Catch Fish with
Mike Ladle

Information Page

For anyone unfamiliar with the site always check the FRESHWATER, SALTWATER and TACK-TICS pages. The Saltwater page now extends back as a record of over four years of (mostly) sea fishing and may be a useful guide as to when to fish. The Freshwater stuff is also up to date now. I keep adding to both. These pages are effectively my diary and the latest will usually be about fishing in the previous day or two. The Tactics pages which are chiefly 'how I do it' plus a bit of science are also updated regularly and (I think) worth a read (the earlier ones are mostly tackle and 'how to do it' stuff so if you are new to fly fishing or spinning these are the ones for you).

06 September 2006.

Perching.

The alterations following our house move are still causing chaos so I've not done as much fishing as I would like. However, Alan Bulmer had sent me a spare L Minnow plug from NewZealand and I felt the need to give it a try (I don't need much of an excuse). Anyway, I went over to the Stour one afternoon and had a go.

I started at the base of a weir which often produces perch but for a good five minutes nothing was forthcoming. I could see minnows jumping in the white water (why do they do that?) and I assumed that perch (and possibly pike, chub or trout) might be feeding on them but no sign. Then I had a bite. Well, in truth, I could hardly call it a bite. The resistance of the lure changed slightly and I detected a tiny vibration on the line that differed from a hooked leaf or fragment of weed. When I reeled in there was a minnow hooked through its lower lip. whether it took the hook I'm not sure but it was about the same size as the plug.

I had a few more casts and shortly after the minnow I caught a small perch, this time only slightly larger than the lure itself. I wandered on downstream and in the riffle at the tail of the weir I touched and missed a small trout. In the next pool I had a perch bigger than the first. I cast across under the overhanging branches and had two good bites on successive casts. I saw neither fish but assumed that they were chub. Then I had a couple more perch, one almost a pound - they are beautiful fish. I'd fished for about an hour by now and it was time to return home and make the tea.

Minnow on plug.

Small perch.

Better one.