The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

Not sure if the picture has come out above?

Wow, I managed to transfer a pic!

The purpose of this post is to ask you experts if you think this is an old perch or a more youthful chap?

This is the swim he came from. If he's an old fish then this tells me the perch dont go much bigger here. And viceaversa if hes young. Am I right?

If it's from a river the age of that fish for it's size will tell you exactly that, i.e, it's either the average size for it's age, or is small or large for it's age! Nothing else, nothing less! Perch move up and down rivers a lot, and the size/age of any one fish cannot be interpreted population wise!

Normally the perch are relatively slow growing fish and tend to live for up to about 12 years. The ones that are quickest switching to a piscivorous diet will grow much quicker than the others with a 4 year old fish weighing approximately 2lb while it’s siblings may only weigh half of that.

I recall reading somewhere about the number of stripes and that older fish tend to show less or something. I know this is of little help but it does prove that I'm paying attention.

Dave, I'd make a guess that how strongly the stripes show might have something to do with the colour of thew water too?

The clearer the water the darker the stripes because there is greater need for camoflage, the less light geting through the water the less need for camoflage. Or something like that I read.

Others are right, I once fished regularly a pool containing perch, the average siz ebeing around 5 oz. Roach were stocked and within 2 years of the roach going in, the average size had doubled.

Then 2 years after that the average size was 5 oz again....offspring of those bigger fish I surpose?

We did discuss perch colouration in another thread.

viewtopic.php?f=73&t=8920&hilit=perch+colouration

Can anyone estimate the age of the above perch? If it's young I will invest some time in a perch campaign.... A friend seems to think the above pic is a young fish. Would you disagree?
Dan