The three predators

[mark99]

I ate a few perch back in the days before I stopped eating flesh - they were suprisingly good eating.

[Ricco1]

Of the targets mentioned I'd have though a 3lb perch would be the biggest challenge ?

 

I've had around 2 dozen perch over 2lb from my local canal, best 2.12. A friend had a 2.15, another friend had one at 3.02 5 years ago. It's possible, but certainly a challenge. I'd like to think that being able to fish every day (ice permitting!) from late autumn through winter will give me a fair chance.

[craftycarper]

 

I've had around 2 dozen perch over 2lb from my local canal, best 2.12. A friend had a 2.15, another friend had one at 3.02 5 years ago. It's possible, but certainly a challenge. I'd like to think that being able to fish every day (ice permitting!) from late autumn through winter will give me a fair chance.

and i bet they all went back .thats a cracking tally of perch even without breaking the 3lb barrier the thing with setting targets is they normally come along when you least expect or are"nt trying, do you fish mostly with lures or bait ? good luck and let us have some piccy"s when you succeed A.T.B Paul

[Ricco1]

and i bet they all went back .thats a cracking tally of perch even without breaking the 3lb barrier the thing with setting targets is they normally come along when you least expect or are"nt trying, do you fish mostly with lures or bait ? good luck and let us have some piccy"s when you succeed A.T.B Paul

 

All my fish go back, even sea caught ones. There was an exception yesterday, when a small moray eel snaffled my bait here in Bali and went on to strangle itself, as eels sometimes do.

 

I rarely fish with baits, 95% of my fishing is with lures. I either use rubbers with jigheads but more recently I've been using 'fluke' type lures (fish shaped, you impart the action yourself) with offset hooks rigged 'Texas style' I can't say this has improved my catch rate but it's certainly cut down on lure losses. The amount of junk in the canal is unbelievable. Coal bags being the worst culprit.

[paul68]

I used to fish for Zander and Pike in the Bucks/Beds area as an idol yoof. Zander are excelent eating. Much less 'muddy' than pike.

 

These days I get my supplys from a lokal yoof of similar ilk fishing Severn an Wye. He flogs the pike to gastro pubs but gives me the Z fish 'cause there's no interest. They don't know what their missing.

 

He catches pike and sells them to pubs? you gotta be kidding. Is he Eastern European by any chance?

[craftycarper]

He catches pike and sells them to pubs? you gotta be kidding. Is he Eastern European by any chance?

my thoughts exactly but i have been an angler most of my life and a boater only a few years ,were as most of the people that suggest you kill and eat everything and anything you catch are boaters firstly and anglers as an afterthought so forgive them as they dont know better A.T.B. Paul

[paul68]

I know what you are saying Paul but anyone who catches fish to sell surely knows what they are doing, as well as being illegal it's just not cricket...

[craftycarper]

I know what you are saying Paul but anyone who catches fish to sell surely knows what they are doing, as well as being illegal it's just not cricket...

totally agree with you mate thats a very good point i guess i"m just getting a bit softer and slightly more understanding as i reach my autumn years, now all i can do is try to educate people to do the right thing rather than force them to as in my younger years A.T.B. and tight lines to you Paul

[paul68]

I would have thought a genuine 20lb pike would be harder. Perch have benefitted greatly from feeding on American Signal Crayfish. On certain canals, a 3lber would be easy to attain.

 

Incidently being a boater may give you a great advantage - the pike will follow the bream into the marina's.

 

Here is one I caught (few years back) near a marina I'll let you guess the weight.

 

29lb 6ozs?

Edited July 16, 2013 by paul68

[Arducius]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20971848