Q

I recently heard of some big perch getting caught from a commercial carp water close to me. I’ve never fished there before but really fancy having a go for them. How would you target them? NEIL STONE, VIA EMAIL

AIn most situations perch are the only predatory species in a commercial and specimen-sized fish are commonplace. Perch hate resistance so a running rig like the one detailed in the diagram is ideal. Prawns or a large lobworm make great perch baits. Feeding red maggots over the top helps to draw in prey fish and the perch won’t be far behind. If you’re fishing further than 20m out you’ll struggle to catapult maggots with any accuracy. Instead, bait up with a few bits of prawn. Don’t go overboard with these, though, as even a big perch will only eat a few pieces of prawn in a day and overfeeding will cost yourself bites.