Once famously described by Bernard Cribbins as ‘the biggest fish of all’, the Perch is an often mis-understood fish. Frequently a nuisance, in their smaller wasp-like sizes, and often the first fish a young angler will catch, many anglers fail to understand the slightest hint of fascination with, let’s face it, one of the most common fish species in the country.
However, once that angler has been infected by the sight of a ‘proper’ Perch, an infectious obsession is likely to take hold, as there really is no sight, in fishing, like a big Perch.
What is constitutes a ‘big’ Perch will differ from angler to angler, but at Angling 360 a fish of 3lbs+ is a constant and very realistic target; a fish of 4lbs+, an absolute dream. However, a Perch doesn’t really need to be of these proportions to be impressive, as a fish of 1.5 - 2lbs is still a lovely sight to behold.
Here, we wander the shores of the biggest expanse of fresh water in all of England, Scotland and Wales in search of such a fish; a task that can be rather daunting for many an angler. Nevertheless, with a bit of legwork and an understanding of how to identify and interpret features on a map, some fantastic sport can be had along the loch’s 153km of shoreline.
6 окт 2024
