Big perch on the feed

IT’S COMMON knowledge that commercial carp waters hold some of the UK’s biggest perch - and Simon Buckman further emphasised their potential when he landed this 4lb 13oz specimen from a day-ticket venue in Sussex.

Offering a prawn hookbait in the margins on a low resistance bomb rig tied with a 6lb hooklink and a size 8 hook, the Arundel-based specimen hunter smashed his personal best for the species by 12oz when his supermarket bait was taken by the impressive predator.

“Targeting perch in waters that hold a large head of carp is never easy, but it’s definitely worth persevering, especially at this time of the year when the water temperature has cooled and carp are much less active,” said Simon.

“I like to keep my swim topped up with chopped prawns and maggots which the big perch love. I really thought that I’d hooked another of the venues carp when my hanger pulled up, but when it surfaced a few yards out I knew exactly what I was attached to. After catching about 10 perch from the lake over the last few weeks I had been beginning to think that the bigg’un I really wanted would never come.”

Another angler to break his perch personal best this week was Adrian Eves who caught a fish of 4lb 13oz from the River Kennet.

The Surrey-based all-rounder had spent several sessions targeting local commercial fisheries but when they all froze over he had to turn his attentions to the running water venue instead.

His first choice of swim failed to produce a bite, but a switch to another hotspot gave him renewed hope as he hooked and lost a large fish within minutes of casting out.

Determined to avoid a blank he introduced another handful of chopped lobworms and his rod tip pulled round again.

“As the fish came to the net I could see the hook just inside the mouth and when it shook its head I was certain I was going to lose what would certainly be a new personal best,” explained Adrian.

“Thankfully, lady luck was on my side and everything held firm.”

His winning presentation consisted of a paternostered maggot feeder rig with a size 6 Fox Kuro S2 hook baited with an air-injected lobworm.

Last, but certainly not least, was James Howes who landed a trio of fish over the 3lb-barrier topped by a 3lb 3oz specimen.

His haul was taken during a short two-hour session at a local Norfolk stillwater and all three fish were taken on small rudd livebaits fixed below a loafer style float on a size 4 hook.