Big Perch, which bait.

Derek Gibson · Sep 6, 2016

Opinions will vary of that there is no doubt. But from my own standpoint based on past successes, and with a number of big Perch under my belt to just under 4lbs 8oz, my go to bait would be and are small livebaits, or specific lures.

Despite the much touted lob worm, and despite my best efforts lob's have rarely lived up to their reputation. I accept many would dismiss lures and I have no problem with that, but I can only relate my experiences, and the above are mine.

What's yours?

barbelboi · Sep 6, 2016

Although I caught my only 4lb+ fish on lobworm, and had a couple just short of that mark on caster when winter roach fishing, the consistently most productive for me by some way has been a decent size (2 oz ish) livebait.

mikench · Sep 6, 2016

I have never fished for Perch specifically but have caught a few small ones on maggot. However in january and february when the weather was cold and miserable and not suited to fishing ( at least to me) i spent time trying to find all the waters on my cards that I might want to fish at some stage including some stretches of canal. On one of my walks along the Macclesfield canal near Astbury( Congleton) I had a chat with a member about fishing in general and the canal in particular. He was fishing for pike and perch and was using lob worms, deadbait and prawns. He had small prawns and king prawns and swore by them even though they were an expensive bait.

He was using prawn at the time but he did not catch whilst i was there but it was bitterly cold and raining heavily so I did not stay long.

trotter2 · Sep 6, 2016

For specimen perch live bait Derek it sorts the bigger ones out, apart from that 2 big lobs fished over a bed of caster and chopped worm.

robertroach · Sep 6, 2016

Livebaits work best for me as well. Minnows are good but its surprising how a tiny perch can still engulf a minnow, so they are a pain sometimes. If I had to choose, my ideal livebait would be a gudgeon.
I like livebaiting for perch with an old bobber style float. It's a great way to rove around and cover plenty of likely spots, usually in the margins or near some kind of feature like a landing stage or an overhanging bush.
Just waiting now until the Autumn before I have a few sessions at one or two local venues said to contain 4 pounders.

terry m · Sep 6, 2016

Lures every time for me. A No 5 Mepps spinner fished low and slow will sort out the large specimens.

And, you will be surprised how many smaller fish will hang themselves on the same lure.

Keith M · Sep 6, 2016

Like Derek my better Perch have all been on small live baits and very small lures.

My best Perch which was just over 4lb and my next biggest was a full pound lighter at just over 3lb and both of these were taken on lip hooked minnow live bats.

I have also had a fair number of Perch up to around 2.5lb on tiny Mepps spinners.

I have caught some nice perch on maggot and redworm but nothing much bigger than around 1.5lb to 2lb.

Keith

barbelboi · Sep 6, 2016

The only problem I've had with minnow is that you have too many takes from small fish. I much prefer a 2oz roach to sort out the bigger fish and also like the option of fishing a bleak down low so they are trying to get up or a gobio up high so they're trying to get down - possibly giving more attraction.

robertroach · Sep 6, 2016

Probably being stupid, but what's a gobio?

Keith M · Sep 6, 2016

robertroach said:
Probably being stupid, but what's a gobio?

It's the Latin name for the Gudgeon (Gobio Gobio) Rob

Keith

john step · Sep 6, 2016

I find worms too unselective. Like others, decent size livebaits sort the bigger ones. Sometimes when you look at the bait size and think that must be far too big...then old bigmouth bully boy comes along and just engulfs it.

My order of preference on my waters would be
1. livebait
2. deadbait
3.those big prawns with the legs and whiskers still attached.
(4. I know this sounds silly but on a couple of local waters luncheon meat catches a fair few)

103841 · Sep 6, 2016

My local lake has a small population of large Perch, all the normal guidelines seem to count for little here. I've caught them in brilliant sunshine, normally middle of day and in open water. Caught on traditional methods of either livebait or lobs. Other anglers have caught them on pellet, corn, paste and bread, having said that it most probably is a small fish taking the bait and then swiped by stripey. Prawns haven't worked at all and get taken by carp or the resident sturgeon but at Stream Valley, home of the record, prawn over a bed of maggots is the only way to catch them it would seem.

All this talk about large perch, think I'll have a days live baiting Thursday, conditions and time of year are all wrong.....could be the day.

binka · Sep 6, 2016

A not too small livebait for me, I find 2-3oz about right but still get the odd fish of about 10oz hogging them.

Amazing how perch can get completely preoccupied with a constant trickle of maggots to the exclusion of everything else around them, all the fish over 3lbs which I took last season came to either a single maggot or worm and the biggest fish I'm ever likely to lose fell to maggot too, a good five with a bit to spare!

Livebait is obviously the most selective but if you're prepared to really work at the feeding it's surprising what will turn up on maggot, worm is great but as said by someone earlier it's not very selective.

flossy · Sep 6, 2016

Live baits every time ,mind you have taken quite a few good perch too almost 4lbs on poped up lobworm.

peterjg · Sep 6, 2016

Livebaits: four inch perch or a big gudgeon fished off of the bottom.

Derek Gibson · Sep 6, 2016

peterjg said:
Livebaits: four inch perch or a big gudgeon fished off of the bottom.

A man after my own heart Peter. On two of my favourite Perch venues the bait par excellence was a three to four oz Perch to contact the big Stripies.

Whilst on the Trent a Gudgeon or a big inline Bucktail spinner was equally effective.

Bob Hornegold · Sep 6, 2016

Lobworms and Livebaits.

Lobs in the daylight will often sort out a decent Perch, Livebaits I find best Dawn and Dusk ?

Bob

View image in gallery

john step · Sep 6, 2016

As an aside, re big perch....isn't it strange how weights get exaggerated. ( I know this is the same with other species too).

Recently I was told by a member that his friend told him he had caught 7 x3lb perch from the water last week.
He obviously believed his mate but I know the water and I don't believe him.
They estimate a weight wrongly then tell it over again until it becomes fact.

That perch of 2 and a half I kicked off the perch challenge with was greeted with the exclamation that it was getting on for 4lb!!!

If I hadn't shown him the scales he would be telling all and sundry about the 4 that was caught.

mg:

Bob Hornegold · Sep 6, 2016

Very true John, I saw many a Perch caught from the Lea Navigation in the comic's often claimed at over 4lbs, when I or my group of friends had had the very same Perch the week the pictured appeared at a lower weight.

Some times it's misweighing or incorrect procedure, other times it's wishing a fish to be above your cherished dream weigh and believing it.

Or it could be sheer greed, cashing in on prizes from the comic's and bigging yourself up ?

Bob

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Sep 6, 2016

Maybe lure and live bait work best because you can search out more water with a roving approach

Big Perch, which bait.

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Banned

binka

Guest

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member