IF you mention the term 'surface fishing', most would think of carp taking floaters on a hot and sunny day. But predatory fish will also strike in the upper layers too, as proven by this incredible 4lb 4oz perch caught recently by lure fanatic Ash Costa.
He told Angling Times:
“As I biked to a water I was going to target I passed a weedy section of drain where I noticed fry scatter in the edge with something pretty big striking at them.
“In summer, I wouldn’t usually fish this water because the weed makes lure fishing almost impossible. But with the commotion I had to try, and switched to a floating lure that I could skip along the surface.
“There was a scattering of lilies and a weed bed just off the bank, and in a narrow clear channel next to them something was hounding the fry. After landing a few small perch, something absolutely smashed my lure! It didn’t look like a pike, and I was pretty sure I’d connected with an enormous perch.
“The fight was hairy, but I managed to pull it through lily stems and weed, scrapping all the way to the bank. It weighed 4lb 4oz and is a PB off the top.”
