Contents
Perch is a freshwater fish belonging to the perch family. It is an agile predator. Feeds mainly on other freshwater fish. It lives in rivers, lakes, ponds with flowing waters. It can also be found in brackish water areas. Perch is a popular object of recreational fishing. A possible reason for this interest is the greed of the fish. She is quite gluttonous and, accordingly, is well caught. At what on the most various tackles. In this article, we will analyze the features of the behavior of a predator and spring biting.
Predator habits
Perch is a common fish that is found in various fresh water reservoirs. It grows quite slowly. Reaches a weight of 4-5 kg. It has an interesting coloration, well masking among aquatic vegetation.
It starts spawning in spring, when the birch opens its leaves. During periods of cooling, the duration of spawning can be delayed by 30-35 days. At favorable temperatures, it is about three weeks. Usually March or April. Perch prefer to stay in packs. Especially young ones. The number can reach up to 100 individuals. Juveniles also hunt in packs.
They mostly stay close to vegetation. Thanks to its good camouflage coloration, the predator arranges successful ambushes. Large perch prefer to stay in deep places. Most often in pits, depressions, snags. From there they come out for feeding early in the morning and late in the evening.
If the perch decides to grab the prey, it will act aggressively. Sometimes large individuals, pursuing the victim, jump out to the surface of the reservoir and even aground or shore. The perch is considered a twilight predator. Goes hunting during daylight hours on the border of day and night. With the onset of total darkness, activity drops noticeably.
Promising fishing spots
If you find a lying tree or a cluster of vegetation in a pond, then you should fish these places. Usually a bite will not make you wait long. Having caught one fish, you can safely continue fishing in this place. Perch powerfully attacks prey by bending the tip of the rod into an arc. In a word, it brings a lot of pleasure to the fisherman.
River bends, bays are also promising places where you can meet a predator. Early spring complicates the assessment of the reservoir due to muddy water. Therefore, experienced anglers first study shallow areas where gaps are observed. In such places, small fish are selected for feeding, and after them, predators.
When the water temperature rises, the fish tends to move closer to the shore. Larger perches will stay in deep places for some time. During floods, activity drops due to muddy water. At such moments, the fishermen have to find the whereabouts of the fish by touch. Choosing such places as whirlpools, pits, snags, edges, etc.
The influence of weather on the bite
Among all river predators, perch is considered the most active. Bites are frequent and sometimes very powerful. It happens that the caught prey is even less than the bait. But he doesn’t always bite so well. In some cases, there is no bite at all. According to some fishermen, this behavior may be influenced by the direction of the wind. Others cite changes in atmospheric pressure. Still others believe that perch become passive due to temperature changes.
The behavior of a predator directly depends on atmospheric pressure. When it is in a stable position, the perch is active. It flocks and aggressively attacks its prey. Even a slight decrease does not affect the bite, but a sharp rise can cause a complete lack of bite. Fish disperse throughout the water area and to different depths. Exactly the same behavior is observed in winter.
Features of fishing by months
For successful perch fishing, you need to know the behavior depending on the month. During the spring, the predator behaves differently and this affects the bite. Early ice loss has a positive effect on the bite.
March
With the onset of heat, the aquatic fauna begins to come to life. Fish tend to get closer to the shore, because that’s where the water is warmer. In addition, in shallow water, the concentration of oxygen is much higher than at depth. Therefore, coastal shallow water areas will be promising places for fishing. Throwing tackle far from the shore does not make sense.
April
At this time, the ice is already completely gone. The fish begin to emerge from the wintering pits and enter the active phase. The so-called zhora period begins. In the second half of April, bite rates increase significantly. Small and medium-sized individuals are caught in the coastal strip at a depth of no more than one meter. Trophy fish can be fished out in whirlpools, bays, dumps.
May
This month shows the highest and most stable biting rates. Except for the spawning period. After breeding, the perch begins to actively feed. Lures should use larger and appropriate rods. Big fish are more likely to be caught at the end of spring. At the same time, you can achieve a good catch both from the shore and from a boat.
Gear selection
The perch is not large in size and therefore it is not necessary to choose too powerful rods. The optimal size is 2,1-2,5 meters. If you need a good casting, then you can get a 2,7 meter rod. The average recommended test is 20 gr. For fishing at great depths or with good current, it is better to take a little more.
Spoon
The most popular lure is spinners. When properly wired, it creates a dynamic game, and also gives out vibrations, which looks quite attractive to a predator. The lure is well suited for fishing at shallow depths in the last phase of spring.
