Guide to 15 fantastic hotspots for perch
Big stripeys here for the taking
autumn is a great time of year for most fish species, and perch are no different. As the temperatures begin to settle down and oxygen levels rise after a warm summer, perch start to group together for their winter assault on shoaled-up prey fish.
The banks at this time of year are also particularly scenic as the leaves begin to change colour, making for an awesome backdrop to target one of Britain’s best-loved fish.
One of the benefits of deciding to target perch is that they can be found just about anywhere. To help you on your quest for a bumper haul or an individual monster sergeant, here are our top 15 venues to target the species…
1 UPPER TAMAR LAKE, BUDE, CORNWALL
This 81-acre venue has hit the spotlight in recent months for its large head of silver fish. It’s not just anglers that take advantage of these stocks – monster perch do too. The venue is stuffed with stripeys around the 2lb mark, with the biggest fish going over 5lb. Feeder fished worms, maggots or prawns are the best way to catch them.
Contact: 01288 321262 Postcode: EX23 9SB
2 RIVER NENE, PETERBOROUGH, CAMBS
The Peterborough and District Angling Association controls several stretches of the River Nene, where perch over 3lb often slip up to lure anglers. Noted hotspots are the weir at Orton and the boathouse marina further downstream.
Contact: 07702 440892
Price: £5 per day
3 WHITE SPRINGS FISHERY, SWANSEA, SOUTH WALES
The Big Pit is home to a fantastic stock of large perch, with 3lb-plus specimens reported regularly and magical fish over 4lb turning up most seasons. Legered prawns are the best way to catch them, but be sure to keep resistance to a minimum – these perch will have seen it all.
Contact: 01792 885699 Postcode: SA4 8QG
4 PEATLING POOLS, LUTTERWORTH, LEICS
Malcolm and Parva Pools are both home to large perch to 4lb which can be caught by fishing tight to the bank with maggots, worms or prawns. Many other species are also present in this commercial fishery, so you may have to play the numbers game – but the perch are definitely there for the taking.
5 FURNACE MILL FISHERY, KIDDERMINSTER, WORCS
All the pools here contain large perch to over 4lb, which is down to a stocking of stripeys averaging 3lb back in 2016. The margins are the best place to target these fish by presenting a worm on the float over a bed of maggots, chopped worm and caster.
Contact: 01299 266777 Postcode: DY14 8NR Contact: 0116 2867316 Postcode: LE17 5RB
6 RIVER THAMES, OXFORD, OXFORDSHIRE
The Thames throws up substantial numbers of perch each season and some very big specimens too. Voted ‘River Of The Year’ by our readers last year, you will struggle to find a much better river for a lot of species. Noted hotspots for perch are the Oxford DAA waters at Folly and Iffley – where perch over 3lb often fall in matches to worms intended for bream. Contact: 07990 587379
Price: £5 in advance, £8 on the bank, Oxford DAA
7 RIVER LEA, CARTHAGENA WEIR, BROXBOURNE, HERTS
The Lea is another southern river
famed for producing enormous perch over 5lb. One of the best areas to target them is the fantastic Carthagena Weir, which is also home to specimen barbel and chub. For the big perch, the beginning of the shelf is a good place to start twitching a worm. Contact: 01992 463656
Price: £45 a season, £40 concessions
8 WOODSIDE FISHERY, CLEOBURY MORTIMER, SHROPSHIRE
Quality perch over 2lb have been reported from the Island Pool recently and this venue has done fish well over 5lb in the past. The 22-peg Woodside Pool shouldn’t be ignored either, as this prolific match water is also home to 3lb-plus sergeants. Keep chopping and changing baits to avoid nuisance species (for perch anglers!) like carp, roach and chub. Contact: 01299 271305 Postcode: DY14 0BU
9 LLOYDS MEADOW, CHESTER, CHESHIRE
Kingfisher and Heron Pools contain some clonking perch over 3lb. Fish a small section of prawn on a light leger rig to catch them, and be quick to strike at any indication.
Contact: 01928 740710 Postcode: CH3 8BD
10 SPIRES LAKES, NORTH TAWTON, DEVON
There are two decent-sized lakes here and both are full of perch. The fish range from small worm-snatching 3oz fish right up to monster 4lb specimens. The fishing is all about the margins, and fishing very tight to the bank is usually the way to fool these predators. Worms, prawns, maggots and small lake-caught livebaits can all score.
Contact: 01837 82499 Postcode: EX20 2ED
11 LINDHOLME, DONCASTER, SOUTH YORKSHIRE
Loco Lake is one of the larger lakes at the popular Lindholme complex and is best known by predator anglers for its large pike to nearly 30lb. As well as the usual stock of carp, some very big perch also live in this water, which drops to over 10ft in places. Fish the pole with maggots or casters over a bed of groundbait laced with chopped worm.
Contact: 01427 875555 Postcode: DN9 1LF
12 GRAFHAM WATER, HUNTINGDON, CAMBS
This year has been one of the best ever for perch anglers targeting this exceptionally large water on lures. Vertical jigging tactics are catching numbers of fish averaging around the 3lb mark.
Contact: 01480 810531 Postcode: PE28 0BX
13 RIVER GT OUSE, OLNEY, MILTON KEYNES, BEDS
There are a host of stretches along the River Great Ouse which hold monster perch, and for a perch over 4lb it’s probably one of the best rivers in the country. One underrated stretch is the small backwater just north of Emberton Country Park. When there is extra water on during flood conditions some exceptional bags of perch can be caught from here. Contact: info@mkaa.co.uk Prices: £8 per day
14 RIVER DERWENT, DERBY, DERBYSHIRE
Huge perch of nearly 5lb have been caught from this river in the past, highlighting its enormous potential for the species. The Earl of Harrington’s Angling Club waters are better known for their barbel but are well worth exploring with the perch gear – you never know what may turn up. Contact: Fishermania,
01332 752500
Prices: £40 per year,
£25 concessions, Earl of Harrington’s AC
15 AIRE AND CALDER CANAL, POLLINGTON, YORKSHIRE
If you enjoy catching perch on light jigging outfits you won’t be disappointed with the fantastic fishing on offer here. Small perch can be caught from almost every swim, and there are some surprises up to 3lb present for the adventurous angler. Contact: BACJCC, 01482 668823 Prices: £6 per day on the bank