nine perch over 4lb to a 5lb 2oz Best!

PREDATOR specialist has made one of the greatest perch hauls of all time, boating nine fish over 4lb to a 5lb 2oz best.

The remarkable catch fell to the rod of Wayne Fletcher, who had headed to an undisclosed Essex reservoir with a friend in search of a large stripey – with no idea he’d smash his personal best twice within an single hour.

Wayne Fletcher 5lb 2oz perch.jpg

He said: “We arrived at first light and after about 10 minutes I noticed a large group of fish on the side scan of the fish-finder, so I motored round to the spot.

“I fished a Texas-rigged Zman TRD in about 25ft of water and after 30 minutes there was a delicate pluck on the line – resulting in a pristine 4lb perch.

“The rest of the day was simply crazy. I broke my pb twice in an hour with fish of 4lb 14oz and a 5lb 2oz beast – followed by six others over 4lb. My boat partner had a 4lb 11oz perch pb too!

“I was still shaking as we came off the water that day, thinking to myself: “Was it a dream?”

l Wayne’s impressive catch of perch wasn’t the only to be taken from a boat this week either.

Carp angler Joe Atkinson targeted Farmoor Reservoir in Oxfordshire and used a variety of lure tactics to catch no fewer than 27 fish to a best of 4lb 7oz.

Included in the mighty haul were perch of 4lb, 4lb 1oz, 4lb 3oz, 4lb 5oz, 4lb 6oz and 4lb 7oz, plus four over 2lb, 17 over 3lb to 3lb 15oz and six over 4lb.

“I beat my personal best four times throughout the day,” he said. It was the perch session of my dreans!”

The perch were caught on a mixture of tactics, but most of them fell to a drop shotting approach.”

Joe Atkinson 4lb 7oz perch.jpg