Perch
The perch is green and striped, with bright red pelvic fins and two dorsal fins. It has a row of spines along the first dorsal fin, with a black spot to the rear, and some spines on the gill covers. It can grow to a maximum length of 50 cm and a maximum weight of 3.2kg. Their lifespan is 13 years.
The British records stands at 5lb 9 ½ oz by Dean Rawlings at Fringford, Oxfordshire in 2002.
Perch are one of the most aggressive predators – when young the perch hunt in packs, rounding up fry until they are surrounded by the pack, then crash through them forcing the tiny fish to leap out of the water in an attempt to escape. Perch are easily camouflaged in it's surroundings, weed beds, sunken branches and tree roots. These colours and markings are less distinguishable in older specimens who tend to favour deep water and solitude, their colouring being darker and the markings indistinct.
Their natural diet includes cyclops, fly larvae, mayfly larvae, freshwater shrimps, young crayfish, elvers, roach and bleak. They can be found in still, slow and fast running water, though prefer dark and poorly lit areas such as weed beds, bank edges and overhanging trees.
There are various tried and tested methods of catching perch – float or legered lobworm, brandling and maggot. Spinning in shallow water can tempt a perch from its dark hideaway. The larger specimens however are harder to find due to their solitary existence. A legered minnow or large worm will often tempt the older perch.