photograph more high 4's for that guy and seen some monsters in the water. I always wondered why he never had a self take function, maybe he enjoyed showing off his prize. Can't say I minded as it reminded me how good the potential was there and I never get tired of seeing a big Perch.

 

I may well get a ticket for that area again if they will take me back :-), I lost interest when a lot of the fish and especially the Pike seemed to dissapear. The area used to get fished by most of the "celeb anglers" and was fished hard for its Chub and Perch with the pictures ending up in articles in the rags including those caught in "no fishing" zones. The ticket price has now droped to no-doubt reflect the drop in quality of fishing but that stretch must still hold a monster or two.

 

My thoughts are that their are probably not that many waters that hold 4 or 5 lb Perch but those waters that can produce fish of that size may well have a few. Around the time I was fishing the same river swims I was also targeting Perch on a still water I had hooked and lost a big Perch at trying to fish the same swim when ever I could. Not sure if sticking to the same swim is the way to go or not but when you believe that they hold exceptional fish it is hard to move on.

 

I spent years fishing the same swims on the Coppermill Stream in my late teens that I had seen very big Perch in and most of my 3 lb Perch at the time came from their. Around 25/30 years ago the Coppermill held some real monster Perch that could have been anything and notice that BobH mentioned seeing a monster when fishing it.

 

I think there may be a number of rivers and large still waters in the South East that could and do produce 4's and 5's but you have to either get lucky or put a lot of time and effort in to fishing those actual waters that can produce them. Even if you know the venue, I doubt the big fish are spread out and it's a case of finding those local small groups that have got to that size. Chance are that you are as likely to be a multiple catcher of 5 lb Perch as the catcher of just one. Often when you do hear of a true monster 5 or 6lb being caught it has been backed up with other big fish such as high 4's.

 

I think for those who want the high 4 and dream 5 or lottery win 6 then it may be a case of picking a venue with form and directing all your effort in to just fishing for the Perch. Maybe move near Tring and spend every spare moment fishing the ressies :-)

[Anderoo]

I think 2 lb plus Perch are now very common and fish in and around 3 lb are viable targets on a number of waters but for every ounce you go over 3lb the numbers drop off drastically and I think high 3 lb fish are hard to come by.

 

I've had a quick look in my records, and I have had a total of 23 3lb+ perch, but only 4 of those were over 3.08 - so I would agree with that!

 

Slightly more illuminating stats:

3lb 0oz - 3lb 4oz: 11 fish

3lb 5oz - 3lb 8oz: 9 fish

3lb 9oz - 3lb 12oz: 3 fish

3lb 13oz - 4lb: 0 fish

 

The 4 I had was only just a 4, at 4lb 1oz.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Anderoo

[Dales]

I have seen bigger, in fact I fished out a Perch from a Lea Valley Pit just over 5lbs, which was in it's last throws of life, I saw an enormous Perch in the Coppermill stream, I guess it was closer to 5.8 but it was full of spawn and a massive Perch swam under my Barbel rods one day at Fishers Green and just sat there, I dared not move a muscle.

 

So they are about, but very rare.

 

Bob

 

Was it swimming with those shoals of 2 lb roach that used to be common in the Coppermill years ago?

 

I often used to see Big Perch lying on the bottom under the massive Roach. It helped give perspective to how big some of the Perch where when you have a few 2lb Roach hovering mid depth above them.

 

Although, i have been told by many other anglers who never fished it that the huge Roach & Perch that the Coppermall was famed for are just myths and they where never there.

[Dales]

I've had a quick look in my records, and I have had a total of 23 3lb+ perch, but only 4 of those were over 3.08 - so I would agree with that!

 

Slightly more illuminating stats:

3lb 0oz - 3lb 4oz: 11 fish

3lb 5oz - 3lb 8oz: 9 fish

3lb 9oz - 3lb 12oz: 3 fish

3lb 13oz - 4lb: 0 fish

 

The 4 I had was only just a 4, at 4lb 1oz.

 

They are fairly telling statistics, I wish I kept such accurate records but I do know that only 2 of my big Perch went over 3.06 with a 3.08 & 4.

 

I think i have had around a dozen between 3.01 and 3.02. It would be nice to have kept a record of just how many of these sized fish as it would offer a bit more statistically. Fish above these weights i remember as they are unique to me and most run in a nice order.

