Big Perch
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- Eel
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Big Perch
I don't fish for them myself... but why does there seem to be so many big perch these days?
Is it,
A) Because they got over the disease.
B) Because more anglers are fishing for them, and with new methods such as drop shotting.
C) Some other reason.
Thanks.
John.
Is it,
A) Because they got over the disease.
B) Because more anglers are fishing for them, and with new methods such as drop shotting.
C) Some other reason.
Thanks.
John.
- Monts
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Re: Big Perch
greencard1 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 17 2024 06:49 -Heavily cropped photo as it's faded and fooked. My first over 3lb, weighing in at 3.8oz. 23 years ago now, on a lob worm. I was Barbel fishing and noticed some Minnows scattering under my feet, set up another rod. Cadged a worm and caught the above.I don't fish for them myself... but why does there seem to be so many big perch these days?
Is it,
A) Because they got over the disease.
B) Because more anglers are fishing for them, and with new methods such as drop shotting.
C) Some other reason.
Thanks.
John.
I still recall when it came up, my legs went. They really did, my a**e hole fell out. Over the years I've stopped taking photos of 3lb Perch on lures along my rivers, as there are an abundance. Cray fish infested waters, biggest at 4.2.
I'm not sure about the big AW Ressies, recaptures, how many big fish there are. I'm wondering when the bubble will burst, if it does. But on my rivers the Crays have helped. At the possible detremet of silver fish etc.
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Re: Big Perch
I guess post the impact of perch disease we've seen them return in numbers. Crayfish abundance no doubt helps couple with loads more people lure fishing so more likely to be caught.
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Re: Big Perch
They don't get anything like that size in ireland. A 3lb fish is a fish of a season for many seasoned lure anglers over here. We don't have signals, but have indigenous crays in some lakes and rivers here and plenty of small prey fish. There are a lot of good anglers fishing for perch too.
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Re: Big Perch
Thanks folks.
Forgive my ignorance...crays important because perch eat them, or because crays eat silvers eggs so the perch have little competition for food?
Or both?
Forgive my ignorance...crays important because perch eat them, or because crays eat silvers eggs so the perch have little competition for food?
Or both?
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Re: Big Perch
greencard1 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 17 2024 21:07 -The perch eat the crayfish hi protein so grow big same with the chubThanks folks.
Forgive my ignorance...crays important because perch eat them, or because crays eat silvers eggs so the perch have little competition for food?
Or both?
Plus commercial fisheries plent of stunted silver fish match anglers fishing pellets for carp perch left to do what they please that’s my take on it all
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Re: Big Perch
Masses of food available, Zebra Mussels, Quogga Mussels and Crayfish together with massive baitfish shoals
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Re: Big Perch
The silvers in commercials is a good point - my local hole in the ground us rammed with them and does some massive perch. I guess the perch don't get caught much as most use pellets/corn/meat which may help
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Re: Big Perch
Ian Crook wrote: ↑Sun Feb 18 2024 23:16 -The only thing missing from that equation here in Ireland are signal crays. No shortage of baitfish shoals here, of all sizes. Some shoals can be 1,000m long, 2-300m wide, and 4 m deep! Massive clouds of fry over deep water in winter, then turn the shallows black in summer. Literally, hundreds of millions.Masses of food available, Zebra Mussels, Quogga Mussels and Crayfish together with massive baitfish shoals
But a nice perch is 1 lb, a really good one is 2lb, and a 3 lb, well, the stuff of dreams.... But you can catch half-pounders like Mackerel, i kid you not. Wet fly fishing for trout with a team of flies, or epoxies, 3 perch every chuck in some spots

