I've done alright so far this season.
Thirty one 2lb+ fish
Five 3lb+ and two 4's, nearly all of them taken on my home poured soft plastics.
It's gone completely dead in the last couple of weeks for the better perch though, you wouldn't know perch over 6oz even existed!
That`s good fishing Daniel, wish I had waters capable of doing fish like that nearer to me
I've covered miles and miles of river searching for perch, making little notes of swims that have produced fish over a pound.
Those swims produced again and again for me but since the weather took a turn two or three weeks ago they've simply vanished, I can't find anything over a few ounces, good sport but not really what I'm after, I've caught enough little perch to last a lifetime!
I've done alright so far this season.
Thirty one 2lb+ fish
Five 3lb+ and two 4's, nearly all of them taken on my home poured soft plastics.
It's gone completely dead in the last couple of weeks for the better perch though, you wouldn't know perch over 6oz even existed!
That`s good fishing Daniel, wish I had waters capable of doing fish like that nearer to me
I've covered miles and miles of river searching for perch, making little notes of swims that have produced fish over a pound.
Those swims produced again and again for me but since the weather took a turn two or three weeks ago they've simply vanished, I can't find anything over a few ounces, good sport but not really what I'm after, I've caught enough little perch to last a lifetime!
Our local waters completely switch off after the first real cold snap. Most are shallow, which makes it even worse. Only realistic option is the rivers, but thats almost a 2hr trip each way. Fair play for putting that much effort in mate, and reaping the rewards
I've done alright so far this season.
Thirty one 2lb+ fish
Five 3lb+ and two 4's, nearly all of them taken on my home poured soft plastics.
It's gone completely dead in the last couple of weeks for the better perch though, you wouldn't know perch over 6oz even existed!
Hells bells that is some going!
Do you fish them free, under a float slow troll style or ???
Bottom hopping is out for me because of weed and sunken branches, years back it would have been a giant lobworm with a bubble of air injected but these days even finding a single decent lob is nigh on possible and why I tried minnows of which we have zillions.
Thinks ----- would prebaiting with live minnows focus the attention of lake Perch??
I've not been doing anything very complicated, 2-4" shads and crayfish fished on a Cheb rig with either a wide gape weedless hook for bouncing across the deck or crazy fish round bend hooks designed for Cheb fishing on a straight retrieve.
Those not caught on my softies were taken on 3" cranks , often those designed for getting down to 6-8' even though I was only fishing in 3-4' of water.
This let me fish either very slowly just off the bottom or bump them along the deck with a slightly quicker retrieve.
Many thanks Daniel.
I have suitable moulds and looped weights so will be giving the method a trial when the weed dies down.
'No Man Ever Fishes The Same River Twice, .... For It Is Not The Same River, .... And He Is Not The Same Man' Heraclitus of Ephesus
I've done alright so far this season.
Thirty one 2lb+ fish
Five 3lb+ and two 4's, nearly all of them taken on my home poured soft plastics.
It's gone completely dead in the last couple of weeks for the better perch though, you wouldn't know perch over 6oz even existed!
That`s good fishing Daniel, wish I had waters capable of doing fish like that nearer to me
I've covered miles and miles of river searching for perch, making little notes of swims that have produced fish over a pound.
Those swims produced again and again for me but since the weather took a turn two or three weeks ago they've simply vanished, I can't find anything over a few ounces, good sport but not really what I'm after, I've caught enough little perch to last a lifetime!
My experience of them, when I was making a concerted effort a few years back, Daniel was that they were generally still in pretty much the same spots but were quite adept at simply shutting up shop? I occasionally tricked one out with a slightly different tactic or bait but once, particularly mild spells or the end of winter appeared I started catching again?
I have quite a few perch baits in a tank at present.
I've done alright so far this season.
Thirty one 2lb+ fish
Five 3lb+ and two 4's, nearly all of them taken on my home poured soft plastics.
It's gone completely dead in the last couple of weeks for the better perch though, you wouldn't know perch over 6oz even existed!
That`s good fishing Daniel, wish I had waters capable of doing fish like that nearer to me
I've covered miles and miles of river searching for perch, making little notes of swims that have produced fish over a pound.
Those swims produced again and again for me but since the weather took a turn two or three weeks ago they've simply vanished, I can't find anything over a few ounces, good sport but not really what I'm after, I've caught enough little perch to last a lifetime!
My experience of them, when I was making a concerted effort a few years back, Daniel was that they were generally still in pretty much the same spots but were quite adept at simply shutting up shop? I occasionally tricked one out with a slightly different tactic or bait but once, particularly mild spells or the end of winter appeared I started catching again?
