6-mile River Lea trek bags big Perch

The huge popularity of perch fishing across the UK shows no sign of slowing down with two carp anglers turning their attentions to running water to bank a series of mammoth fish.
Herts-based Karl White and Mark Fox swapped their heavy-duty rods and bite alarms for roving river gear and targeted the River Lea to bank impressive predators to 4lb 5oz.
During this session, which saw Mark take the biggest specimen and Karl catching two perch at 3lb 4oz each, they travelled over six miles of the river in order to keep the fish coming.
This roving approach, plus the three-inch roach livebaits trotted beneath chubber-style floats, proved just the ticket for the big stripeys.
“The other week I got back from a 48-hour carp session at the famous Yateley complex and I couldn’t wait to go out perching,” said Karl.
“Perch fishing on the river is like going back to angling when I was a kid. It’s great, especially now that there are so many big fish all over the UK,” he added.
“I’m not at all surprised that more anglers are targeting this species because it gets you away from the crowd and gives you time away from carp to recharge your batteries.”
The duo used 8lb mainline, a 5lb fluorocarbon hooklink and size 6 Gardner hooks to tempt the fish that came from various stretches of the in-form waterway in Hertfordshire.
“It’s simple fishing, but you have to put the work in to get the rewards,” Karl said.