Perch Fishing Begins
We’d finally had some rain, so the river was nicely coloured but still warm and mild. Time to go perch fishing and it felt like a crankbait day, and a bright one at that. The chartreuse 4.5″ floating Rattlin Hornet turned out to be the perfect choice.
I landed some crackers, starting with a stunning high-backed fish that could grow into a right brute in years to come.
Nice crank caught perch
It didn’t take long before that first perch was in the net, quickly followed by a smaller sample.
I then spent a week dropshotting for perch. I’ve written another post about that – which you can read here >
Dropshot with the Slick Finesse
So many perch on the dropshot. I’d for d them with a crank and was picking off loads with the dropshot!
Blink-and-You-Miss-It Bites
The dropshotting was fun, but I was after a bigger stamp of fish. A switch of tactics and venue was in order! Switching to 9cm Slick Shads on a straight jighead brought instant rewards – three bites from decent fish on three casts in just a few minutes!
Fox Rage Slick Shads in 7cm
A lovely large stillwater perch
The first fish came to hand, the second shook free, and the third… well, that one was even bigger. 😉
Two on the bounce! Another next cast!
It just goes to show: keep casting, because it can all happen in the blink of an eye. 🙌
Great to be out fishing for perch again – from Greek sunshine to autumn rivers and those surprise, rapid-fire hits. Bring on the next adventure!
Making the Most of Early-Season Perch
The start of the perch season is one of the most exciting times to be on the bank. As water temperatures fall in autumn, perch group up and feed hard, which means that once you find one fish there are often several more close by. That is why those rapid-fire hits are so common, and why it pays to keep your lure moving through the same area after the first bite.
Simple tips for your first sessions
Start with small soft lures, around 5 to 7cm, on light jigheads so you can cover the water quickly.
Work the lure at different depths, from just under the surface to right along the bottom, until you find where the fish are holding.
Look for cover such as reeds, lily pads, overhanging trees and moored boats, where perch like to ambush small fish.
If you miss a bite or lose a fish, cast straight back to the same spot. Perch are competitive and will often hit again.
Travelling and fishing new venues is great fun, but there is nothing quite like getting back to the familiar pleasure of a bending rod and a stripey perch in the net. Keep your tackle light, stay mobile and enjoy the start of the season.