Boys Stripes

I decided last evening that I’d try my hand at perch fishing today. I was fishing with Dad and we’d originally planned to fish the lower lake at Broadlands but I didn’t fancy sitting watching the tip all day long. Besides, I fancied something a little different from the norm. So, Headlands Farm it was, Dad could still fish the feeder for carp and bream and I could try for the perch, and the picture of a 4lb 2oz specimen in the fishery office was the fish on my mind.

I figured that the best plan of action would be to fish red maggot down the edge under a small bobber float, there are lots of smaller perch and silvers in the lake but I though that eventually the better fish may make an appearance. I fished with a light float rod; 2.5lb mainline straight through to a size 18 hook and two red maggots. As expected I started off catching small roach, rudd and perch with the odd skimmer bream that always leapt clear of the water like sailfish when they were hooked. Then the first of the monster perch came, all 8oz of him, he looked splendid in the autumn sunlight, and even though it was small in comparison to the others that live in the lake, I was chuffed to bits, I don’t fish for or catch perch very often and that’s sad as they are beautiful fish and the epitome of this season.

Boys Stripes…………

After that fish I had a run of better stamp fish with half a dozen 8oz fish coming to the net along with a wonderful pristine rudd which helped to make the day that little bit brighter.

Have you ever seen a more perfect fish??

Although not big (around 6oz), that rudd really made me smile, that was until the next time the float went down. I felt sure that the fish charging off across the lake with me holding on for dear life could well be the monster perch I was looking for, then I saw it swirl on the surface, mirror carp!!! The size 18 hook stood no chance and soon pulled out. It was then I realised that with all this competition for the maggots, a big perch would be a tall order at the first time of asking, but with a veritable aquarium down under the surface, who was I to complain.

My next step was to up the hook size to a 14 and three red maggots. At least if I hooked anymore carp I’d have a reasonable chance of lading them, even with 2lb 8oz line, I had plenty of open water in front of me, and just as well as next put in produced another sail away bite and another powerful fish charged off. I gave line when needed and slowed the spool when I felt I could get some line back and after around 10 minutes I had a splendid looking mirror carp gulping at the surface and ready for netting. The scale pattern was terrific, a young fish and not your traditional carp by any means, but a good looking fish and a great battle on such light tackle.

Bruiser………..

I landed another smaller carp soon after and lost another. The rudd, roach and small perch were still coming but I had to switch to the margin to my right to keep things coming. Then, the moment I was waiting for, the float buried, the rod was lifted ad the battle curve and strong kicks signified that a much better perch was hooked, well that’s what I hoped. I can’t tell you how I felt whilst holding on, giving line when required but all the time eager to see what I’d actually hooked, and it made me wait a while too. Then I saw it, bold as brass, stripes of emerald and that dorsal. At first I thought that it could be better than my 2lb 7oz PB, but I didn’t want to tempt fate, I just wanted to land it first and then worry about the weight, so you can imagine what a relief it was when I lifted the net around it, the little size 14 barbless had done its job well. It looked perfect, and very big, as I said before, I don’t fish for perch as much as I should and the few 2lbers I have caught were quite a few years ago, so this was something very special. The sling was zeroed and I recoded a weight of 2lb 2oz, an immaculate fish, my day had been made

 Stunned…………..

What a super end to a super day!!!