INDIANANGLER

Hi Everyone,

With the Autumn well and truly here and temperatures cooling down it's the perfect time for a spot of predator fishing. With the winter ahead the fish are piling on weight for the lean months ahead.

Over the last few months we have seen some truly huge perch chasing our pike lure to the side of the boat on the river Thames. Now the weather has cooled we decided to have a proper go for them.

First trip we fished for both pike and perch and from where we noted large perch before, I cast a small white swim shad. After only a few casts three enormous perch followed the lure right to the side of the boat, dorsal fins bristling, ready for action. We watched in disbelief as these were really large fish easily around 4lb. This may sound small but a "4" is a fish of dreams, something few anglers have had the good fortune to catch. When I could wind no more the largest fish of the trio rushed forward and grabbed the shad right before our eyes! A fluffed strike and the fish vanishing into the depths leaving me weak at the knees! I couldn't belief I had missed a chance like that. And that was it for the day..just a couple of small pike.

The next weekend we were back with a masterplan intent on getting our big perch. We headed to the weirpool nearby to look for livebait. And after a few minutes of feeding handfuls of maggots small silver fish were blackening the water. Small Bleak of around 3-4 inches were on the maggot hook baits before they had time to sink and it wasn't long before we had a bucket full of lively little silver fish.

Step one of the plan was complete so we moved to part two and went in search of the enormous perch further downstream. We fished a chubber float weighted down with a few sgg shot and a length of 12lb flourocarbon as a hooklength. Perch hate resistance so we kept tackle as light as possible to avoid spooking fish. A size 10 hook hair rigged to a size 6 completed the set up. The size ten to lip hook the lives and the larger to hook the potential perch if it ate the bait!

Anchoring up at a likely spot we fed some chopped worm and groundbait and trotted the livebaits over the top but after 30 minutes had no luck. So raising anchor we drifted downstream to see if the fish were hiding under the moored boats. This was a good bet as, aswell as hating resistance Perch aren't keen on high light levels.

At the first boat Rhys' float shot under and hooked he into a good Perch. Over the moon with the catch we weighted the catch, which came in at 2.5lb, a very respectale catch and a new personal best for Rhys.

Next catch went to Rhys, another fish near on 3lb. For the next 30 or 40 minutes the action came thick and fast. Every cast and the floats shot under the water as live baits were engulfed by large perch. At one point through the clear water I saw 4-5 big perch fighting over my helpless little Bleak. If no bite came with in 20 seconds of the float reaching the boat a short twitch was all that was needed to bring a huge perch out from its lair to grab the bait.

It was insane fishing..surely once in a lifetime fishing, a real red letter day. We ended up with 15 perch, 4 breaking the magical 4lb barrier, biggest 4lb.9oz , 9 3's and two 2's. 5 more were lost due to hook pulls. It dawned on us that we had just had one of the biggest perch hauls from Uk waters. The Thames had done it again!

The past weekend we fished again on the Thames and had a few more absolute clonkers before heading up to the Norfolk Broads (around 3 hours north of london) for some Pike fishing. Although not as succesful as the perching we managed a few pike on lures and livebaits. At this time of the year the Broads are truly stunning, particularly with blue skys and countryside bathed in autumn sunlight. A few pics below.

Hope you enjoy, All the best, Scott





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Nice fish buddy...

Also what is the rod that you are using with your abu C3.

Amazing fish Scott!

Looks like UK is fishing Paradise.

Greetings from Indo

See you soon Mate

Congrats on the Monster Perch Scott, what is the UK record for Perch mate?

Simply Great
Thanks for sharing the snaps.

Fantastic fishing. Perch sure are really beautiful fish. What brilliant colours and that top fin is a killer.
A day like this once a year is all I want.

Nice catch Scot. Thanks for sharing the pics.

Hi there,

Amazing read as always. The Perch looks real good and never seen one that big. I hope some day I will be able to land a few perch in my native place. Not that I know if we have them but for sure we have a few fresh water bodies around. And no its not Thames for sure :). Thanks for sharing mate.

DeZZ

Congrats Scott !

nice stuff, lovely pics.

regards,
Keyur

Super fishing, Scott.
Lovely pictures.
Enjoyed watching them.
Congrats.

Ravi

Great writeup and pics...amazing catch...keep it up :)

Nice catch , Congrats Scott open that Scotch

Scott I have always admired your catches, they are amazing and the pics are superb.

Thanks for the encouragement guys, Really glad you enjoyed seeing the piccies. It really was a fabulous day of fishing..one of those days that only come along every few years if you are lucky!

