Advice on perch fishing please...

[Scott]

Morning guys,

I have recently joined a small, local coarse angling club and, as a fly fisherman who hasn't seriously coarse fished since my youth I was hoping for some advice on perch fishing.
The water I intend to fish is a small 'tarn' of a couple of acres and although small it is very deep at 4 metres. I want to float fish with a worm and I guess what I would really like to know is;
a) Would I fish my bait on the bottom? And given the depth use a slider float?
b) How do I keep a worm on a barbless hook? Will it not just squirm its way off?
c) What about baiting my swim? (ground bait is banned) Chopped worm?

Thanks in advance guys
(and sorry to the moderators, I know it isn't strictly a 'traditional' question)

[Snape]

Scott I moved this to the perch forum from general chat..
I would fish on the bottom and in this situation have used a Polaris float which slide up the line and then locks in position.
To keep a worm on a barbless hook you can buy a specific silicone product but it is outrageously expensive for what it is. I have used little pieces of the red postman's rubber bands before.
Loose feed for me is chopped worm and red maggots.

[Scott]

Thanks Snape, as it happens I have got a polaris, am I right in thinking that a ledger is used with this float?

[Snape]

Basically yes.
See http://www.lets-go-fishing.org/sliding-float.html

[Scott]

Nice one Snape! Now to catch a perch....

[Bumble]

Scott I have had a lot of success using these hooks in size 12 I push the quick stop through the worm or prawn and it hangs away from the hook. I think the Perch feel less resistance when they go for the bait and the bite is much more confident. The other benefit is you get less deep hooked fish as the hook normally goes straight into the scissor of the mouth.
Don't be afraid to use prawns they are a fantastic Perch bait.

[Scott]

Cheers Bumble, you know what, I've got some of those quick stops somewhere... ...my God, Quickstops and a Polaris float! not very traditional, still, I will be using a no 1 Ambidex and my Forshaws of Liverpool float rod... ...fingers crossed for a 2lb perch, getting excited now...

[Julian]

Scott, you could use micro-barbed hooks instead, The worm will stay on the hook and I find its almost as eay unhooking a fish with a micro-barbed hook as it is with a barbeless hook.

With regard to using a sliding float I used to do this a lot during the 1980's fishing depths of up to 25 feet on a deep claypit.
I caught many tench, as well as good size roach, rudd and perch. That was before the days of the polaris floats. I have also caught a 20lb carp on this method in more recent times, as well as tench up to 7lbs.
I always used a boddied waggler type of float - those called windbeaters or driftbeaters that take around 3 SSG shot or more. ( Drennan ones are excellent)
The float is attached by threading the line through the bottom of the float only so it can slide up the line. Most of the shot is placed about 3 or 4 feet up the line with No 1 shot or BB about 3 or 4 inches from the hook.
You tie a sliding knot on the line above the float (or you can use a small float stop).
You need to use a rod where rod rings on the tip section are not too small otherwise the knot or float stop may catch on casting and move its position.
You find the correct depth by casting out with increasing distances between stop-knot and hook until the float is just raised slightly in the water - ie the last shot is on the bottom - then you have the correct depth.
When fishing you overcast the distance, quickly lower the rod tip beneath the water and wind in until the float is in the correct spot. The line is then sunk and tight to the rod tip.
You need the rod to be placed on two rod rests or a pod to maintain the tight sunken line.
Bites are usually very positive with the float going straight under.

This is more sensitive than using a polaris float and avoids the need for a ledger. It may sound a bit difficult but once you have mastered the technique it is really easy to do.

[Bluedun]

Hi Scott
As one fly fisherman to another (and an occasional coarse angler, trying to do more) I'd probably try maggots if allowed - at least you can loose feed a bit, and fish either worm or maggot on the hook. Sliding floats are fun to use actually. A couple of handy tips: wrap a little lead wire round the base of the float (keeps float and shot together during cast - and bottom-only float will do, at least 2S), and thread a bead between float and stop knot; that way you don't need a small ring (and the line doesn't twist around the base and jam). Incidentally, stop knots (keep tails long) are better than stops - run through the rod rings better.

[Bumble]

Scott it's a lot more traditional than you might think Walker was using a hair tied to a hook separately and the hooked tied directly to the line many years ago. He experimented with a tiny spike to attach worms etc think this is a case of Korum copying the master any way they work just fine.
Bumble