When Paul Topley’s partner Amber said she fancied a few days away, he managed to persuade her that a fishing trip was a good idea. The pair headed to Devon’s Clawford Lakes, where Paul planned to target the large resident perch.
For his first few days, Paul adopted a roving approach, trying the float, jig and spinner to no avail. Knowing a change was needed, he switched to a static approach and targeted an overhanging bush on the island behind their lodge. Feeding maggots, chopped worms and prawns in a mixture of powdered krill and molehill soil, he used a small roach for bait.Just as Amber returned from a trip to Bude, the bobbin on his left-hand rod dropped away and he connected with a powerful fish that put a good bend in his rod. When the fish surfaced, he instantly knew it was the one he was after, and after a couple of heart-pounding moments, a 5lb 2oz beast lay in the net.
Well done Paul!