The Coach Soft lures for perch

THIS WEEK: Choosing the right soft plastic lure for perch

NOVEMBER is all but here and it’s a time when fishing for predators goes into overdrive.

That means pike, zander and perch. Of all the methods you can use to catch them, perhaps the most enjoyable is wandering the banks of a river, canal or backwater armed only with a light lure rod, a net and a box of tackle – and, of course, soft plastic lures for a bit of jig or drop shot fishing.

Gearing up with a rod, reel and braid combo is easy enough but with regard to what’s on the business end the main questions boil down to which lure, in what size and colour... and how big a jighead to use.

Every day is different and much depends on water clarity, depth and flow, but there are general guidelines that you can follow to put you on the right tracks…

LURE COLOURS

Changing lure colour regularly can make a big difference to how many perch you catch – there’s nothing to say that one colour will not work better than another.

To get started, go down the tried and tested route of a natural dark green or olive shade with a flash of colour to it in clear water, changing to very bright, vibrant yellows and greens for heavily coloured water conditions.

LURE SIZES

Small lures will catch more little perch than big ones, so if you’re after lots of bites, go for a 1.5 ins3ins lure with a jighead to match.

For the chance of a specimen, step up to bigger 4ins-6ins lures.

These won’t get you so many takes, but should catch you better perch plus a few pike and zander.