It’s been a great winter for Britain’s perch anglers, and whilst most have enjoyed success with the species on reservoirs, there are some huge fish lurking in our rivers, as Sam Edmonds found on a recent trip to the Thames. The lure-angling ace targeted a stretch of the renowned big-fish river landed a phenomenal specimen of 5lb 3oz.
As has been the case on rivers up and down the country, the Thames been in a poor state for much of the winter, but Sam jumped at the chance for a few casts when the levels became more manageable. “I wanted to make the most of some good river conditions so headed out to an area that I’ve where I’ve caught some nice perch in the past but had not fished for a few years,” he told us.
“I had an amazing start as, on my second cast, I lost a fish, then cast out again and had another take almost immediately, which turned out to be a fish of 4lb 7oz – my first of the year! About an hour later I caught another of 3lb 12oz before heading home.” Knowing he was onto something, Sam was keen to make the most of the fishing.
“With heavy rain forecast, I made an effort to squeeze in one more two-hour trip the very next day, just before the rain arrived and put the river out of sorts again,” he explained. “Returning to the same area, and again on my third cast, I hooked another perch, this fish feeling even bigger than the 4lb 7oz fish I’d landed a few days earlier. “I gasped in shock when I netted it, and when the scales revealed a weight of 5lb 3oz!” Both of Sam’s fish fell to a Fox Rage Mini Fry – a small soft plastic pattern that he rigged Texas style on a 4g cheb rig.
Well done Sam!