Tough Winter Perching

6am and the kettle is boiling to fill a  flask prior to my first session for three weeks. Unusual for me but family commitments and work have stopped me from wetting a line since the Hampshire Grayling trip. This time it was to be a Winter Perch session on a new pool with potential to throw up a biggie. There are so many commercials around where the stock of Perch is unknown so I was excited by the anticipation.
Martin had found the place and I met him and Danny in the car park just after 8am.

The fishery comprised of three small pools that were stream fed and we chose the middle of the three, it looked the part, lined all the way around with reeds and the odd lily patch still visible. 

Our high hopes soon started to melt away, the water was gin clear and the sun came out, overcast skies and coloured water are always preferable for Perch. Whilst Martin and I blanked Danny did catch a small Perch and a half decent Roach but not enough to satisfy and we decided to up sticks at lunchtime and head to another spot thirty minutes down the road.

Right from the off at the new venue we felt more confident, the sun still shone but there was more colour in the water although you wouldn't think so from the photos. Yet again Danny struck first with a decent Roach, followed by another. I soon followed suit landing several Roach to about a pound, lovely fish in excellent condition. I also caught a few of the target species-Perch but none to warrant getting the camera out.

Martin joined in too landing a Perch that was so small the whole lobworm got wedged in it's throat whilst the hook was still outside it's mouth and then just as it turned dark he hauled in a signal crayfish.

The fall in light values heralded a run of unhittable bites that were also blamed on Crays. We gave up when we could no longer see the floats.