The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

The perch I caught two days ago weighed 2:9. It emerged two miles below Hereford. Today’s fish also weighed 2:9 but that was caught two miles above the city centre.
I just think that there are lots of big perch in the Wye at the moment, but I can’t seem to catch any big roach.
Never mind.

Fish can travel incredible distances for sure, and we do have a lot more repeat captures (of otherwise unrecognisable fish) than we realise, but my money is on two different wonderful perch and two great captures.

That's a beautifully marked perch. Well done!

It's been the same on the canal this last week Tim. Some nice Perch showing but the better Roach conspicuous by their absence. Possibly to do with the weather which has been rather tipsy turvy lately. I had two pound plus Perch yesterday at Alrewas, the first of which returned me a load of maggots in typical Wye Chub fashion!

Unless you've developed the perch whistle and have trained one to come to you Tim, it's two fish. What's more, there are many more between those two which I know is what drags you from your bed each morning. Happy hunting mate

Super perch Tim Do you think it's a low point on the roach population cycle or are they known to be present but just being elusive buggers?

Got to be two different fish, but then again if they are chasing the fry they could realistically travel that distance, especially if the breeze is blowing in that direction.

Very many thanks for your feedback gentlemen. There certainly are a lot of good perch showing, but as for the roach, Catfish 0.17 and Liphook I think it’s just a downturn in their cycle, because no one else is reporting any big roach. This has happened before of course, there are plenty of small roach so in a few years time, more bigger fish may show. Twenty two cormorants counted yesterday….

That's at least 21 too many Tim. If only there was a cormorant pox....

stunning perch excellent