Perch..................

I had an unexpected day off today so I decided to make the most of it and go perch fishing.

The trip to the tackle shop was long and slow and a waste of time, they had no maggots so I had to go elsewhere, perhaps I should have called first.

I eventually arrived on the river two hours after leaving home and the conditions could not have been worse, bright sunlight and a low clear river but hey, I was there and I was going to have a go!

Walking across the meadow towards the river I stood for a moment to watch a Buzzard warding off the attentions of two crows, wheeling higher and higher until the crows lost interest and they settled in a tree, she then came down and did a “fly by” of the crows annoying them into chase her again…………… is this a some kind of avian game that I have only just become aware off?

There are perch under that tree!

I headed down stream, to a deep shaded area of the river, a deep hole under a tree and the perch where there, smashing the lob worms as soon as they hit the bottom. I caught several and moved on, the sun was getting hotter (20 plus degrees at the end of September is not how it should be) so I headed for the copse and a sunken tree. Again the perch where in an agreeable mood, the worms where not allowed to settle for long before being sought out by the perch and again I managed to bank a couple.

I moved again to an area where I had seen a very large fish and I spent a couple of hours catching some of its smaller brethren but the big fish failed to materialize.

Today was hard work in the heat; I am looking forward to the colder weather. As much as I love seeing the river in her summer/autumn coat I do however prefer her winter attire.

Happy days.