A Perch Fishing Session

It was a typical mild autumn day, mist hung in the tree tops, and the sky was a leaden grey colour. The river Kennet looked great, with some six inches of extra water with a slight tinge of colour and a nice steady flow. On a clump of Himalayan balsam I could see a Peacock butterfly seeking some nectar to start his day. Perhaps it was a female, I don’t know the difference. A cock pheasant rocketed skywards, no doubt thinking we were hunters who had arrived on his patch in the wood. Through the trees I caught the blurred view of a Munjac deer.

Ewan Turner and I had come to the Wasing Fishery to make a programme about this delightful syndicate water which anyone can join. Telephone John Butler 07867-971758 providing you follow all the rules, you will have a great time. The bailiffs are often around checking on permits, which is great for everyone. They are also anglers themselves and quite knowledgeable on fishing the river. Sometimes I have had my permit checked three times in a session by different bailiffs. I just wished more clubs checked on the members, and then perhaps we wouldn’t get some many foreigners illegally fishing our waters.

The car park was litter free, but sadly some slob had dumped a load of rubbish outside the gate. What I find hard to understand is that someone who likes to keep their garden tidy had also dumped their garden refuse on the pile of cardboard and polystyrene. Ewan and I decided before we went off fishing, we would have to clear away the rubbish. Dumping all the polystyrene sheets into Ewan’s car, it was off to a refuse tip. On our return we collected all the cardboard paper and garden refuse, piled it high in the car park then set it alight. An hour later we had just a small area of ash.

Ewan and I decided our morning session would be spent perch fishing, with these fish in mind, we tackled up with light Avon action rods, matched with centre pin reels and 4lb line, We both chose to fish red tipped balsa on quill floats which needed 4 AA shot to cock them upright, so just the red tip showed above the water surface. Hooks were size 12 barbless. Chucking a box of lobworms, scales and weigh bag into my bucket, then picking up a rod rest each, landing nets and our rods, we were ready for the off.

As we walked downstream I pointed out various swims where an angler could expect to find barbel chub dace and pike. “Even the odd bream can be caught, under that tree” I told Ewan. Turning a right hand bend in the river, I pointed out a long area of shallow water over clean gravel with lots of water crowfoot. I pointed out to Ewan its one of the areas where I target barbel with a weighted nymph when conditions are right. He then said “Look three barbel on station close to the far bank” It was nice to see those barbel, they were for catching. I would deal with them on another occasion.

After another twenty yards, we arrived at the ‘Pipe Swim’, a noted area for barbel, chub and perch, the latter having been caught to nearly 4lbs. The ‘Pipe’ gushes thousands of gallons of water into the Kennet twenty four hours a day. Fifteen feet upstream was our perch fishing spot, protected from the fast water of the main river, by a small island? In quiet water were several rotting alder branches, making it even more attractive to the perch. At the bottom end of the island where the main flow of the river meets the backwater, you will find a delightful crease or seam. An area that has given me a few big chub over the years, including a 6-8-0 fish on a big chunk of sausage meat paste.

The quiet backwater is a noted signal crayfish stronghold. Sometimes I have caught twenty odd crays in a session. This area also holds some very big perch. One angler had four three pound plus fish four seasons ago the best at 3-14-0.Perhaps it’s the crays that attract the perch.

Plumbing the depth, we set our floats at three feet; Ewan baited with a large lobworm, by putting the hook through the head of the lob, then pulling it up over the eye of the hook and up the line about an inch, this would stop it wriggling off. Another way to keep a lively worm on the hook is to slide on a tiny square of rubber band after the worm. This idea also works with live baits.

Having watched Ewan cast and seeing he had his float positioned just a few inches from the bank of the island. I baited up with two big lobs, and then hooked on a tiny square of rubber band. Looking up I watched Ewan’s float dip, then it dipped again, and then it moved sideways slowly submerging as it did so. The answering strike connected with a nice fish, the rod tip dipped downwards as the fish tried to gain its freedom. Soon a beautiful marked perch about a pound was drawn over the waiting net.

With a light pendulum cast, I dropped my baited hook five feet from the island it had travelled ten feet then disappeared. Striking, I didn’t feel anything, the bait was gone. rebaiting with double lobs I cast out to the same spot. Within seconds the float submerged. Striking, I hooked a small fish, quickly reeling in a perch about four ounces. Meanwhile Ewan was in serious action as he said “I’ve got a good fish” Picking up the net I slipped it into the water. I could tell by the jagging action on the line that he must have hooked a good perch; suddenly a prickly dorsal fin appeared on the surface.

“Take it easy Ewan that’s a good one” I said. Within a minute I had the fish engulfed in the folds of the net. Swinging it on the bank, we parted the mesh, there laying with dorsal fin erect was his prize a beautiful and highly coloured perch. After zeroing the scales we watched the pointer go round to 2lbs. A personal best for Ewan. After a quick picture, it was returned to its watery kingdom.

As I went to bring in my tackle for another cast, there was a big swirl on the surface; I felt the fish hit, and then tightened the line. The rod tip was pulled down quite savagely and the reel grudgingly gave a few feet of line. “Pike” I called to Ewan. Seconds later I realised I had hooked into a good perch by the jagging action on the line. Twice it tried for the sunken alder branches, and then it went down below the island and tried to get out into the faster water.

I cramped on the pressure. It worked, I was soon gaining line. Then for some unknown reason, the fish went berserk, I was forced to give line. It was a couple of minutes before I had the fish completely under control. Pushing the net in the water I drew the fish towards it. As the fish went over the net I lifted. It was mine. We both gathered around the net and admired the fish. Dick Walker once described the perch as the biggest fish in freshwater. The perch would look the biggest. Of all our freshwater fish pound for pound. I reckon the perch is also the most exciting of all fish. Certainly far better than the barbel.

Zeroing the scales we weighed the fish, it tipped the scales to 3-7-0. Rebaiting I made another cast and quickly set the hook into another good fish. After a few minutes I netted another perch it weighed in at 2-4-0. Meanwhile Ewan was also among the perch catching several pound plus fish. I then missed four perfect bites, why I missed them I don’t know. An hour later the bites dried up and we decided it was time for lunch. Throwing in all our spare worms, we made our way upstream to the car park and a welcome mug of tea and some fruit cake made by Ewan’s wife Gill. It’s the perfect cake for us diabetics. See pictures