Wobblers
Another interesting bait is a wobbler. Its advantage lies in the application at different depths. Including the big ones. In addition, such a nozzle is capable of producing a provocative game.
The best options for perch would be Shad and Minnow models. The recommended size is 50-70 mm. Particular attention should be paid to coloring. The predator relies more on sight when hunting. Perch is pretty good. The worse the visibility in the reservoir, the more noticeable the bait should be. In clear waters, more natural colors show good performance.
Baits
The perch is caught both on artificial baits and on natural ones.
The first are:
- Wobblers;
- Spoon;
- Silicone nozzles;
- Poppers.
According to fishermen, wobblers are considered one of the most catchy nozzles. They mimic real fish as closely as possible. The given animation cannot leave indifferent almost any predator.
The natural ones include:
- Worms;
- bloodworms;
- Oparishi.
If there is no bite, then you can experiment. For example, make a “sandwich” of worms and maggots. Sometimes fish are taken for completely inexplicable combinations.
perch fishing
Striped is caught almost all year round, except for the spawning period and too hot days. A good bite is observed after winter. It is at this time that the predator “wakes up” zhor.
On spinning
An important element of this tackle will be a fishing rod. It is selected based on the weight and size of the intended prey. For spinning rods of the Light class, the best baits are wobblers and small baits. The length of the spinning depends on the size and depth of the reservoir.
The coil must also match the targets. If the spinning itself is light, then the reel should be the same. Most often, non-inertial ones are used.
It is better to choose a fishing line monofilament or braided. They have good strength and at the same time are hardly noticeable to fish. The main thing is that there are no unnecessary nodes and connections. Otherwise, it may scare off the prey.
From the shore
To fish out of the water, it is important not only to properly fit the tackle, but also to perform the technique. Coastal fishing is as follows:
- We cast to a promising point and wait for the bait to touch the bottom.
- We start wiring by making 3-4 turns with the coil.
- We maintain a short pause and pull the bait again.
Thus, we lead the tackle along the pond until the bite or complete exit from the water. Fishermen mainly use two techniques of hauling: with long pauses and slow hauling near the bottom. The second technique is necessary for catching passive perch. Fishing from the shore will be successful only if you can find a recess.
From the boat
With the use of watercraft, it is more convenient to perform animation. You can adjust the speed and level of penetration with the tip of the spinning rod. The technique itself is no different from fishing from the shore. In addition, by boat you can approach hard-to-reach and at the same time promising places, which cannot be done from the shore. If a bite occurs, then carefully cut the fish. The main thing is not to overdo it, as the perch has a rather weak lip.
On a fishing rod
It is possible to catch a predator with an ordinary fishing rod, and quite successfully. The small size of the fish does not exert a strong load on the rod. It is worth knowing that the perch swallows the bait deeply. Therefore, the hook is best used with a long shank.
Float fishing is mainly carried out with the help of live bait. In this case, you will need a float weighing 10-15 grams. He will not allow himself to be drowned by the bait fish. When fishing for worms or maggots, you can install a slightly smaller float and weight. Fishing with a bait does not imply the creation of wiring. It is enough to throw the tackle into the pond, and wait for a bite.
Donkey
Bottom gear is used mainly for catching large individuals. It is these fish that live at great depths. The equipment will depend on the reservoir, or rather on the strength of the current. The perch does not like fast current and tries to choose quieter places. If flows are observed in the reservoir, then the sinker should be flat. It will not be dragged down by water. As a fishing line, it is better to get a braided line. By the way, perch is not considered a cautious fish. Therefore, a thick fishing line does not scare him away, but it is not worth knitting a “rope”.
Live bait is used as bait. Any fry living in the immediate place of fishing will do. But it is better to put bleak, crucian carp or gudgeon on the hook. The main thing when putting on a hook is to cause as little damage as possible. The bait should give out a natural realistic game. It is best to fasten in the region of the dorsal fin or behind the nostril.
Ice fishing technique
There is no specific wiring pattern at the beginning of spring. Sometimes uniform technique shows itself effectively, and in other cases jerky. Even during the day in the same place, the technique may vary. It is also important to correctly determine the perch parking lot. The search is carried out by drilling 10-15 holes with their subsequent fishing. On the last ice, fishing is carried out mainly on mormyshka. If you managed to stumble upon a good bite, it is recommended to let the hole settle for a while. Well, one hour. Then you can start fishing again in this place.