The best spots for big yellow perch may be inshore near shallow breaks or in water as deep as 30ft / 9m, but most gather near underwater structures such as rocks, weed beds or channels. Check these structures, and if perch aren’t schooling there, drift with a bottom-bouncing bait rig until one turns up.

How do you find a perch in a river?

They are commonly found near features such as overhanging trees, woodwork in the water, rush beds, inlets and outlets. Sport can be especially good when the rivers are up and coloured, as this tends to push perch into the margins where they can be present in large numbers.

Can you fish anywhere on the Thames?

Location: River Thames, Staines Bridge to Teddington (16 miles). You can fish for free anywhere downstream of Staines Bridge to Teddington where there is public access.

What is the best bait for perch?

Perch fishing with worms tends to produce the best results, but maggots, prawns and lobworms are also amongst the best bait for catching perch. You can also try feeding the perch, spreading some maggots over the area you intend to fish. But don’t go overboard as perch are small and can fill themselves up quickly.

What size perch do I need?

Re: What size perch you keep Typically those big perch are female and while they get a little longer, their bellies are usually packed full of eggs so the size of the fillet in a 11 inch perch isn’t much smaller than a 13 inch. Personally I keep fish in the 9-12 inch range and anything over/under that goes back.

What depth do perch like?

When the water starts to warm up, perch will head for deeper water areas, in the 20 to 25 foot range. The best deeper-water areas include ledges, drop-offs and deep holes, especially those with muddy bottoms.

Where can I fish for free on the Thames?

River Thames: free fishing

• River Thames, Caversham Lock to Kennetmouth.
• River Thames, Christchurch Meadows.
• River Thames, Hills Meadow.
• River Thames, Pangbourne Meadow.
• River Thames, Scours Lane.
• Teddington Lock to Richmond Bridge.

Is there sharks in the River Thames?

Sharks have been found in London’s Thames river, an organisation for animal conservation Zoological Society of London (ZSL) has said. In 1957, some parts of the river were declared “biologically dead”, however it is now home to three kinds of sharks- the tope, starry smooth-hound and spurdog.

What size hooks for perch?

Bait hooks ranging from size 4 to 8 are ideal for most of the baits used for perch fishing. Some prefer hooks on the larger side because they are easier to remove and less likely to be swallowed.

What is a perch rig?

Perch Rigs contain two to three hooks, spread Vertically from the line. Tie one hook toward the bottom, and the next hook about 6 to 8 inches above that. This way you are fishing at slightly different depths for the perch were 6 or 8 inches can make a big difference fishing perch.