The Perch Thread

[Anderoo]

Well, I went fishing this morning (came home early as I got too cold!) I caught 9 Perch varying in size from about 12oz to 2.5lb - single red maggot on an 18hook using a top three of my pole in the margins! but enough of that! (rabbit, you live reasonably near me - wanna catch some Perch? - PM me!)

I caught a perch (about 1.5lb) that had NO STRIPES!! has anyone seen this before? I looked very carefully, turning it in the light as the stripes are sometimes very light, but (confirmed by the other three anglers at the lake) there was definately NO STRIPES!!

 

Tench?

[kleinboet]

Anderoo, I DO know the difference, besides if it had of been a Tench, I would have been slimed!!

 

Having said that, it did look like a small Zander!

[Captain Pelvis]

Hi for awhile i have been fishing a small river close to my home, when i say small its not even 10 foot wide at its widest. This stretch is only small at about 50 yards and is quite over grown as no1 but me fishes it. Since i have started fishing this section i have had chub to 3.08lb and perch to 1.04lb with some roach and rudd being caught aswell. Its not an easy venue with catches of only a few perch and roach a session being normal and rarely a chub is caught. I plan on fishing it for some larger perch as i know they live in small rivers but im not sure if this river will have big fish in it because it is so small. I've tried a couple of sessions with worms and maggots and had some fish of just over a pound and had some smaller ones on fry i have netted. I was wondering if anyone has any ideas how to catch some larger fish. The river is slow moving and shallow at around 2 and a half foot at its deepest with no promenant slack water or bends. There are plenty of tree roots in the water with some snags also. I have saw a larger perch nipping the tail of a small perch i was bringing in but thats it. In the summer i tried using fry and had a few fish but now its winter im going to find it hard to get the right sized lives... any suggestions? Does anyone have any ideas for fishing it as im going again tommorow for some perch as i have afew left over mixed maggots and i can dig up some worms. The tactic which catches most of the perch is holding the float close to the bank with worm. Heres a picture of one of the swims:

 

 

any suggestion will be greatly received. Thankyou

[Houseplant]

Well, I went fishing this morning (came home early as I got too cold!) I caught 9 Perch varying in size from about 12oz to 2.5lb - single red maggot on an 18hook using a top three of

 

i've caught more decent sized perch on a maggot fished under a waggler than 'proper' perch gear. it's hardly a selective method, but effective.

[Sharkbyte]

Hi Cptn Pelvis

 

I'll be honest and say that your river seems a little shallow, at max 2.5ft, to hold really big Perch. I usually look for deepish water fairly tight to the bank 5/6ft+, having had little success in shallower runs.

 

That said, to me, how and where I catch my fish is of much more importance than how big they are. Looks a lovely stretch and a great place to spend some time.

 

Is it a tributary of a nearby and larger river?

 

 

 

 

 

Did anyone get out this weekend?

 

Had an afternoon on Saturday. Seems like the frosts have put the fish down, they certainly don't like sudden change whether that be high rainfall or a decrease in temps. Shame really, as with the overcast skies it had all the hallmarks of a perfect Perch'ing day.

 

Best fish about a pound or so. Caught on the pole when trying for a silver fish lively.

 

PS. Other than a few small Perch, all I caught were the ever obliging Ruffe. Has anyone ever caught on a Ruffe livebait. I've tried and never ever had a touch. Stick a small Roach / Rudd in the same swim and I've had takes immediately.

[Anderoo]

That stream looks plenty big enough for big perch - it's incredible how small a river they'll call home. That's not to say there are any big ones in there though - the only way to find out is to try to catch one.

 

Firstly, I'd fish at dusk. Secondly, it's better to fish when the stream is fining down after rain, especially if it's mild. I'd look for any features/cover where a perch or two could tuck themselves away and fish near to that with lobworms. If there are crayfish, don't loosefeed. When they come out hunting at dusk, they'll find the bait.

 

Thirdly, that little stream looks amazing! Don't tell anyone where it is!

[Captain Pelvis]

fished on saturday at the stream and had a few perch upto a pound. Bumped a better fish in a slightly deeper whole which is nearer to 2-2.5 foot. There are signal crayfish present but most of them are above the weir where the river becomes about 20 foot wide. There arnt any chub above here but i have heard of perch to 3lb but its fished fairly regulary and the baliff can see me there so i will have to pay lol, as my stretch is sheltered by trees no1 knows im there so its normally free fishing.

[Steve Burke]

That stream looks plenty big enough for big perch - it's incredible how small a river they'll call home. That's not to say there are any big ones in there though - the only way to find out is to try to catch one.

 

Firstly, I'd fish at dusk. Secondly, it's better to fish when the stream is fining down after rain, especially if it's mild. I'd look for any features/cover where a perch or two could tuck themselves away and fish near to that with lobworms. If there are crayfish, don't loosefeed. When they come out hunting at dusk, they'll find the bait.

 

Thirdly, that little stream looks amazing! Don't tell anyone where it is!

 

I'd echo all that Anderoo has said.

 

A deeper section may be better for specimen stripies though, but you'll be amazed what shallow water perch will feed in if the light is poor.

[Captain Pelvis]

I forgot to say that it is a tributary of the river soar in Leicestershire. I was thinking that last time i fished it i caught a few small roach (the smallest being about an inche and a half!) and then a 1 pound perch, this was the first fish of its size from this swim as its one i always count on if im nearing a blank. This is the slightly deeper hole with some trees draping over to cause some slack water behind it and stinging nettles as cover on my bank. As there are plenty of small roach i thought i could either cast a small spinner for awhile into the swim and see what happens and then try using a livebait. Also a little further down in my favourite swim home to the largest perch i have seen there (its no where near the 3lb mark as i have seen one of them and its not that big) and last session there were afew small roach reppeatedly jumping in one area i had fed with maggots and chopped worms suggesting to me that there are perch in the swim but these wouldnt take worm so i will try livebait there aswell. Im hoping to get out at the weekend if i have time because im swamped with coursework at the moment running up to the rest of my GCSE's Well i will see how it goes...hopefully to be continued.

[Chris Plumb]

Had a short session on the canal this morning - reckoned the overnight rain would have woken them up and was proved right. Had 5 over a pound - best 2 went 3lb 3oz and 2lb 5oz. First 3 of the winter so well chuffed. Would have a piccy to share with you but youngest son had borrowed my camera for his school trip to Belgium last weekend - and whilst he'd given it back hadn't thought to tell me he run the batteries out. Good thing I didn't get a PB!

 

 

C.