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Perch

Thanks men, will be back at weekend to try to find bigger sisters. Be hard pushed to top that session though. :)
 
Not sure this warrants an entry on the perch thread but here goes anyway!

Spent thurs and fri perching with my dad in two of the closest spots I know of for bankers if you're after fish in excess of 2lbs.

Thursday was spent on the kennet at Barton Court. The river was low and clear, although not as low as back in October on our last joint trip. Unfortunately my usual spots had been compromised by a combination of weed dying back and rather rigorous reed removal. Unfortunately my backup spots failed to produce the goods as well. I ended the day with one brownie of about 2lb and two small perch which may have weighed three quarters of a pound if combined. I did spend a fair portion of the day trying to assist my dad and he did fare better. From one particular perch spot he managed two chub of about 3.5lb and what may have been a new pb of 5lb 6oz. He later did a bit of trotting and managed a mixed bag of seven perch to a pound, one dace, one gudgeon and another chub of about 3lb.

Friday we switched over to a tributary of the Kennet which has produced numerous two's for me in the past, however once again things didn't go according to plan. We arrived just before seven am to find the river low and murky. A couple of droppers of red maggot went in beneath a tree and after a short wait in went the quiver tipped lob. The tip wrenched straight round and I was powerless to stop what was obviously a good barbel on the three quarter pound test curve rod and four pound line. The line quickly parted on the sunken roots. On went a new hook and shot and out went another lob. Once again I didn't have to wait two minutes before the tip wrenched round. This time after a bit of a battle a 6lb barbel came to the net. Out went another couple of droppers of maggot and my dad and I swapped places. Unfortunately that was to be the last action in the 'banker'.

I moved downstream to a deeper spot and was quickly into a nice chub nudging 4lb. Shortly after I managed a pike of about 6lb on a jig followed by a tiny perch on the lob. All of that before 11am and with the exeption of a foul hooked jack to my dad, no more action until about 5.45pm. My dad and I had swapped swims at about 4.30pm after I returned from some roving. The last fish of the day was a chub of about 3lb from the downstream swim.

Why no decent perch? As a friend suggested, maybe they had their spawning heads on. Maybe they'd moved to other spots. Maybe they just weren't having it.
 
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Martin,

That really sums up perch fishing imho; sometimes there, sometimes not, sometimes harrassed by bait robbers with no signs of better fish, sometimes not interested in whole lobs, but will take a small tail, sometimes finicky, other times pull your rod in etc, etc. I just think that they can be very unpredictable. Good fun though as they do keep you guessing. :D

Next time when your not expecting any action cos conditions are not right, you will probably bank a pb. ;)

Good luck.

Paul
 
Fished another stretch of the upper thames this afternoon for 24 perch including 9 2s to 2-14 and a 3-1, blinding session in bright conditions again. :D

Bit of a **** self take attached.

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A couple from the middle Thames this week.

This one right on 4lbs

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Followed by a smaller fish at 3.8

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Ian
 
Thanks Steve.

Nice set of fish there Ian, trying hard for a 4 myself at the moment. On the canal sunday pm, fingers are well and truly crossed.

Paul
 
Cracking old warrior there Ian.

Paul, delighted you snagged your first 3lber, to get three in as many sessions is all good. Broke that duck at last mate.

Only done the 1 session for perch this year believe it or not.
Those pics have got me kicking myself, alas, baby number 2 arriving any minute so any last minute action on the rivers is a nono.
 
Thanks men, back down to earth with a bump yesterday on the K&A as only three tiddlers, area not on form according to bailiff, but i reckon i was just in the wrong place.

Will, good luck with baby number two mate; some things are more important than fishing.;)

Wurzel
 
Only had a few hours spare today so decided on the lures. Covered lots of water but failed to muster a single pull. :(
On the plus side, watched a pair of greater spotted woodpeckers doing their thing........magic :)
 
What some awesome fish! Congratulations Paul on a so many PBs! Do you float fish for them, or ledger?

Well done Ian too, fantastic fish!

Andy
 
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