A quick perch pick me up.

Work has been pretty dull since I returned from my ten day trip down south and whilst I've certainly been enjoying the hot weather during the day when I'm not there the last few nights it's been awfully hard trying to get to sleep. This meant I was in two minds about going fishing yesterday evening with Jake as I had a few things to do as well as feeling pretty tired. Despite this I decided to go anyway and after picking up Jake and driving west we were soon on the shore of Loch Lubnaig, our favourite perch venue and perhaps one of my favourite places to fish due to the stunning surroundings. We fished for a few hours and had a great time as usual catching lots of beautiful perch in the process.

I had a couple of perch from the weeds in front of these rocks on my go to Lake Fork Live Baby Shad in Golden Shiner fished on a 3.5g #4 jighead.

Jake was fishing a bigger Lunker City Swimmin Ribster on a 10g #2/0 football jighead in the hope of singling out some larger specimens. He also brought an unhooking mat. We talked about using them more often, even for saltwater species, as we believe fish care is important if you practice catch and release.

With the unhooking mat beneath me I figured out a good way to present my catch to the camera safe in the knowledge that should the fish fall it wasn't landing on rocks. Another good reason to use one.

Jake admires another beautiful Loch Lubnaig perch.

I prepare to land another feisty fish.

I figure out a one handed way to hold a perch to show it off in all its glory.

We released a few of our fish via a small stream that ran into the loch. This gave us the opportunity to take some cool "Jaws" shots. This one shows the power of the fish as with one swish of its tail it creates a wake and heads at speed back towards the loch.

Jake managed to resist the temptation to go smaller and lighter for a change.

No need really as the perch were loving his Lunker City Swimmin Ribster.

When he wasn't looking I stole a Fish Arrow Flash J lure in Black Gold out of Jake's bag. Cool lures that look like minnows and sit horizontally when fished on a drop shot rig due to an air pocket inside. That's exactly how I caught this perch.

Drop shotting a Lake Fork Live Baby Shad in Sun Perch also proved irresistable. You can just about see it in the back of this perch's mouth!

Catching a load of these pristine perch is hard to beat and to be honest we weren't even really trying that hard!

Jake got the heaviest catch of the night after bullying this lump up from the depths.

I caught this little chap on a Live Baby Shad in Pink & Pearl, again stolen from Jake, and whilst experimenting with a retrieve twitching pattern I'm calling "The Pink Panther". He bought these pink ones due to all the fish he's had with his Jackson Cymo in pink. The success of my new twitching pattern caused me to go a bit "Kenneth Williams".

As darkness fell and the moon shone in the sky we reluctantly headed home rather pleased with the evenings exploits.

It was really good to fish with Jake again as apart from briefly meeting up for an hour or two down in Cornwall it's been a over a month since we have fished together and I must say I had a nice relaxing time fishing, enjoyed a good chat about what we'd both been up to recently and it was just what I needed really. I was glad I'd made the choice to go.

Tight lines, Hutch.

Perch perfection.

If a picture paints a thousand words then this post may be the equivalent of Tolstoy's epic novel "War and Peace". I managed to get back to our perch loch the other week and this time I was determined to fish some dropshot techniques. My normal approach for fishing this loch has been to use a small Jackson Cymo vibe lure. This has proved really effective in the past with trout and char also keen to take it. However as effective as it is I have been thinking that I need to fish slower and deeper If I was hoping to get a better perch.

I must have got to the loch by 11:30 and it was a stunner of a day, warm with patchy cloud and a slight breeze, just enough to keep the midges at bay. Although I had been telling myself that I would be using my heavier set up and larger lures, I had to start with my LRF gear. The main reason was that it was already rigged with a light dropshot rig. An 8lb fluorocarbon leader #8 offset worm hook and a 7g dropshot weight, I rigged this with a Watermelon Pearl Lake Fork Live Baby Shad. I always like to have a play with the lures in the shallows so I can see how they are working and I was amazed at how the little lure reacted to twitches and lifts of the rod. Now it was time to see what the perch thought!

