Year’s biggest perch
First pics of giant
AFISHING rod costing just £20 and a simple spinner has accounted for the biggest perch of the year at 5lb 1oz.
The monster stripey fell to 65-year-old Dave Ladds, who was fishing a local stillwater, and it beats his previous personal best for the species by 4oz.
Speaking exclusively to Angling Times, Dave described the moment the perch smashed into his lure on the retrieve. He said: “On this particular morning the water was frozen over close to the bank, so I cast the spinner as far as I physically could.
“On my second cast I felt a small pluck on the rod, but thought I’d reeled through some weed.
“On my third cast I let the spinner sink to the bottom and began a slow retrieve – then, out of nowhere, something big hit the lure.
“I knew it was a perch straight away from the strong headshakes but nothing could prepare me for when it first surfaced – my legs instantly turned to jelly.
“After a dogged fight, it made several powerful dives as it neared the marginal shelf, but I was able to net it.
“I saw it turn over in the net in the margins and that was the moment when I realised I had a giant on my hands.”
In a weird twist to the tale, Dave revealed that it was exactly a year since he’d caught his previous personal best perch of 4lb 13oz.
He added: “After catching such a big perch I never thought in my life that I’d come close to beating it, but a year later I’ve somehow managed to do just that – and from exactly the same swim!”
Dave’s set-up consisted of a Leeda telescopic rod coupled with a reel loaded with 20lb Ron Thompson braid tied to an Authanic wire trace.
His choice of spinner was an Abu Fast Attack in a silver colour.