I have quite a few perch baits in a tank at present.
(I really should get off my ar$e and go face)
Dave,
Interesting in regards staying in the same area, but switching off. We had a discussion a few years ago on the LAS forum along the same lines. The usual hot spots did not produce, IE far bank and near bank cover where the Perch would in milder conditions actively come for a lure. I was catching from mid-river depressions or slight changes in the riverbed composition. There is a photo on here of me in a thread John Milford started the other year or so regarding hats, it was taken in the close season. I had a pair of chesties on and after the work party spent a couple of hours wading about and finding these little areas some only about two yards square. Going from gravel to sand etc, so the Perch were about but it was like a mini hot spot within a hot spot if that makes sense.
What I have noticed is that I've never caught a Perch with lice, but plenty of Pike when it's been very cold are carrying them. Why the Perch seemed to find mid-river and not tucked away under tree roots etc a better place to hang out I could not say. I'd kill for some cold weather at present as opposed to rivers that are bank high and gunning through. It's a canal for me tomorrow, the rivers are proving hard work.
I've done alright so far this season.
Thirty one 2lb+ fish
Five 3lb+ and two 4's, nearly all of them taken on my home poured soft plastics.
It's gone completely dead in the last couple of weeks for the better perch though, you wouldn't know perch over 6oz even existed!
That`s good fishing Daniel, wish I had waters capable of doing fish like that nearer to me
I've covered miles and miles of river searching for perch, making little notes of swims that have produced fish over a pound.
Those swims produced again and again for me but since the weather took a turn two or three weeks ago they've simply vanished, I can't find anything over a few ounces, good sport but not really what I'm after, I've caught enough little perch to last a lifetime!
My experience of them, when I was making a concerted effort a few years back, Daniel was that they were generally still in pretty much the same spots but were quite adept at simply shutting up shop? I occasionally tricked one out with a slightly different tactic or bait but once, particularly mild spells or the end of winter appeared I started catching again?
I have quite a few perch baits in a tank at present.
(I really should get off my ar$e and go face)
Dave,
Interesting in regards staying in the same area, but switching off. We had a discussion a few years ago on the LAS forum along the same lines. The usual hot spots did not produce, IE far bank and near bank cover where the Perch would in milder conditions actively come for a lure. I was catching from mid-river depressions or slight changes in the riverbed composition. There is a photo on here of me in a thread John Milford started the other year or so regarding hats, it was taken in the close season. I had a pair of chesties on and after the work party spent a couple of hours wading about and finding these little areas some only about two yards square. Going from gravel to sand etc, so the Perch were about but it was like a mini hot spot within a hot spot if that makes sense.
What I have noticed is that I've never caught a Perch with lice, but plenty of Pike when it's been very cold are carrying them. Why the Perch seemed to find mid-river and not tucked away under tree roots etc a better place to hang out I could not say. I'd kill for some cold weather at present as opposed to rivers that are bank high and gunning through. It's a canal for me tomorrow, the rivers are proving hard work.
That's really interesting, Monts, i suspect your experience is greater than mine and I tip my hat to your ingenuity (I did the same thing on the South Broad at Martham, many many years back) thanks. I should actually have written my "limited" experience of them for it was all a bit wham bam thankyou mam for me and I only fished for them whilst my back wasn't up to Piking really? My conclusions were drawn from occasionally being able to see them in the right conditions and watching them resist temptation! I did though, became "hooked" on it and pushed the envelope in the same way as I do what ever species it is that I'm targeting and thought nothing of walking or paddling a couple of miles at the right time, armed with the right stuff in my bucket! I loved every minute of it!
I've done alright so far this season.
Thirty one 2lb+ fish
Five 3lb+ and two 4's, nearly all of them taken on my home poured soft plastics.
It's gone completely dead in the last couple of weeks for the better perch though, you wouldn't know perch over 6oz even existed!
That`s good fishing Daniel, wish I had waters capable of doing fish like that nearer to me
I've covered miles and miles of river searching for perch, making little notes of swims that have produced fish over a pound.
Those swims produced again and again for me but since the weather took a turn two or three weeks ago they've simply vanished, I can't find anything over a few ounces, good sport but not really what I'm after, I've caught enough little perch to last a lifetime!
My experience of them, when I was making a concerted effort a few years back, Daniel was that they were generally still in pretty much the same spots but were quite adept at simply shutting up shop? I occasionally tricked one out with a slightly different tactic or bait but once, particularly mild spells or the end of winter appeared I started catching again?
