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Perch under the bank


Vagabond

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Norma has had quite a few perch on spinners, but nothing much over a pound. She expressed a wish to catch one of the better perch that I winkle out of our Sussex clay-pits

 

So this morning I took her to one of our little ponds, set her up with a size six hook and wriggly lobs drifting around just off the bottom, where there is deep water under an overhanging bush that has its roots in the water.

 

Set out to create a feeding frenzy of small fish (did I say small, there were half-pound roach and greedy carp jostling for the frozen maggots I was feeding in) Once the feeding frenzy is going, its just a matter of waiting for the predators to arrive.

 

Nothing much happened for the first couple of hours, except for small perch towing the lobworms about and occasionally getting hooked.

 

Then ..wallop ! and there was the rod in a half-hoop as a perch dived down under the bush seeking sanctuary. "Hold him! " I said, "get him away from those roots ! " We had a long-handled net ready for the task, and scooped out master perch before he caused any more trouble.

 

That was it, at 10.30 am, spot-on for the usual perch feeding time for these ponds (10 am in April, and advances about half-an-hour a month until it is around midday, where it stays for the autumn and winter) No more bites, even from tiddlers, until we packed up for lunch

 

Not a monster, but at 1 lb 14 oz Norma's personal best, and we hope an appetizer for the two-pounders to come now she has tasted success.

 

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RNLI Governor

 

World species 471 : UK species 105 : English species 95 .

Certhia's world species - 215

Eclectic "husband and wife combined" world species 501

 

"Nothing matters very much, few things matter at all" - Plato

...only things like fresh bait and cold beer...

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Congratulations to Norma, I hope her 1lb 14oz PB, doesn't last as long as another fish of the same weight did. :D

 

 

John.

Angling is more than just catching fish, if it wasn't it would just be called 'catching'......... John

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Congratulations to Norma, I hope her 1lb 14oz PB, doesn't last as long as another fish of the same weight did. :D

 

 

John.

LOL Well, I might be 81 today, but I have not given up on upping my PB roach from 1-14 to 2 lb plus, and I suggest you don't give up on yours either.

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RNLI Governor

 

World species 471 : UK species 105 : English species 95 .

Certhia's world species - 215

Eclectic "husband and wife combined" world species 501

 

"Nothing matters very much, few things matter at all" - Plato

...only things like fresh bait and cold beer...

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LOL Well, I might be 81 today, but I have not given up on upping my PB roach from 1-14 to 2 lb plus, and I suggest you don't give up on yours either.

 

 

Only 81 Dave..."I thought you where older LOL"....only pullin your leg bud. A bit late but all the best, oh and well done Norma :).

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LOL Well, I might be 81 today, but I have not given up on upping my PB roach from 1-14 to 2 lb plus, and I suggest you don't give up on yours either.

 

A belated Happy Birthday Dave, here's to many more :thumbs:

 

I think you have more chance of upping the roach PB Dave, but due to a small change in situation, I might be back on the bank a bit more regularly this year, finger crossed. All I have to do then is find somewhere that holds roach over 2lb! :unsure:

 

John.

Angling is more than just catching fish, if it wasn't it would just be called 'catching'......... John

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Congrats on a fine fish Norma!

 

And many happy returns Vagabond :)

Only 81 Dave..."I thought you where older LOL"....only pullin your leg bud. A bit late but all the best, oh and well done Norma :).

Thanks chaps. I know I sit at the feet of the Master :notworthy: Edited by certhia
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Thanks chaps. I know I sit at the feet of the Master :notworthy:

 

Hmm, you outfished him at Rutland, I seem to recall... ;)

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

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  • 2 weeks later...

Returned to the claypit today.

 

Fished alone, having dropped Norma off to do a bird-count transect for the BTO, starting a couple of miles away, and finishing at the clay pit.

 

So I started fishing at 6 am, soon got the feeding frenzy of small fish going, and a couple of large baits on #2 "microbarbeds" out for perch. I was really pestered by perch of just below the half-pound, such that my bait supply was threatened. Answer, put an even larger bait on !

 

That stopped the run of schoolboy perch, and three hours of inaction followed. Then the left-hand float disappeared, a strike met something really useful which promptly dived under the roots of the bush to my left. I could still feel the fish. Waited to see if it would free itself. No. By now Norma had arrived, so I handed her the rod whilst I poked about under the bush (it was over 6 ft deep just under the bank) with the landing net handle. No joy, so we passed the rod over the bush and I went round the bottom corner to exert a pull from the opposite bank. Nothing doing, so eventually I handlined - put on maximum pressure and the hook pulled out.

 

That is three takes from a decent perch in three outings,( I'm assuming the lost fish was a perch, the fighting characteristics were the same as the other two) every one at around 10 to 10.30 am, so there is a pattern beginning to emerge.

 

By now I was down to my last bait, so on it went. Not really expecting much as it was now 11am. A very tentative bite about half an hour later produced a surprise.

 

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Crucian (LL count 34 for those that like to check these things) After all the received wisdom on carefully balanced fine tackle for crucians, here was one caught on a thick-eared perch rig !

 

Quite pleased though, a true crucian alive and well in an old farm pond - just like in my schooldays - time has stood still in at least one respect.

 

 

  • Like 3

 

 

RNLI Governor

 

World species 471 : UK species 105 : English species 95 .

Certhia's world species - 215

Eclectic "husband and wife combined" world species 501

 

"Nothing matters very much, few things matter at all" - Plato

...only things like fresh bait and cold beer...

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