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Re: Big Perch
I’ve no real experience with big reservoir perch (only small fish) but I’ve had a few 3 pounders from several small stillwaters in Wales, best 3-11. These contain no crays/signals. The common factor is no pike! I was brought up in Ireland and my best perch there (by a long way) was 2lb. My impression is that in ‘naturual’ waters perch attain higher weights where they are the top predator?
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Re: Big Perch
Interesting stuff Fordey and Dave.
I think Richard Walker said "A big Perch is the biggest fish of all."
I think Richard Walker said "A big Perch is the biggest fish of all."
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Re: Big Perch
There are mammoth perch in loads of UK natural waters, by mammoth I mean 5lb plus
3 UK Rivers, 2 English Lakes in addition to 4 reservoirs, at least 2 Scottish lochs and potentially 2 Welsh lakes
3 UK Rivers, 2 English Lakes in addition to 4 reservoirs, at least 2 Scottish lochs and potentially 2 Welsh lakes
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Re: Big Perch
There are plenty of pike and only a few crayfish in the river Trent but there are plenty of 3lb plus perch .The massive shoals of Gudgeon from my youth have all but vanished (eaten by perch) . The banning of suspended solids being pumped in to the river have resulted in a much clearer river and all the sight feeding predators have boomed . these fish were always present but they never grew very big my local stretch is now having a grayling revival
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Re: Big Perch
So that is where the Gudgeon went. I was wondering.
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Re: Big Perch
greencard1 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 23 2024 06:24 -That's brilliant
I think Richard Walker said "A big Perch is the biggest fish of all."
The dildo of consequences rarely arrives lubed
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Re: Big Perch
Dave R wrote: ↑Fri Feb 23 2024 00:55 -That's a really interesting take Dave, you might be on to something. There was ONE water in Ireland that produced massive perch, Paul Byrne of IPS had them to over 5 lbs in the mid-90's. A small pond, the only two species were Rudd and perch, + a handful of eels...I’ve no real experience with big reservoir perch (only small fish) but I’ve had a few 3 pounders from several small stillwaters in Wales, best 3-11. These contain no crays/signals. The common factor is no pike! I was brought up in Ireland and my best perch there (by a long way) was 2lb. My impression is that in ‘naturual’ waters perch attain higher weights where they are the top predator?
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Re: Big Perch
I remember that place Ian. In kildare ? Always wondered if there were a few still knocking about.
There's a lake on the sligo mayo border I've been meaning to go back to. Only has trout, char and perch. I heard from an ifi officer it held good perch. It is full of natural crays, and no pike. Also a rainbow lake with no pike too.
There's a lake on the sligo mayo border I've been meaning to go back to. Only has trout, char and perch. I heard from an ifi officer it held good perch. It is full of natural crays, and no pike. Also a rainbow lake with no pike too.
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Re: Big Perch
Fordey wrote: ↑Fri Feb 23 2024 21:48 -That’s only my, admittedly limited experience with perch. The three best big perch waters I’m aware of in my area don’t contain pike. The lakes/reservoirs that do contain pike are full of 3-12oz perch; you hear of rare big perch but I haven’t seen any. I also know a very small farm pond that’s produced a number of 4 pounders.Dave R wrote: ↑Fri Feb 23 2024 00:55 -That's a really interesting take Dave, you might be on to something. There was ONE water in Ireland that produced massive perch, Paul Byrne of IPS had them to over 5 lbs in the mid-90's. A small pond, the only two species were Rudd and perch, + a handful of eels...I’ve no real experience with big reservoir perch (only small fish) but I’ve had a few 3 pounders from several small stillwaters in Wales, best 3-11. These contain no crays/signals. The common factor is no pike! I was brought up in Ireland and my best perch there (by a long way) was 2lb. My impression is that in ‘naturual’ waters perch attain higher weights where they are the top predator?
I know the southern reservoirs produce huge hauls of very big perch, along with zander, pike and trout. Maybe there’s something fundamentally different about these ecosystems, possibly related to the stocking of trout and/or invasive species such as crays?
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Re: Big Perch
bencarvosso wrote: ↑Fri Feb 23 2024 23:09 -Yep Ben that's the one! Totally silted up now, such a shame. Oh yeah you can DM that lake in Layo, for em, scientific purposes of courseI remember that place Ian. In kildare ? Always wondered if there were a few still knocking about.
There's a lake on the sligo mayo border I've been meaning to go back to. Only has trout, char and perch. I heard from an ifi officer it held good perch. It is full of natural crays, and no pike. Also a rainbow lake with no pike too.

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Re: Big Perch
And I also bumped into Brian scholes what a lovely gent
Showed me a bumped 5 fish haul he had in 5 consecutive casts
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Re: Big Perch
whitey79 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 24 2024 19:47 -Well done, it's easy to get blase about decent-sized Perch in the south.IMG_5627.jpeg
Not the biggest but my new pb 2lb8oz today
And I also bumped into Brian scholes what a lovely gent
Showed me a bumped 5 fish haul he had in 5 consecutive casts

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Re: Big Perch
Monts wrote: ↑Sun Feb 25 2024 18:10 -Thanks monts the target was at least 2lb8oz and it was on the button I will be back to target them again
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Re: Big Perch
whitey79 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 24 2024 19:47 -Cracking looking fish. Well done. Can’t beat a big perch for me. I’ve not caught anything monstrous yet, but all of my decent sized ones came to small bleak live baits.IMG_5627.jpeg
Not the biggest but my new pb 2lb8oz today
And I also bumped into Brian scholes what a lovely gent
Showed me a bumped 5 fish haul he had in 5 consecutive casts
Jack
Jack of all trades, master of none
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Re: Big Perch
Jack H wrote: ↑Mon Feb 26 2024 21:32 -Thanks jack would have liked to have live baited but was unsure on the rules and how strict they was with them but think next time I might accidentally hook a small roach I didn’t seewhitey79 wrote: ↑Sat Feb 24 2024 19:47 -Cracking looking fish. Well done. Can’t beat a big perch for me. I’ve not caught anything monstrous yet, but all of my decent sized ones came to small bleak live baits.IMG_5627.jpeg
Not the biggest but my new pb 2lb8oz today
And I also bumped into Brian scholes what a lovely gent
Showed me a bumped 5 fish haul he had in 5 consecutive casts
Jack
I am the real Lee white last time I looked
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Re: Big Perch
They only count on lure or fly!! 
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Re: Big Perch
Ian Crook wrote: ↑Thu Feb 29 2024 22:29 -I can’t catch fish never mind blue bottlesThey only count on lure or fly!!![]()
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Re: Big Perch
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