I have quite a few perch baits in a tank at present.
(I really should get off my ar$e and go face)
I may go and try again over Christmas but right now the rivers up and carrying too much colour to make it worthwhile so roach and bream are my quarry.
I managed 16 bream to 7lb yesterday on legered bread flake fished over a bit of mashed bread, a few roach to a pound and a half put in an appearance too.
Not bad for a bit of urban fishing where people were constantly stopping to tell me I won't catch anything there, even when I'm actually unhooking a fish!!
I've done alright so far this season.
Thirty one 2lb+ fish
Five 3lb+ and two 4's, nearly all of them taken on my home poured soft plastics.
It's gone completely dead in the last couple of weeks for the better perch though, you wouldn't know perch over 6oz even existed!
That`s good fishing Daniel, wish I had waters capable of doing fish like that nearer to me
I've covered miles and miles of river searching for perch, making little notes of swims that have produced fish over a pound.
Those swims produced again and again for me but since the weather took a turn two or three weeks ago they've simply vanished, I can't find anything over a few ounces, good sport but not really what I'm after, I've caught enough little perch to last a lifetime!
My experience of them, when I was making a concerted effort a few years back, Daniel was that they were generally still in pretty much the same spots but were quite adept at simply shutting up shop? I occasionally tricked one out with a slightly different tactic or bait but once, particularly mild spells or the end of winter appeared I started catching again?
I have quite a few perch baits in a tank at present.
(I really should get off my ar$e and go face)
I may go and try again over Christmas but right now the rivers up and carrying too much colour to make it worthwhile so roach and bream are my quarry.
I managed 16 bream to 7lb yesterday on legered bread flake fished over a bit of mashed bread, a few roach to a pound and a half put in an appearance too.
Not bad for a bit of urban fishing where people were constantly stopping to tell me I won't catch anything there, even when I'm actually unhooking a fish!!
VERRRY nice! What ever fishing I'm doing and regardless of the species I get really involved in it and often wonder quite what fisherman I'd have become if I hadn't discovered an affinity with Pike so early on in my formative years? I'd have really enjoyed the catch you just described!
I've done alright so far this season.
Thirty one 2lb+ fish
Five 3lb+ and two 4's, nearly all of them taken on my home poured soft plastics.
It's gone completely dead in the last couple of weeks for the better perch though, you wouldn't know perch over 6oz even existed!
That`s good fishing Daniel, wish I had waters capable of doing fish like that nearer to me
I've covered miles and miles of river searching for perch, making little notes of swims that have produced fish over a pound.
Those swims produced again and again for me but since the weather took a turn two or three weeks ago they've simply vanished, I can't find anything over a few ounces, good sport but not really what I'm after, I've caught enough little perch to last a lifetime!
My experience of them, when I was making a concerted effort a few years back, Daniel was that they were generally still in pretty much the same spots but were quite adept at simply shutting up shop? I occasionally tricked one out with a slightly different tactic or bait but once, particularly mild spells or the end of winter appeared I started catching again?
I have quite a few perch baits in a tank at present.
(I really should get off my ar$e and go face)
I may go and try again over Christmas but right now the rivers up and carrying too much colour to make it worthwhile so roach and bream are my quarry.
I managed 16 bream to 7lb yesterday on legered bread flake fished over a bit of mashed bread, a few roach to a pound and a half put in an appearance too.
Not bad for a bit of urban fishing where people were constantly stopping to tell me I won't catch anything there, even when I'm actually unhooking a fish!!
VERRRY nice! What ever fishing I'm doing and regardless of the species I get really involved in it and often wonder quite what fisherman I'd have become if I hadn't discovered an affinity with Pike so early on in my formative years? I'd have really enjoyed the catch you just described!
(Good stuuf face)
My dad taught me to fish for general coarse fish as it's what he did himself, I'd been fishing a good four or five years before an uncle took me lure fishing for the first time.
I blanked but he caught three little jack's that to my eyes looked like the most terrifying creatures ever!
I enjoy fishing for pike but take great pleasure and satisfaction from being able to read a swim, know which species are likely to be in each area and then put a net of fish together.
I'm not now, nor have a ever been, 'a piker'. I'm an all rounder who enjoys a bit of alsorts, but prefer involved fishing rather than sitting and waiting for it to happen.
I've done alright so far this season.
Thirty one 2lb+ fish
Five 3lb+ and two 4's, nearly all of them taken on my home poured soft plastics.
It's gone completely dead in the last couple of weeks for the better perch though, you wouldn't know perch over 6oz even existed!
