Over recent years we’ve seen some huge pike caught by fly anglers, but other predators can be caught on the tactic too, Andy Cheetham showed on a recent session with this 5lb 2oz perch.

The Perchfishers member has spent a lot of time fly fishing for predators over recent years, as he hugely enjoys the method. It was on a trip to Grafham Water that he caught the perch, with the fish falling to a tiny fly he’d found amongst the dust as he unpacked his car. Popping it in his phone holder, the fly fell out into the boat when he took a call a few hours later.
Andy attached it to the end of his fluorocarbon leader, which was attached to a fast-sinking fly line. After casting towards some lure anglers, he felt a solid hit which was followed by a great fight. The fish is Andy’s new fly-caught PB and, in his words, a ‘satisfying’ result.
Well done Andy!