Two or three casts later I had my answer as I felt a couple of sharp pecks on the lure before the fish grabbed it, hooking itself in the process. I managed to play the fish through a couple of weed patches and quickly landed my first perch of the day.

A lovely fish and was the picture of health.

It was just over 26cm on The Lure Forum ruler.

I released it back to the gin clear water and managed to get a nice shot of it gliding back towards the weed beds.

The fishing continued in this vein with lots of perch gleefully attacking the lure and fighting hard for the weeds once they were hooked, I was in heaven!

Another pristine perch.

Spot the perch.

As I moved up the loch I had a nice fish of around a pound in weight and full of confidence I started to take pics one handed as I played the fish in. The perch took full advantage of my lack of concentration and quickly threw the hook, leaving me cursing my snap happy approach although I did get a couple of nice shots of it in the water!

Now you see me...

...now you don't!

Every now and then I would swap over to my heavier set up with a Lunker City Swimmin Ribster mounted on a 7g #2/0 football jighead. I worked this back with a sink and draw retrieve but it only resulted in one fish  (which got off) after an hour of working it. I went back to my LRF set up and results were instantaneous with more perch greedily attacking the lure. I was really having fun with them but I was still hoping for a big one but time was running out.

Perch love these little minnow like lures.

Another lovely bronze coloured perch. Must be the slightly peaty loch water that makes them this shade.

I was concentrating on working the lure along a drop off when I felt a couple of little taps, these didn't develop into anything so I cast again to the same area. Again I felt a couple of little taps but the fish didn't seem to want to commit. I decided to rig up a fresh Lake Fork Live Baby Shad as I hoped the strong garlic scent may help. I recast and brought the lure into the same area where again there were a couple of taps before the tip of my rod lunged down as a good fish grabbed the lure. The fish bore down into deeper water taking line in small bursts before pausing to shake its head violently. My heart was in my mouth as I knew it was a bigger perch, as it rose up from the depths I could see it was a lunker! I had waded about ten foot from the shore and I had left the net back on dry land, so offering the mantra "don'tcomeoffdon'tcomeoffdon'tcomeoff" I walked backwards trying to reach my net. The fish shot off again back down over the drop off but I had my net now and I played it back towards me. It broke the surface and seemed to take an age to drift across the top of the water and into the landing net and as it nestled safely in it I let out a squeal of delight! Words can hardly describe the relief and sheer excitement at this hard won awesome fish. It was in absolutely perfect condition, a big and lean muscled perfect wild perch.

The fish measured 37cm on The Lure Forum Ruler.

Weighing 1lb 10oz it was my biggest perch for a few years.

I took my pictures in a daze surrounded by awesome scenery and holding this magnificent fish in the water, It was hard to say goodbye but as she gave a kick it was time. I watched her swim strongly back through the clear shallows and disappear into the deep black water of the drop off an image that will be with me for a very long time!

Time to go.

Splosh and away.

I was elated, so much so that for about ten minutes I just sat in the sun, grinning and drinking in all that had happened, it really was that perfect moment.

I only had about twenty minutes of fishing time left and manged to winkle out a couple more perch around 25cm before I packed up and headed back to Edinburgh.

Spot the Live Baby Shad. Now I know why they are Scott's favourite perch lure.

Stunning scenery. A great place to fish indeed.

For some time I have been hoping to get a bigger perch so to catch such a beautiful, wild, perfect specimen was an absolute joy and with the new approach working well I am hopeful of catching an even bigger one.

Tight lines, Schogsky.

