Commercial perch
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- Brown Trout
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Commercial perch
Has any one fished for commercial perch? How best to approach it? There is a local match fishery that has some good perch in, but not sure how best to fish it. Any advice is welcome.
- davelumb
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Re: Commercial perch
A lot depends on the rules. And how many carp there are to avoid! I ended up fishing feeder and red maggots as the most selective method.
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- Brown Trout
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Re: Commercial perch
Thanks for your reply.
No live baits unfortunately. I ended up fishing prawns and lob worms, prawns did nothing, worms I had them to 2lb, but a lot bigger there. What about baiting, I have been told to bait a lot and draw the fish in?
No live baits unfortunately. I ended up fishing prawns and lob worms, prawns did nothing, worms I had them to 2lb, but a lot bigger there. What about baiting, I have been told to bait a lot and draw the fish in?
- davelumb
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Re: Commercial perch
C722 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15 2023 21:55 -When I fed loose maggots it attracted carp!Thanks for your reply.
No live baits unfortunately. I ended up fishing prawns and lob worms, prawns did nothing, worms I had them to 2lb, but a lot bigger there. What about baiting, I have been told to bait a lot and draw the fish in?
- Bob Watson
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Re: Commercial perch
Prawns are possibly the best carp bait on my club water that I fish for perch
They have 24 hour carp matches on one saturday/sunday in the month, I fancy my chances

They have 24 hour carp matches on one saturday/sunday in the month, I fancy my chances

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Re: Commercial perch
Bob Watson wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15 2023 22:19 -What type of prawns do you use. Bob and how do you fish them?Prawns are possibly the best carp bait on my club water that I fish for perch![]()
They have 24 hour carp matches on one saturday/sunday in the month, I fancy my chances![]()
Cheers, Alan
"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity" Seneca, some Roman chap.
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- Eel
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Re: Commercial perch
I agree with Dave - biggest issue is avoiding thr carp and trying to be selective. Prawns are good but carp can be an issue - I find I get pestered with bream on worms. I tend to find float fishing near the features if there are any is best or in the edge near rushes etc. I've used proven and chilled cooked prawns - I think chilled cooked are best. I have some success using cloudy groundbait in moderation to attract silvers can work
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Re: Commercial perch
I tend to fish for private perch!!!!!!!
- Bob Watson
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Re: Commercial perch
cookiesdaughtersdad wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16 2023 08:02 -Not been out for a while but when I was, it was normally cooked king prawns on a free running leger. I just nicked them through the thin end of the tail with a size 8 or 6 super speccy' but I did get a few deep hooked fish no matter how quick I was on the rod. I've since bought some Mustad demon circles in various sizes to see if that reduces the deep hooking.Bob Watson wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15 2023 22:19 -What type of prawns do you use. Bob and how do you fish them?Prawns are possibly the best carp bait on my club water that I fish for perch![]()
They have 24 hour carp matches on one saturday/sunday in the month, I fancy my chances![]()
Cheers, Alan
I'm also going to try raw king prawns on the hook on one rod, some say they're better

Carp can be a pain in the a**e when perch fishing.
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- Brown Trout
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Re: Commercial perch
There was a chap on the lake a few weeks back putting in serious amounts of ground bait and maggots, must have done 5 kilos in the session, he caught plenty to 3lb. But I know I’d be plagued with carp and bream!
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Re: Commercial perch
Bob Watson wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16 2023 14:32 -Thanks for that, Bobcookiesdaughtersdad wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16 2023 08:02 -Not been out for a while but when I was, it was normally cooked king prawns on a free running leger. I just nicked them through the thin end of the tail with a size 8 or 6 super speccy' but I did get a few deep hooked fish no matter how quick I was on the rod. I've since bought some Mustad demon circles in various sizes to see if that reduces the deep hooking.Bob Watson wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15 2023 22:19 -What type of prawns do you use. Bob and how do you fish them?Prawns are possibly the best carp bait on my club water that I fish for perch![]()
They have 24 hour carp matches on one saturday/sunday in the month, I fancy my chances![]()
Cheers, Alan
I'm also going to try raw king prawns on the hook on one rod, some say they're betterI usually scatter just a couple of small prawns in the area and chop a few up with some chopped worm and maggot as an attractor.
Carp can be a pain in the a**e when perch fishing.

Carp will not be an issue as I shall be fishing under the lodge and if I was to hook one (river fish) I will probably get broken up as they average over 20 and I will be using 6lb mono in amongst lots of structure.
After watching perch in tanks, on video and fishing for them, the way they often feed can lead to deep hooking. I m thinking of using a float rig with a shot just a couple of inches or so from the hook?
cheers, Alan
"Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity" Seneca, some Roman chap.
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- Ferox Trout
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Re: Commercial perch
C722 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 15 2023 21:22 -There's a commercial carp fishery in Essex that I know quite well, that contains some very decent perch (4lb +). Best approach by a country mile on those lakes was lure fishing, simply down to how much water can be covered. It's not so much a problem with the other guys fishing for carp or match fishing, as you're using small lures, not 5oz jerk baits. Obviously check the rules first, as I know some fisheries won't let you use trebles or braided main lines. I'd also try fishing early and late in the day, which is when these waters tend to be at their quietest and hence there's more water available to you. Avoid weekends and bank holidays if you can!Has any one fished for commercial perch? How best to approach it? There is a local match fishery that has some good perch in, but not sure how best to fish it. Any advice is welcome.
Piking Plonker
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Re: Commercial perch
Interesting- my local commercial is the colour of strong tea - what kind of lure approach?
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Re: Commercial perch
Oldskoolfool wrote: ↑Mon Jan 16 2023 20:09 -Where I've fished isn't always gin clear. Simple answer is lures that emit a lot of noise, e.g. crank baits with rattles, spinner baits, chatter baits and my first choice, lipless cranks with rattles. I have some that I can hear coming through the water from 20 yards away, so the perch have no problem finding them, even when it's almost dark.Interesting- my local commercial is the colour of strong tea - what kind of lure approach?
Piking Plonker
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Re: Commercial perch

10lb main line , 8lb floro leader and a size 12 or 10 .........just leave it in till you get a take ........
caught quite a few like that .........its not your fault if a perch grabs your roach ..........