That`s good fishing Daniel, wish I had waters capable of doing fish like that nearer to me
I've covered miles and miles of river searching for perch, making little notes of swims that have produced fish over a pound.
Those swims produced again and again for me but since the weather took a turn two or three weeks ago they've simply vanished, I can't find anything over a few ounces, good sport but not really what I'm after, I've caught enough little perch to last a lifetime!
My experience of them, when I was making a concerted effort a few years back, Daniel was that they were generally still in pretty much the same spots but were quite adept at simply shutting up shop? I occasionally tricked one out with a slightly different tactic or bait but once, particularly mild spells or the end of winter appeared I started catching again?
I have quite a few perch baits in a tank at present.
(I really should get off my ar$e and go face)
I may go and try again over Christmas but right now the rivers up and carrying too much colour to make it worthwhile so roach and bream are my quarry.
I managed 16 bream to 7lb yesterday on legered bread flake fished over a bit of mashed bread, a few roach to a pound and a half put in an appearance too.
Not bad for a bit of urban fishing where people were constantly stopping to tell me I won't catch anything there, even when I'm actually unhooking a fish!!
VERRRY nice! What ever fishing I'm doing and regardless of the species I get really involved in it and often wonder quite what fisherman I'd have become if I hadn't discovered an affinity with Pike so early on in my formative years? I'd have really enjoyed the catch you just described!
(Good stuuf face)
I enjoy fishing for pike but take great pleasure and satisfaction from being able to read a swim, know which species are likely to be in each area and then put a net of fish together.
I think a lot of us have missed out on similar through being so focussed on one species Daniel. I certainly wish i`d gone for other species more often instead of just dabbling with them in summer when i wasnt piking
They are nice fish to catch, gets the old heart thumping when they come to the top. I did have one considerably bigger slip the hook at the net a few weeks back. The air turned blue.
My first attempt at targeting perch. Me holding it doesn't do it justice as I'm quite a big oaf! Might try photo next to the reel next time a decent one comes along. Itching to get out again!
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Yep pleased with that one Dave, off down the river shortly and see if I can grab another couple.
Well I hope you do better than me? I kicked myself up the ar$e and actually went this afternoon. I Paddled the Yak to a spot off the beaten track for the last couple of hours of light. Lip hooked Roach on a size 4 circle (I'm experimenting) under a bobber type float, was dropped in several likely looking spots before I had my first take. Typical Pike take resulted in a Jack of about a pound just holding on to the bait right until I got it to the net. Even as I played this Pike I started developing plans for it! So, quickly, plopped a fresh bait back in the same area. Within minutes it was taken again in an identical looking take? Convinced it was the little Pike and knowing that I was using a circle hook I left the take (what to me, a circles novice) an uncomfortable amount of time before gently winding down. A healthy curve formed in the rod and the Yak even rotated a good deal towards what suddenly felt like a good Perch? Sure enough an absolute clonker of a Perch appeared out of the gloom and I could see that it was hooked right in the scissor but was only attached by a thin membrane. I foolishly eased off a bit and it powered down out of sight before the line went slack and it was gone. The stretch of river rarely does anything over 4lbs 8 oz but this fish really did look 4ish and would have made me smile good and proper!
Err no not today, not a sniff of a Perch. I got beaten up by Jacks but still thoroughly enjoyed my five hours or so. As for you, it's always a sickener to lose a good fish you have seen regardless of the species.
Yep pleased with that one Dave, off down the river shortly and see if I can grab another couple.
Well I hope you do better than me? I kicked myself up the ar$e and actually went this afternoon. I Paddled the Yak to a spot off the beaten track for the last couple of hours of light. Lip hooked Roach on a size 4 circle (I'm experimenting) under a bobber type float, was dropped in several likely looking spots before I had my first take. Typical Pike take resulted in a Jack of about a pound just holding on to the bait right until I got it to the net. Even as I played this Pike I started developing plans for it! So, quickly, plopped a fresh bait back in the same area. Within minutes it was taken again in an identical looking take? Convinced it was the little Pike and knowing that I was using a circle hook I left the take (what to me, a circles novice) an uncomfortable amount of time before gently winding down. A healthy curve formed in the rod and the Yak even rotated a good deal towards what suddenly felt like a good Perch? Sure enough an absolute clonker of a Perch appeared out of the gloom and I could see that it was hooked right in the scissor but was only attached by a thin membrane. I foolishly eased off a bit and it powered down out of sight before the line went slack and it was gone. The stretch of river rarely does anything over 4lbs 8 oz but this fish really did look 4ish and would have made me smile good and proper!