We also now managed to get featured in the biggest weekly angling magazine for this catch and won the Fox weekly specimen cup which is great- Its been a dream of mine for a few years now!

Christopher: the rod is one of the new savage gear jerk bait rods.. a woody light. Its a lovely bit of kit and casts the 6-8oz lures we use with ease..yet to land a real big one on it but fingers crossed!!

Bobby, the record seems to be standing at 5lb9oz although there has been a couple of claims of six pounders in the last year. One was from the Thames, but was caught by a guy fishing with no Rod licence and also fishing in a private area so the catch was disqualified. The fish also looks small to me in the photo when compared to ours. The other claim seems to also have been disqualified.

Towards the spring 2011 when the fish we have caught are full of spawn they could well break the record but undoubtedly there are bigger specimens in the Thames. Fish of 4 lb usually live a solitary life so to find a shoal of perhaps 30 fish indicates that the river is in very good condition. 5's are definately on the cards and a 6 is definately possible.

And lionheart...i'm off for a Scotch now Cheers!

Scotch on the Rocks Cheers !

Scott on the Rocks Congrats !

well said

Good Catch there Scott these perch resemble the Peacock bass ,anyway good catch when are you in Goa?

The article:


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Superb catch, Congrats

Hi Scott,

Congrats on the article mate, appreciate if you can reduce the size of the image. I appreciate the at it may not be legible, but you can also post it as a link (with the reduced image) for those who want to read.

Thanks,

Bobby

Hi Sott,

Great going buddy! Love the pictures. The colour of the fish is spectacular to say the least. Me and the boys are on a magazine in Brazil for the Peacock and other fish of theAmazon.

Cheers,

Jeen

Hi Jeen, any website for the magazine that you are featured in..would love to see the article!

Bobby..completely forgot to resize article..all done now,

All the best, Scott

Hi Scott,

Hearty Congratulations mate for your excellent report and excellent catch. Thanks for sharing the pics.

Can you share the link of the write up appearing in the Newspaper.

Regards,

Arun

Excellent fish

Congrats Scott.

HI Scott;
Amazing Catches
Beautiful pictures


fishergomian

Congrats for the amazing perch caught. Thnks for the wonderful narration and pics. Happy fishing.

As usual, amazing catches Scott. Your passion and skills in this sport is really appreciable. Those perch are really some lookers. Heartiest congratulations.

Having said that, you are banned to participate in future angling competition in India by Abby and few others , so take care mate.

Regards,

Ali.

Hi Scott,

Congratulations mate for your report and those beautifull perch
Missed them a lot

see you soon

But, when is the competition?

I'm not sure when the comp is happening? But i will surely be there holding an auction for the lucky competition winning lure!!

Arun..i will look for the link to the article..it should be available any day now..

Thanks for all your comments guys,

all the best, Scott

Hello Scott!

Maybe nobody want to invite to the competition!
Somebody else should also have a chance :)

Hi Scott

What an absolutely amazing catch and great photos too, congratulations.
I love catching perch and keep meaning to sort out some Thames fishing, it's just finding the time that's the problem. Your catch does make me think I should stop delaying it any longer as they may not be there indefinitely.

I think the British perch record has been accepted at 6lbs very recently with a fish caught from a gravel pit at Cotswold water park. Any perch over 3lbs is quite a special fish though.

Regards

Andy

Wow, those are some really nice looking fish! Very nice report also, thanks

Congrats Scott

Hi guys, Thanks Sarabee and Mukundh..

Andy, Yeah do try and get down to the Thames. It really is a rewarding place to fish. There is a huge amount of potential for all sorts of species. There is a nice "unknown" aspect to the river too which definately helps around these parts so I hope to get more sessions up there in the spring

I don't think the perch from the cotswold water park was accepted as it seems to still be Les Brown's 5lb15oz specimen that holds the record. I reckon by the end of this season the existing record will have fallen the way things are going. Have a look in this weeks anglers mail..Ken brown had a 5lb 14oz cracker..an absolute beauty!

all the best, Let me know if you need any advice on the Thames,

Scott

Hi Scott

Yes you're right, I checked and the 6lbs Cotswold water park record claim seems to be still pending.
There are some fantastic perch getting reported at the moment and pre-spawning weights are bound to take a couple of these fish over 6lbs in the Spring. I think Ken Brown has had some huge fish previously too.

I've got a small boat which needs a bit of work but should be ok on the Thames, I just have to get organised and make the effort to get on the river. Many thanks for the offer of advice, I may well take you up on it.

Regards

Andy