My brother recently recommended that I try drop shotting for perch so I decided to give it a try.
I had no suitable rod so went to a popular outdoors discount shop and bought a 6 ft spinner for pocket money.
My cheap Chinese fixed spool was filled with cheap Chinese 15lb braid (you may notice a theme developing, here) and I set off with a box of small rubber lures down to a free stretch of the Avon.
The Avon at Bath is running fast and deep after the recent rain. The river itself did not look promising so I switched to the calmer water either side of the Weston Lock.
Watching a few videos on Youtube had acquainted me with the basic technique. A few meters of 8lb fluorocarbon would have been suitable for the end tackle but, as I didn't have any, a length of nylon mono had to suffice. A size 4 hook was tied with a palomar knot about 2 feet from the end of the hooklength and a small soft plastic grub hooked so it stood at right angles to the hooklength. There are specially made drop shot weights available but I don't have these, either. A few SSGs squeezed on to the bottom of the mono seemed to do the same job.
The whole rig was plopped into the water close to some boat moorings. After about fifteen minutes of experimenting with a variety of jiggling and twitching movements of the rod I felt a few taps and smartly lifted the rod. A few seconds later, my first perch in over forty years was resting in my hand. Although it weighed only a few ounces, to me it was a triumph; a milestone on the long path back to angler-hood.
It took another two hours to explore the rest of the cut back to where it joined the river during which time I tried both red and white grubs. My rusty technique resulted in one lure in an overhanging tree, where it still sits waiting to trap any passing flying fish, and some SSGs stuck under a submerged shopping trolley.
As it the sun started to set I made my way back to the lock. A luminous blue kingfisher flashed past in the opposite direction - the first I have seen in over twenty years. The red grub was swapped for a white one and flicked in to the large eddy between the lock exit and the weir. A few knocks on the line, a lift of the rod to set the hook and the second perch was soon swung to hand. This was slightly bigger than the first but still only as long as my hand. Nevertheless, a second fish of the target species proves, to me anyhow, that the first was not a fluke.
The whole trip was successful in several ways:
Firstly, I set out to catch perch and caught more than one.
Secondly, the simple plan involved more thought and preparation than money. A trapper-style hat, thick jumper, thick welly socks and a weatherproof jacket kept me warm and comfortable. Being cold and wet is a distraction which keeps you from being in the moment - essential for a satisfying angling experience. My cheap tackle was adequate for the job at hand; I doubt that the perch were much interested in the quality of the whipping or decals.
So, thanks Bro for pointing me towards drop shotting. I now have plans for exploring the Kennet and Avon, where I hear there are many perch.
