As spring has started to show her colours I’ve been doing short sessions on various club waters in the hope of some more perch. I’ve not found the fishing easy, however, it has been nice to catch some other species along the way.
Small Eel March 2017
An early morning session on a small club lake fishing maggot produced only a small eel. A move down to some snags produced a carp that put a bend in the rod, but that was the only action of the morning which was disappointing.
Not a perch! March 2017
The next couple of outings were on a different lake complex which has produced some big perch in the past. A morning was spent biteless on the first lake we tried, so we made a move to the biggest lake on the complex. I decided to fish the waggler in 13 foot of water just off the margins using bunches of maggots on the hook. I only caught skimmers that day, although a friend of mine did manage one perch not far off 2lb fishing a light lead.
One of a dozen skimmers caught over two outings April 2017
A return visit the following week for an evening stint was organised. With bright sunshine, it wasn’t the best perching conditions and again I only caught skimmers on the worm this time using the straight lead over ground bait. My friend again managed one perch just over a 1lb.
The next outing was to another lake complex that I’ve only fished once before, but has thrown up some nice perch. A small carp was the first fish to slip up to the worm. After two hours without another bite and baking in the midday sun, I decided to give another lake on the complex a try. I had one bite on the worm which turned out to be a roach/rudd hybrid. After that fish, I’d had enough and packed it in.
1lb 4oz hybrid April 2017
My final outing was a late afternoon into dusk session back on a small club water. Setting up with the wind off my back. A sleeper rod was cast toward an island with a small p.v.a bag containing some hook bait samples and 6mm pellets to fish itself for carp. The other rod was set up with a waggler to fish a lobworm close to some margin cover. After an hour the carp rod was away and a small common was landed.
Small common April 2017
The waggler fishing was slower. After missing three sail away bites I connected to a small tench. As the sun set, I began to get some more interest on the float fished worm and finally connected with what felt like a perch. Not a monster but the chosen quarry at last. While landing that fish the sleeper rod was away again with a bream around the 3lb mark. A nice few hours spent by the lake.
1lb 9oz perch April 2017
Fish Tales From The Riverbank 