Bernard Venables and monster perch

[Hannay]

Thought i'd read up a little on the mighty perch before a trip and this leapt out at me:

"Anywhere a perch of four pounds and more is a very good fish, but there are plenty of perch, as yet uncaught, which are heavier, even as much as ten pounds."

Hoping for a lovely 2lb pirate this winter but now I have an image of a 10lb perch in my head! Quite frightening...

[Davyr]

Wow! Which of Mr Venables' many works does that come from? I suspect it's one of the few I don't own.

[Hannay]

It's from Freshwater Fishing, davyr. Fairly available from the usual sources. Good basic fishing book from Mr Venables.

[Davyr]

Whoops, I do have that one - Can't think how I forgot such a memorable quote!

[Kevanf1]

A perch of 10lb's!!!!! My god! That would necessitate a long sit down afterwards I'd happily settle for one of 5lb's. I have had perch to 3.5lb and I am sure they go bigger from the same area but I never seem to get to that place to fish. It is notable that there are no pike (ever reported) but zander may make there way to this particular area (canal). I hope not though.

[Julian]

How about this:

8lb 4oz perch caught in a Netherlands river:


http://www.fishing-worldrecords.com/sci ... tilis/show

[Beresford]

One of my friends rang me one day at work and asked if I could get down to the river. He'd caught a colossus of a perch but had no scales with him. He photographed the fish and measured it. I am in no doubt that it was over five pounds, how much over I couldn't say. I expect there are many fish that could beat the British record in Grafham water.

[Trevor]

I fished a small pool last week which has 3 & 4 pounders, and a 6 pounder was caught last year.
I didn't catch any stripeys, but a half pound roach I landed had two large, fresh wounds on its flank.
No pike in this pool, so I'm assuming it was a perch that had a go at it

[Davyr]

I'd always heard that perch attacked by chopping at the tail of the prey, slowing it down until it could be engulfed. Without teeth, would a perch be able to inflict flank wounds of that sort? I'm only guessing, as I'm no expert on this sort of thing, but could the damage have been inflicted by, for example, a heron?

[Trevor]

I did wonder that davyr, but the old romantic in me wanted to believe it was a big sergeant lurking in the depths.
They're certainly in there, I've seen the photos