An extraordinary week of fishing. Part 4: Loch Lubnaig

Following on from our successful morning on the Forth and Clyde canal we headed over to the deeper waters of Loch Lubnaig, in the hope of targeting artic char as well as the big perch that inhabit it. We popped into James Bayne's Tackle in Callander to get our permits and soon after we were on the shore of the loch. Ross summed up Lubnaig in one whispered reverential word "awesome!" The water was a good couple of feet higher than the previous times we had fished it but still clear with a slight peaty stain. Lure wise I went straight for a 5g Jackson Cymo in pink, a lure which has always done well for me at this loch. Ross was equipped with the same lure and Scott was using a small pink Evergreen vibe lure. We began to work the lures around an area where a stream flows in next to a deep drop off. I was working the lure with little rips and falls, classic sink and draw retrieve pattern, it wasn't too long before a fish grabbed my lure and bore down. Fish on! The fish didn't want to come up to the surface and took line to try and stay deep. I was playing it very lightly and keeping the rod tip down but it quickly became apparent that it wasn't a trout and that could mean only one thing, it was a good sized perch! I played it into the shallow water where Scott was waiting with the net. As soon as the fish got into the net the barbless single hook popped out of the fish and feeling very lucky indeed we set about weighing and photographing the perch before releasing it again.

Not an arctic char.

At just over a pound this was my biggest perch so far this year.

We carried on fishing and I managed to hook and lose a fish that I suspect was a brownie, before we started to move around the loch. Scott headed south to a little rock flanked bay he had discovered on a previous session, Ross stayed where the burn ran in and I went north round into the bay. Scott had rigged up his favourite Lake Fork Live Baby Shad on a 3.5g #4 AGM jig head and was working the weed beds. It quickly produced results with some greedy perch attacking his lure!

Golden Shiner is Scott's go to colour. Perch love it too!

No big perch for Scott but they were all in lovely condition.

The perch were in the mood and we would later find out he had managed to land seven all roughly the same size. Before he got back though I had just worked my way back round the bay see how Ross was getting on. As I was making my way I heard Ross give a shout and saw him playing a fish. Hoping it was a char I hurriedly made my way over. Ross had got the fish in the shallows and he confirmed it was a char with an almighty "Yes!" followed by loud cursing as the fish threw the hook and drifted off into the loch, with Ross in close pursuit! Gutted! The fish had come off just as Ross was lifting it onto dry land. Feeling his pain I told him of the 3 other char I had caught and not landed, seems they are as adept as other trout species when it comes to throwing the hook!

Ross tries to hook a second char.

We soon got back to fishing and I went with a brown Cymo and Ross with a silver Mepps. After about 10 minutes I had a bite and felt a head shake and a little darting run. I had my suspicions the moment it took the lure and played the fish as delicately as I could. The fish came into view in the shallows and I saw what I had been hoping for, an arctic char! With my heart in my mouth I played it into the shallows and with Ross guarding its escape route, managed to beach my first ever arctic char! I was over the moon and with the score evened up at last I photographed my lovely catch before watching as it swam back to the deeps.

Finally one that didn't give me the slip!

A little time to recover before being set free.

Ross was now determined to catch another char and set about working the area. At this point Scott returned and we told him about the arctic char Ross had lost and I had landed. He joined Ross and had a go with his pink Evergreen vibe lure for a char. I headed off round into the bay where I had had some perch on our last visit. Half an hour later I found a small weed bed with gaps that I could work the Cymo through and no sooner had I started targeting the gaps I had a bite and struck into a good fish! The fish kited and stayed deep and soon it came towards me and turned in the water showing beautiful stripes and scarlet fins. It was a nice perch and was a bit bigger than the first one. I didn't have any scales but it was over a pound and great fun on the LRF rod! 

Got you!

Perch really like the Jackson Cymo.

A quick photo then back it went. I shouted over to Ross who began to make his way over. He pitched up just in time to see me land a second big perch! Again it was bigger than the first but I didn't weigh it and after a quick photo it was soon released back to sulk in the weeds.

Another lovely Lubnaig perch!

I think we must have carried on fishing for another hour and a half but apart from a visit from the highland cows, there were no further action. All in all it was a brilliant afternoon session in stunning surroundings and it was warm as well! I was really pleased to land a fish I have never caught before and always considered them as quite rare. Shame Ross didn't land his first char but it wont be long before he will be back, they are on borrowed time!

Tight lines, Schogsky.

Loch Lubnaig : Char quest continues!