- Steve Dennington
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Re: Commercial perch
Prawns work, but my go-to will always be the biggest lobworms I can get my hands on, legered on a size 4. Not always selective, but I don't think there's a better perch bait.
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Re: Commercial perch
stubbojo wrote: ↑Tue Jan 17 2023 19:04 -fish a small feeder running rig , maggot bait , small roach takes bait , big perch takes roach ,
10lb main line , 8lb floro leader and a size 12 or 10 .........just leave it in till you get a take ........
caught quite a few like that .........its not your fault if a perch grabs your roach ..........![]()
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- Brown Trout
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Re: Commercial perch
What’s your baiting strategy ? I fished lob worms and really selective for perch which was great, and had a carp on prawns.
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Re: Commercial perch
How about considering deadbaiting to select the largest perch? Although my specimen perch hunt hasn’t got round to commercials (yet), all the evidence suggests that pikeless, often murky commercials are the type of water that respond most reliably to deadbaiting (although they’re not completely mud pig-proof…). I’ve deadbaited for perch successfully in other types of stillwater. Quite a few articles online plus a couple of interesting discussions about deadbaiting for perch elsewhere in the Predators section on here, with plenty of opinion both pro and con. Hope this helps. Sorry, haven’t the skills to provide links…
Gary Coggon
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- Perch
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- Perch
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Re: Commercial perch
…and see ‘Why don’t perch take deabaits then?’ thread a few down from this one.
Gary Coggon
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Re: Commercial perch
Deads, Lives and dropshot is what worked for me on a local carp puddle, had fish to just under 3lb. Don't bother with prawns unless you don't mind catching all the carp.
Mmmmmmmm yes
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Re: Commercial perch
Gary Coggon wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18 2023 16:56 -So, having finally got round to trying a commercial for perch yesterday and had my lobs mullered by carp… If I switch to 3 - 5” roach deads, in the last couple of hours before sunset, will the catfish perform the same trick, i.e., do they hoover coarse deadbaits at that time of day? (I’m hoping someone’s going to say no because they’re switched onto glugged pellets, squid, etc.)How about considering deadbaiting to select the largest perch? Although my specimen perch hunt hasn’t got round to commercials (yet), all the evidence suggests that pikeless, often murky commercials are the type of water that respond most reliably to deadbaiting (although they’re not completely mud pig-proof…). I’ve deadbaited for perch successfully in other types of stillwater. Quite a few articles online plus a couple of interesting discussions about deadbaiting for perch elsewhere in the Predators section on here, with plenty of opinion both pro and con. Hope this helps. Sorry, haven’t the skills to provide links…
Many thanks
Gary Coggon
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Re: Commercial perch
Gary Coggon wrote: ↑Sat Aug 10 2024 13:00 -gary try roach heads mate perch love em .Gary Coggon wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18 2023 16:56 -So, having finally got round to trying a commercial for perch yesterday and had my lobs mullered by carp… If I switch to 3 - 5” roach deads, in the last couple of hours before sunset, will the catfish perform the same trick, i.e., do they hoover coarse deadbaits at that time of day? (I’m hoping someone’s going to say no because they’re switched onto glugged pellets, squid, etc.)How about considering deadbaiting to select the largest perch? Although my specimen perch hunt hasn’t got round to commercials (yet), all the evidence suggests that pikeless, often murky commercials are the type of water that respond most reliably to deadbaiting (although they’re not completely mud pig-proof…). I’ve deadbaited for perch successfully in other types of stillwater. Quite a few articles online plus a couple of interesting discussions about deadbaiting for perch elsewhere in the Predators section on here, with plenty of opinion both pro and con. Hope this helps. Sorry, haven’t the skills to provide links…
Many thanks
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Re: Commercial perch
stubbojo wrote: ↑Fri Nov 01 2024 20:15 -Thanks, Steve - I shall. On-deck running leger or Dyson?Gary Coggon wrote: ↑Sat Aug 10 2024 13:00 -gary try roach heads mate perch love em .Gary Coggon wrote: ↑Wed Jan 18 2023 16:56 -So, having finally got round to trying a commercial for perch yesterday and had my lobs mullered by carp… If I switch to 3 - 5” roach deads, in the last couple of hours before sunset, will the catfish perform the same trick, i.e., do they hoover coarse deadbaits at that time of day? (I’m hoping someone’s going to say no because they’re switched onto glugged pellets, squid, etc.)How about considering deadbaiting to select the largest perch? Although my specimen perch hunt hasn’t got round to commercials (yet), all the evidence suggests that pikeless, often murky commercials are the type of water that respond most reliably to deadbaiting (although they’re not completely mud pig-proof…). I’ve deadbaited for perch successfully in other types of stillwater. Quite a few articles online plus a couple of interesting discussions about deadbaiting for perch elsewhere in the Predators section on here, with plenty of opinion both pro and con. Hope this helps. Sorry, haven’t the skills to provide links…
Many thanks
Gary Coggon