Let's talk fishing

[Bonefish Blues]

A big perch is the biggest big fish, without question. I remember catching some really good ones as a kid before a virus wiped almost all of them out. It's great to see them back in such good numbers and size.

 

[esoxlucius]

A big perch is the biggest big fish, without question. I remember catching some really good ones as a kid before a virus wiped almost all of them out. It's great to see them back in such good numbers and size.

Wow, how old are you? The big "perch disease" was wayyy back, 60's and 70's wasn't it, or there abouts?

Really big perch were very rare when I was a kid but the British record at the time was a 4lb 12oz fish caught decades earlier, and I often wondered as a kid why super big perch such as that one weren't caught anymore.

Then I heard all about that disease that almost wiped them out.

Nowadays though we seem to be blessed with huge perch up and down the country. The current British record is over 6lb and the world record European perch is over 10lb!!

I don't have a lifetime bucket list as such but I've gotta say I'd really love to catch a true monster stripy before I leave this world.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

I'm 804. The perch disease really hit my area in the early/mid 70s, so I had plenty of time to catch some 2lb fish as I was fishing-mad from about 4 years old.

 

[13 rider]

An early start to my winter canal campaign yesterday as the boat traffic begins to quietens down and I don't have to get up at stupid a clock to avoid them . Lovely day on the Ashby canal 25 fish mainly rudd and roach 2 skimmers 2 perch and a surprise chub . Decided to use my keepnet for a change as I had a theory about the released skimmers spooking the shoal . Had a skimmer 2nd chuck on the ground bait line into the keepnet next skimmer 3 hours later 🤣 shows what I know . Was nice looking at the catch at the end though

This canal throws up very few small fish despite me fishing pinkies on small hooks nearly all these required the landing net not that I'm complaining

 

[esoxlucius]

I went at weekend to Starmount lodges in Radcliffe in search of big perch. It was the first time I've fished this place after having it recommended to me.

Worm and maggot cocktail and prawn tempted around a dozen. Three nice ones over a pound and the rest were smaller.

The last bite of the day as I was about to pack up saw me lose a much bigger fish. It had that unmistakeable head shake of a perch but stupid me didn't have my clutch set quite right on my reel and as a result it snapped me!!

Below the biggest of the day at 1lb 4oz.