Jake and I had a job to finish yesterday that gave us the opportunity to visit Loch Lubnaig again. Jake's not the type to ever admit defeat and he has a score to settle with the resident arctic char population who have been tormenting him recently.

We arrived and headed straight to the spot where I caught two of them last time we fished it. Same tactics were employed, ultra light gear and pink Jackson Cymos which the fish  in the loch love. After a while with no action at all we decided to head up the loch towards a weedy spot where Jake caught a few perch last time with the intention of return to the starting point later. We reached the area and started working the lures through the weed beds. I quickly became annoyed having to pull the lure through the weed and weed off the lure so I switched to a weedless Decoy Violence jighead and a 2.5" Lunker City Fin-S shad in Watermelon Candy Shad.

Still no action so we decided to head a bit further along the bank to a spot we've never tried before. The water was a bit deeper here and immediately in front of us to bottom was a fairly clean boulder field but a bit further out was a large weed bed. We started working along this and as Jake was retrieving his lure it was hit very close in by a perch, just in front of him. His drag was set lightly so the little perch started stripping line much to our amusement. He was enjoying this little scrap and I jokingly told him to tightened up before it spooled him! After a quick photo it was returned to grow bigger.

This cheeky perch gave Jake an epic battle.

 
Jake then caught another two in quick succession. Again both of them taking the lure very close in, probably following it in from the weeds before striking.

Another stripey fish falls to the pink Jackson Cymo.

Jake makes it a hat trick of perch.

Meanwhile I was not getting any attention on my Lake Fork Live Baby Shad in Golden Shiner on a 3.5g #4 AGM Finesse jighead so I decided to start heading back to where we started to try for trout and arctic char whilst Jake happily continued targeting perch.

I got back to where we started and carried on with the soft plastics retrieving them very slowly with a few pauses and twitches. After quite a while I was beginning to think I was going to blank when I felt a little jolt and hooked a small perch quite close in just beyond the drop off. This was my first perch from Loch Lubnaig so I was quite pleased.

My first Loch Lubnaig perch! Due to the absence of pike the loch holds some huge perch, or so we've been told.

At this point Jake came back around to rejoin me and asked what I had caught. I told him it was a char..., pausing briefly to wind him up before adding, ...ming little perch. Luckily he saw the funny side.

Then as we we were fishing we heard a low pitched drone. Over the horizon came a bomber. Flying very low it flew over our heads before heading up the loch and north up the glen. Obviously on a radar avoidance training exercise. An awesome sight indeed!

The bomber approaches.

With Jake's focus now switched back to targeting arctic char, he waded out a bit and began working along the bank. This time in the opposite direction down the loch. I headed past him, and very quietly past the group of relaxing highland cow bulls that live in the field next to the loch, to some rocks a bit further along next to the road.

Highland cow bulls including a jet black one. Just looks weird!

I climbed up onto them to survey the area. It looked it may hold a few perch. Fairly deep and a few weeds but instead of large beds they were a bit more spaced out, perfect I thought! I started working my lure through the gaps very slowly. Moving along the rocks exploring the gaps in the weeds. Again as the lure was close in I hooked a perch. It was very small, yet had managed to get most of the lure into it's greedy little mouth! It took me a bit longer to unhook it so I put it straight back without taking a photo. A few cast later I caught another, slightly bigger perch.

With no pink vibe lures wizzing by to distract them, the perch were loving the Lake Fork Live Baby Shad in Golden Shiner.

Lovely fins.Some odd scars on it though. Perhaps from a monster Lubnaig perch!

Meanwhile Jake had also caught another two perch, a small brown trout and had also hooked another two brown trout that had thrown the hooks but alas the arctic char were not playing ball again.

Another nice perch for Jake.

Tell your cousins that Jake will be back for them!

Looks like another, perhaps longer visit will be on the cards soon. I know what Jake will be targeting, I on the other hand may take some "heavier" lure gear and throw some larger soft plastics to try and tempt out a bigger perch!

Tight lines, Hutch.