John Bailey – The Kingfisher Diaries
September 3rd 2009
Perching Conundrums
I made no secret of the fact that I find it difficult to pin down the quite obvious perch potential on the Kingfisher Lakes. I've seen Dave Coster of the Angler's Mail take a very good fish indeed from the Lobster Pot. I've seen good perch working on Lily Lake. Some of the carp boys tell me about big perch seen on the main Kingfisher Lake but I have problems. It's probably lack of real commitment but, still, you'd think after a long spring feeder maggot attack on the tench one or two good perch should, by the law of averages, have come my way. Still, the autumn is always, reputedly, a good time for perch and so I'll soon be cranking up my interest again. 
I've always found perch alluring and interesting both. They're so fantastically gorgeous to look at, of course. And absolutely fascinating to catch (or try to catch!) For those who are interested, these are my golden rules for big perch fishing.
- It doesn't really matter how small a water is providing there are small fish in prolific numbers. You can catch big perch from a lake the size of a tennis court if the food is there.
- If there are small perch in any water whatsoever, then there is a sporting chance there will be big ones. Catch a perch the size of a gudgeon and it's a water worth investigating for big ones.
- Keep your options open for perch. Don't pursue them in stereotyped ways. A big perch might well blunder along and get caught ‘stupidly' as it were but it won't repeat the same mistake twice. Think on your feet and recognise perch as the cunning species they are.
- I would probably begin any approach on a perch water using small dead baits - sticklebacks and tiny roach and rudd are perfect. You needn't actually kill these yourself - look for them at the end of a match perhaps.
- My next attack would probably be with worms, either float fished or legered. But if you're legering, make sure your bite indication is spot on or you will miss takes easily - or, worse, end up with a deeply-hooked fish.
- My third approach if I'm still not getting anywhere is to fish maggots very light and very tight to snags. Okay, you run the risk of losing a big perch or two but if you're on top of them from the strike, you can turn them away from danger comparatively easily I've found.
- Above all, if you do find a good perch water, selfishly, keep it to yourself. Big perch are fragile fish and don't like a lot of pressure. Once you start getting repeat captures, I'd plead with you to look for waters anew.