Specimen Fishing Tips | Live or dead baits for big perch? - Rich Wilby

Big perch, especially in waters that contain no pike, live on small fish, making these a very selective bait.

Perch get big from a diet of small fish

On most venues where the method is permitted, a small livebait around 4ins long is a superb perch bait.

The perch paternostered float live bait rig

By comparison, deadbaits often – but not always – come in a poor second.

That said, lip-hooked deads fished ‘sink and draw’ style can produce the goods on some days.

I’d always go with a livebait where allowed, though!

Livebaits are the number 1 bait for big perch