Luring Perch

Nearly every time I've been down to the river I've witnessed perch scattering small fish and/or  pike chase or take a fish I was winding in and I've always wished I had a lure rod with me. So, Thursday I went down with a couple of lure rods. One light perch set up and a light pike heavy perch set up. As I wandered along the bank the lack of fish activity was very noticeable. I'd put a small popper on one rod and a small paddle tail roach in bleak pattern on the other, my intention being to cast to scattering fish. As it was I'd just have to cast to features and hope for the best.

The first couple of swims produced nothing to either lure. The third, though, produced a few bumps to the paddle tail but no hook ups even after I'd added a stinger. A change to a 9cm Salmo Executer in a whitish pattern produced several perch around 6oz. All to a straight retrieve. Adding to the action or varying the retrieve produced nothing.

A couple of swims later and again I was into a similar size perch. Next cast I managed to snag to lure good and proper which resulted in it's loss. Despite trying several other similar lures in a variety of colour schemes I could get a take. The only other lure I had in the same colour was a Salmo Minnow in 6cm. While it did produce, the fish were considerably smaller. Quite how I've managed to run out of white lures I don't know, as perch love them.

The next few swims produced nothing despite several changes of lure. I did get a couple of half-hearted follows from a couple of jacks before a tiny little 'un grabbed the paddle tail. Despite the claims that perch feed best at dawn and dusk I didn't see any more.

The session was not quite as I'd hoped, given it was generally overcast which are usually the bet for perch.  There again all the activity I'd seen previously was when it was bright sunshine. Looks like I'll have to get some more white(ish) lures and try again.