 

I have had only one each at 3.03, 3.04, 3.05, 3.06. 3.08 & 4 Oddly never one that settled exactly on 3 lb. Other then a few from a kent syndicate almost all have been from 2 rivers with known "Big Perch" form.

[BobH]

Dales,

 

I was not fishing it, I was waiting to go into Walthamstow Reservoirs, at the gate in Forest Road, I was feeding the Chub and Barbel by throwing in bits of broken boilies, when this enormous Perch swam under us.

 

The only people allowed to fish that section were the Bailiffs and Water Board staff !!

 

Bob

Edited February 16, 2015 by BobH

[Dales]

Dales,

 

I was not fishing it, I was waiting to go into Walthamstow Reservoirs, at the gate in Forest Road, I was feeding the Chub and Barbel by throwing in bits of broken boilies, when this enormous Perch swam under us.

 

The only people allowed to fish that section were the Bailiffs and Water Board staff !!

 

Bob

 

Yeah, looking down from that bridge was like looking down in to an aquarium of Dreams. Plenty of big chub, Barbel and Carp would sit in that area. It was like they knew not to swim up or down from that area.

[Chris Plumb]

Anderoo said:

"I've had a quick look in my records, and I have had a total of 23 3lb+ perch, but only 4 of those were over 3.08 - so I would agree with that!

 

Slightly more illuminating stats:

3lb 0oz - 3lb 4oz: 11 fish

3lb 5oz - 3lb 8oz: 9 fish

3lb 9oz - 3lb 12oz: 3 fish

3lb 13oz - 4lb: 0 fish

 

The 4 I had was only just a 4, at 4lb 1oz."

 

 

 

Here are my numbers!

 

Had my first 3 on 14/3/99 and from the mid noughties onwards had a concerted effort to get a 4 (a mark I achieved 2 years ago with a 4.02 fish and bettered by 3 oz the following October). Overall I've had 57, 3lb plus fish and have been fortunate enough to have had multiple catches of 3's in one session more than once (5, 3's being my best - see: http://www.anglersnet.co.uk/forums/index.php?/blog/82/entry-774-13-october/ )

 

Here's my breakdown:

 

3lb 0oz - 3lb 3oz - 26 Perch

3lb 4oz - 3lb 7oz - 16 Perch

3lb 8oz - 3lb 11oz - 8 Perch

3lb 12oz - 3lb 15oz - 4 Perch

4lb 0oz - 4lb 3oz - 2 Perch

4lb 4oz - 4lb 7oz - 1 Perch (PB of 4lb 5oz)

 

C.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Chris Plumb

[Rusty]

And that, fellow ANer's is exactly why I don't keep stats

[dant]

We've got our own mini Holland just across the water from the real thing - The Norfolk Broads!!

There's some absolutely huge Perch in the Broads.

I've had a number of 3lb+ fish and about 70% of them have come on feeder fished red maggot meant for Bream, the rest all bar 1 have come on lives meant for Pike.

I can say, having grown up there albeit not having lived in the area for the last 10 years, I have never seen anyone specifically set their stall out for the Perch.

I very rarely did myself, preferring to do most of my Perch fishing in the traditional upper river kind of way.

I'm sure there are a few that do but you never hear much.

Every year you hear and read about holiday makers catching surprise 4lb+ fish.

I once, whilst bank fishing at Brundall on the Yare, saw a pike angler in full commando gear 'swing' in an absolutely huge perch that he'd taken on some 10inch lure and then casually lob it back.

I think for a certain type of pike angler, a Perch is seen in the same way that a Tench or Bream is to a certain type of carp fisherman.

With the head of silver fish that the Broads hold it wouldn't surprise me if a real record trembler came out.

 

: This would have made more sense if tagged onto to the end of the last page but that's quick replying to forum posts on an iPhone for you..

Edited February 16, 2015 by dant

[Anderoo]

There's something special about Holland, I don't know what it is as it's a very short hop from East Anglia, but the fish grow much bigger. Brackish water? Loads of shrimp? Don't know. A quick google found this from last year, which gives you a sense of what's possible: http://www.gofishing.co.uk/Angling-Times/Section/News--Catches/General-News/World-record-perch/

 

The two lure guys I mentioned before had their huge perch from a river rather than the massive estuary-type waters, so they seem pretty well spread.