PAUL GARNER’S 10 PERCH TIPS

1 You don’t need to spend a fortune on lure fishing kit. A small 30-40 size fixed-spool reel and good 5g-20g lure rods can be had for less than £50. Choose a rod around 8ft long. Braid is much easier to cast, gives better ‘feel’ of the lure and is far stronger than nylon. A spool of 8lb-15lb braid is a worthwhile investment.

2 When casting and retrieving the lure fast a wire trace is essential as it is highly likely that you will pick up some pike along the way.

3 I like to give each swim no more than 10 casts, fanning them out to cover the water. Don’t ignore open water, where some of my biggest fish have been caught.

4 An hour at dawn or dusk is better than eight hours during the day. If you must fish in the middle of the day, look for water shaded by bridges, overhanging trees and undercut banks.

5 If the perch are following but not taking the lure, speed up the retrieve. Our natural reaction is to slow down and let the fish catch up with the lure, but resist this.

6 Carry a small range of lures in several different colours, from bright green to dark brown.

7 Mix up your retrieve. Some days the perch want a lure fished on the bottom, on others they are well up in the water.

8 Look for venues with crayfish and lots of silverfish. Big perch need plenty of grub, and these are a good pointer to their presence.

9 I have caught big perch on tiny lures, but if you are struggling to get through the small fish, put on a bigger lure. You will catch fewer but better fish on a 4ins or even a 5ins lure.

10 Return with baits. Lures will check out a venue’s potential but sometimes you’ll catch more fish on worms or small livebaits, so don’t be a one-method angler.