River perching

A nice River Perch

I first fished this stretch in 2010 and lost a big perch, although I had bags of smaller perch the better fish eluded me. The final three months of the 2012/2013 season had started and there were reports of some big stripeys being caught.

I headed out after work for a short session at dusk and settled into a tight swim in between a line of trees that drops down into a hole under some old willow trunks. I set the float two foot over depth with the bulk shot a foot away from a baited hook with lobworm. The float sat half-cocked next to the cover, time passed as I waited, it then straightened and sunk away. I struck and a good fish did it’s best to snag me in the roots under the bank, after a spirited fight I netted my prize. I sorted the scales and a reading of 2lb 12oz was recorded.

My first river ‘three’

A month later on a short dawn session before work, I was back in the same swim this time on my 10ft ledger rod again baited with a lobworm. The bite was unmissable, one pull and the tip kept going, I had a few hairy moments before netting the fish, as it tried to snag under the bank. Scales set and a reading of 3lb 5oz was recorded. A new personal best for the river.

Where there’s one big perch there could be others so after photos I recast to the same spot, the tip went again this time resulting in a 2lb 9oz. I went to work happy that morning.

Not the best photo 2lb 9oz

I was out for the last hour at the back end of the 2013/14 season in the same area, ledgered lobworm as bait tight into the bank. Not much was happening, but as the last of the light was fading I had a savage bite. I had connected with what was clearly a good perch. I took control and netted my prize, net zeroed and a weight of 3lb 6oz was recorded. Another ounce added to my personal best, so I went home happy that evening.

3lb 6oz from a very short after work session February 2014

I returned midweek for an afternoon session, on arrival at the river two familiar faces were already in the hot pegs. To be honest, I was a little annoyed; I had not been able to get down to the river earlier after catching a good perch two days before. However, it was great to see Kev and Chris on the bank chasing perch and we had a good catch up. I was thinking of where to head, as the hotspots were taken when Chris kindly said he did not mind me dropping in the swim below him. It was now a social session, with Kevin in the ‘trees’ swim, Chris in the ‘trunks’ swim and myself below. I did not fancy my chances with three of us in a line all being within earshot, but as it had become a social session the fishing was not so important. I set about tackling up my 10ft light ledger rod, blackcap feeder down to as small a hook as I could get way with for my lobtail hook bait. I loaded the feeder with maggot and cast down the bank to a small overhang. Chatting away, I think Kev was first to catch a perfect perch, not a monster, but still the chosen quarry. I had a bite, again not a big perch, but they were feeding. It was time to concentrate, so I recast with a fresh hook bait. The next bite was textbook: a couple of pulls then a solid pull round. I connected to a good fish as it did its best to rid itself of the hook, after the usual hairy moments Chris netted my prize. The net was zeroed and we all had a guess at the weight, but Kev called it at 3lb 8oz, my second three that week and still a personal best to this day. It turned out to be a lovely few hours spent in good company.

3lb 8oz personal best river perch February 2014