Yep pleased with that one Dave, off down the river shortly and see if I can grab another couple.
Well I hope you do better than me? I kicked myself up the ar$e and actually went this afternoon. I Paddled the Yak to a spot off the beaten track for the last couple of hours of light. Lip hooked Roach on a size 4 circle (I'm experimenting) under a bobber type float, was dropped in several likely looking spots before I had my first take. Typical Pike take resulted in a Jack of about a pound just holding on to the bait right until I got it to the net. Even as I played this Pike I started developing plans for it! So, quickly, plopped a fresh bait back in the same area. Within minutes it was taken again in an identical looking take? Convinced it was the little Pike and knowing that I was using a circle hook I left the take (what to me, a circles novice) an uncomfortable amount of time before gently winding down. A healthy curve formed in the rod and the Yak even rotated a good deal towards what suddenly felt like a good Perch? Sure enough an absolute clonker of a Perch appeared out of the gloom and I could see that it was hooked right in the scissor but was only attached by a thin membrane. I foolishly eased off a bit and it powered down out of sight before the line went slack and it was gone. The stretch of river rarely does anything over 4lbs 8 oz but this fish really did look 4ish and would have made me smile good and proper!
(I'll have to go back now face)
That's got to be gutting!
These things don't quite muster the feelings of despair they once did, Al.
(But I did manage to throw a few fcuks at myself face)
Yep pleased with that one Dave, off down the river shortly and see if I can grab another couple.
Well I hope you do better than me? I kicked myself up the ar$e and actually went this afternoon. I Paddled the Yak to a spot off the beaten track for the last couple of hours of light. Lip hooked Roach on a size 4 circle (I'm experimenting) under a bobber type float, was dropped in several likely looking spots before I had my first take. Typical Pike take resulted in a Jack of about a pound just holding on to the bait right until I got it to the net. Even as I played this Pike I started developing plans for it! So, quickly, plopped a fresh bait back in the same area. Within minutes it was taken again in an identical looking take? Convinced it was the little Pike and knowing that I was using a circle hook I left the take (what to me, a circles novice) an uncomfortable amount of time before gently winding down. A healthy curve formed in the rod and the Yak even rotated a good deal towards what suddenly felt like a good Perch? Sure enough an absolute clonker of a Perch appeared out of the gloom and I could see that it was hooked right in the scissor but was only attached by a thin membrane. I foolishly eased off a bit and it powered down out of sight before the line went slack and it was gone. The stretch of river rarely does anything over 4lbs 8 oz but this fish really did look 4ish and would have made me smile good and proper!
(I'll have to go back now face)
That's got to be gutting!
These things don't quite muster the feelings of despair they once did, Al.
(But I did manage to throw a few fcuks at myself face)
I dont know whats worse, losing a fish you didnt see and wondering how big it really was, or seeing its big and losing it....sickener Dave, but at least you know where they are now
Yep pleased with that one Dave, off down the river shortly and see if I can grab another couple.
Well I hope you do better than me? I kicked myself up the ar$e and actually went this afternoon. I Paddled the Yak to a spot off the beaten track for the last couple of hours of light. Lip hooked Roach on a size 4 circle (I'm experimenting) under a bobber type float, was dropped in several likely looking spots before I had my first take. Typical Pike take resulted in a Jack of about a pound just holding on to the bait right until I got it to the net. Even as I played this Pike I started developing plans for it! So, quickly, plopped a fresh bait back in the same area. Within minutes it was taken again in an identical looking take? Convinced it was the little Pike and knowing that I was using a circle hook I left the take (what to me, a circles novice) an uncomfortable amount of time before gently winding down. A healthy curve formed in the rod and the Yak even rotated a good deal towards what suddenly felt like a good Perch? Sure enough an absolute clonker of a Perch appeared out of the gloom and I could see that it was hooked right in the scissor but was only attached by a thin membrane. I foolishly eased off a bit and it powered down out of sight before the line went slack and it was gone. The stretch of river rarely does anything over 4lbs 8 oz but this fish really did look 4ish and would have made me smile good and proper!
(I'll have to go back now face)
That's got to be gutting!
These things don't quite muster the feelings of despair they once did, Al.
(But I did manage to throw a few fcuks at myself face)
I dont know whats worse, losing a fish you didnt see and wondering how big it really was, or seeing its big and losing it....sickener Dave, but at least you know where they are now
I know what you mean Mark, I'm still haunted by several fish that just plodded on a long line and came adrift after longer than usual!
(A 40 got caught along the bank from me a few hours later on one of those occasions face)