“FIND FEATURES AND RING THE CHANGES FOR BIG -PERCH SUCCESS”
RYAN HAYDEN – 6LB 4OZ PERCH
“I RECENTLY made a long-awaited trip to the Netherlands in search of giant perch, and landed a fish that totally blew me away.
“For years I’ve wanted to go, but work and family life got in the way. Naturally, when an opportunity recently arose with my mate Simon Ashton, I jumped at the chance.
“The waters these Dutch perch live in are huge – vast inland seas that, without guidance, would be almost impossible to catch from at short notice. So, we employed the help of Rob Kraaijeveld – a local guide, which is something that I’d strongly advise anyone heading to Holland to target perch to do.
“Aside from the guide, though, the tackle and tactics we used were pretty much the same as those you’d use back home.
“Reels spooled with 15lb braid combined with 3g-21g Prorex rods were the order of the day. You want to be using kit you’re confident in when targeting such large fish!
“One of the key takeaways was the importance of finding structure. The bottoms of these large waterways are flat and largely featureless but, if you can find any formations, there is always a chance that the fish will be nearby.
“On the water we were fishing, these often took the form of mussel beds. The predators hung around these features, and when we found one, we combed the water thoroughly. All three of us on the boat used different rigs and lure patterns to try and work out what the fish wanted.
“Some would throw jigs, while others would try something like a Carolina rig. If one of us started catching, we’d all switch over to the successful set-up to home in on what the fish wanted.
“Lure colour also had a massive impact. The fish were very particular about what they wanted, and a pattern with a dark back and a chartreuse belly was one we all caught well on.
“The speed of retrieve made a big difference, too, and we tried everything from fast and aggressive to almost static. Once we got a bite, sticking with the winning retrieve was crucial.
“On this trip, the fishing had been hard, although I had landed a few four-pounders and back-up ‘threes’. On the last day, though, something special happened.
“The other guys on the boat had stopped for some food and a coffee, but I fished on, making a long cast over a mussel bed.
“At range, the lure was hit just as I was jigging it back, and I hooked what felt almost like a small carp! But when an absolutely giant perch broke surface, my legs went to complete jelly. It was swiftly bundled into the net, and it’s fair to say I was a little excited.
“My initial thought was that this fish had to be a good five-pounder, but after Rob
