4lb 8oz perch caps best session ever

Conditions were far from ideal for Dan Eaves’ latest perch fishing session but he defied the odds to land this stunning 4lb 8oz fish.

The Hampshire-based angler was faced with bright sunshine and temperatures nudging 30 degrees during a session on a southern stillwater leaving him pessimistic about his chances of success.

His confidence received a boost during a walk around the lake, though, as he spotted a large shoal of perch fry sitting close to a feature.

“Once I’d found these tiny fish I had a hunch that the big specimens that inhabited the lake wouldn’t be far away. I set up a seven inch jig and started to explore the swim,” said Dan.

His theory was proved correct almost instantly as he was received a positive take and it soon became apparent that he was attached to a 4lb-plus specimen.

“It looked huge on the mat,” he went on to say. “Before weighing it, I took its measurements and it was 19.5ins long and had a girth of 16.5ins around the middle of the body – it was an absolute beast.

“If I’m being honest, I thought my chances of catching anything else significant were slim.”

But that prediction was well off the mark, with predators of 2lb 12oz and 3lb 6oz also gracing his net and capping off, what Dan could only refer to as, ‘my best ever perch fishing session’.

Having landed stripeys to a personal best of 4lb 13oz in the past, Dan has now set his sights on breaking another landmark by the end of the year and he told Angling Times: “Once the winter comes and these fish start to hold some spawn they will pack on even more weight and I’m confident that I can break the 5lb-barrier in the coming months.”

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