Feeding Tips to Trick Big Perch

How to take advantage of their greedy nature right now

THE vivid colours and belligerent behaviour of big perch make them a welcome sight on a cold spring day, and the great news is that specimens of exceptional proportions are well within striking distance for all of us.

Commercial fisheries all over the country hold good stocks of big perch. With no pike present, they take on the role of apex predator, feeding on the vast quantities of small silverfish that abound in these lakes. A diet of sizeable prey is often the catalyst for growing specimen predators, and four to six-inch roach are just perfect for big perch in this respect.

Carp can be a real nuisance when targeting big ‘commercial’ perch, because there are very few baits they won’t pick up. However, while the water temperature is still low, our bait options are much wider than they will be in a month or so. This is because the bulk of the carp will still tend to be out in open water and not particularly in a feeding mood. Perch, on the other hand, will happily feed in lower temperatures and can often be caught right through the day. Look for swims with cover, such as overhanging trees, snags, and platforms, as the perch will often not stray far from these features.