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The perch is an enigmatic species. Bold, aggressive, yet exquisitely beautiful. In clear water the colouration of a perch is a delight to behold. You’ll never mistake it for any other species with its rich greens, broad black vertical bars and a creamy belly tipped with bright vermilion fins, but beware the armour plating. Sharp edges to the gill covers and spiky dorsal fin will punish the unwary angler.
If you happen to be a small fish then the perch’s beauty will be the last thing on your mind. You’ll be more concerned with its cavernous mouth, an orifice that is comparatively huge to the size of the owner. You’ll also be aware of the sheer speed at which it can attack, but more of that later.
Perch exist everywhere, from tiny farm ponds to lakes, reservoirs, lochs, canals, drains, streams and rivers. We are all familiar with the suicidal packs of small perch that fall so readily to maggot and worms but these are shoal fish. The fish we are looking for are somewhat different. All perch are carnivorous to a degree but some perch rely almost exclusively on a diet of fish from a very young age, certainly through the summer and autumn months. These are the fish that will grow into the specimens we seek.
Contrary to recognised wisdom, the best bait for a big perch is not a minnow or a gudgeon. Yes, you’ll enjoy plenty of action, but you are just as likely to catch a 6-ounce perch as the two-pound plus specimens we’re looking for. Experience on rivers like the Trent and Lower Derwent over the last few seasons has proved pretty conclusively that a roach, dace or chub in the two to 3-ounce range will produce a far better stamp of perch...
Bob Roberts
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