Perch are by far my favourite species to target on lures! Found in nearly every lake, river and canal across the country, it is a species that ticks every box when it comes to modern lure angling. There is something so mysterious about the species, especially when you start targeting the larger ones.
Today I want to talk about putting together a reliable yet high-performance setup for any angler who is looking to start our targeting perch. Maybe you have already caught one or two before on a heavier setup and you’re looking to switch over to a light lure setup to get the full enjoyment out of targeting this predator.
Perch Fishing Setup Summary
- 1-10g | Fast Action | Spinning Rod | 7ft Lenght
- 2000 Size | Spinning Reel
- 10lb Breaking Strain | Braid Mainline
- 8lb Breaking Stain | Fluorocarbon Leader
Finding A Sensitive Lure Fishing Rod
When targeting perch, sensitivity is everything. As you get further into the sport you will find that not all fish strikes the lure mid-water leaving you no doubts that a fish is on. Often you will get the slightest little pluck in that moment of slack when the lure hits the bottom, for this reason, a standard rod will not indicate this bite effectively.
Lure Rod Casting Weight
Ideally, you will want to look at purchasing a rod that casts between 1 - 10 grams. You may not currently own any jig’s as light as this but as you start to apply some finesse to your fishing I promise you will be thankful that you chose a super light rod. Not only will this allow you to throw a wide range of lures but this will offer action needed to put a proper bend in the rod when u strike into a decent perch. Isn’t that what it’s all about? Striking into a fish and watching the rod bend double with headshakes.
Lure Rod Length
The length of your rod is not extremely important when it comes to performance, a rule of thumb is to make sure you purchase a rod which is suited to your style of fishing and the waters you fish. I currently do a lot of angling on the Gloucester canal which is extremely wide, in this case, a 7ft rod is needed to make that distance. If your fishing small Midlands based canals with plenty of lock gates and close in features well then anything under the 7ft range will be perchfect. (I mean perfect)
Lure Rod Action
The sensitivity of the rod you purchase comes from a combination of casting weight and action. Most rods that cast weights as low as 1gram will offer great sensitivity but here's a little tip, pick a rod with fast action. What does this mean exactly? Well, the action of the rod refers to the sensitivity of the tip, a fast action rod will bend round at the slightest of plucks where and medium action rod maybe a little stiffer and less sensitive. These medium action rods are great for pike fishing but when it comes to perch you need to be able to feel everything, even a tap from the smallest wasp. These little signals may just help you paint the bigger picture about what's going on under the surface.
Finding A Suitable Perch Fishing Reel
The reel you purchase should be the star of the show. It’s an area where I recommend you fork out a little more on as this will be the part of your set up that will be key for putting fish on the bank year after year. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for in life, this is especially as important when you look at purchasing fishing reels.
Perch Fishing Reel Size
When targetting perch you will be fishing with baits fished on a light jig around features, this is why you see all Fox Range, Westin and Spro anglers fishing with extra small reels. There is no need to strap on anything too large to your rod as your likely fishing close in and not needing to cast the distances that you may be dealing with on larger rivers or reservoirs when targeting other species. I like a 2000 sized reel as its the perfect size for keeping the weight of your set up down whilst offering a great handle size to help crank those bigger baits in.
Perch Fishing Reel Brand
I have tried my best to keep this blog unbiased so far but here I’m going to have to express a bit more of my opinion to help save you from making the same mistake that I did. Avoid cheap brands and buy something that’s going to provide you with reliable fishing results time after time. If I were to recommend a reel for a first-time angler knowing everything I know now, it would have to be a Shimano. I fish with a Shimano reel now and have for many years with no faults, trust me I’ve worked through many other brands without the same success. Not going to name names here but trust me when I say Shimano products are built to last.
Finding A Suitable Braid
Braid is key for freshwater lure fishing, whilst it may be a little challenging to get your head around the different leader knots needed, this type of line offers you great strength and sensitivity making for all-round enjoyable lure fishing. There is a reason why you never catch anyone using any other monofilament as there mainline, it's just not fit for purpose.
Braid Breaking Strain
Every canal system in the UK is jam-packed full of snags, in contrast, the perch we aim to target is never going to exceed the 6lb mark. This creates a need to find a balance when it comes to braid breaking staring. I would recommend that you go ahead and select 10lb breaking strain, this will give you the strength needed to pull out of snags yet thin enough to cut through the water and give you direct impact with any knock or bump felt on the retrieval.
Finding A Suitable Fluorocarbon Leader
To top off this setup you will need a fluorocarbon leader to help give your lures the best presentation possible whilst adding an extra layer of protection to your thin braid mainline. Fluorocarbon can be extremely abrasion resistant which gives you the best chance of landing a fish when the go diving into cover, especially when you hook into a real monster.
Fluorocarbon Breaking Strain
When it comes to choosing the right fluorocarbon breaking stain you will always go for weight just below your mainline. In this case, we are using a 10lb mainline which will then be followed by an 8lb fluorocarbon leader. This may seem heavy-duty but this extra bit of strength may just be the difference between you landing a pike that has just fallen in love with your lure choice on the day. As a perch angler, you will need to accept that pike are in our waters, and trust me, they are a very effective predictor. If you don’t have strong Fluro leader you may just end up leaving a jig in a pike which could affect that pike’s health.
Attaching A Fluorocarbon Leader
Here is a quick guide youtube tutorial which gives you a simple yet effective knot for attaching your fluorocarbon leader. It may take a few times to get it but once you learn this knot you will use it day in and day out for your perch fishing:
Perch Fishing Setup Summary
- 1-10g | Fast Action | Spinning Rod | 7ft Lenght
- 2000 Size | Spinning Reel
- 10lb Breaking Strain | Braid Mainline
- 8lb Breaking Stain | Fluorocarbon Leader
If you have any further questions or you are looking for some on one advice to help tailor your setup to your specific needs please feel free to drop a comment, were always more than happy to help out. Now get out there and land yourself some chunks!
Check out some of our perch lure fishing bundles whilst you're here!