4lb 10oz perch is best of six for 22lb!

An all-round angler has proved that now is the time to target a perch personal best... by banking six stripeys for more than 22lb, topped by this giant weighing in at 4lb 10oz 8dr. 

Jim Mathews has been targeting a variety of species over the spring and summer, but with the arrival of October the 35-year-old switched his attentions to perch.

Fishing new waterways on the Hertfordshire/Essex border, it took Jim a few sessions to locate the fish, as he explained: “I find there is often a period of readjustment when switching species and starting at new venues, but once I’d narrowed down the key areas and feeding times things started to come together,” he said. 

“Perch started to figure quite regularly and over the last nine days, in six trips, I managed to bank a brace of 3lb 2oz fish followed by others at 3lb 10oz, 4lb 1oz, 4lb 4oz and the big’un at 4lb 10oz 8dr.”

Jim’s last trip further proved the effectiveness of lobworm hookbaits fished over red maggots with the capture of the biggest in the haul, but not before a jittery fight.

“The light was fading fast and I had just returned the 3lb 10oz fish when I received a fast bite on my left-hand rod cast along a margin,” he said.

“I was met with a solid weight but the fish tried to shed the hook in a big snag. 

“After 30 seconds I was contemplating going in after it when one of the snag’s branches snapped, the line held firm and the perch came free. 

“Soon enough she was in the net, and I was one lucky and relieved angler.”