Catching perch in the spring with a spinning rod from the shore is quite popular among law-abiding fishermen, since the spawning ban allows such fishing in many places. And with the right approach and the right timing, the catches can be quite good. However, in order to successfully fish in the spring, you need to pay attention to several basic aspects of fish behavior during this time of year. For example, if you get to a reservoir at the height of spawning, you may not be able to get away from zero, while literally a week later an active bite and good results are already possible.
Peculiarities of fish behavior by season
This fish can be active at any time of the year, but the preferred hunting areas of perch can change significantly. This is primarily affected by water temperature. During the period that winter fishing enthusiasts call “the last ice,” as well as immediately after the complete disappearance of ice from rivers and ponds, this predator stays mainly at great depths, so catching perch with a jig in the spring is a suitable option.
As the water temperature rises, the striped predator leaves for spawning (which occurs at approximately 8 degrees), at this time you should not count on effective fishing.
Important! During spring floods, the activity of perch can significantly decrease, since during hunting this predator largely relies on vision, and turbid water interferes with active feeding.
After spawning, in already sufficiently warmed and brightened water, perch, especially small ones (larger individuals still stay closer to the riverbed and in greater depth), hunt more in shallow waters, sandbanks and along the growth line of reeds.
At the same time, the so-called post-spawning glutton is often observed at this time.
Where to look for perch in early spring
The promising period is considered to be the time before the onset of flood. In March, the melt water is clear, the fish are aggressive and chase their prey. Perch spawns in April-May, the predator becomes saturated, but is no longer as active. After the spawn, the second wave of “zhora” comes.
Catching spots:
- heated shallow water;
- edges of coastal thickets, bushes;
- access to the edge of the river;
- steep banks;
- small dams, waterfalls.
A sign of the possible appearance of a predator are frolicking schools of small fish. Perch “visits” such places in the morning and evening.
Rods used
Spinning rods for spring perch fishing should be chosen based on the following characteristics:
- The appropriate rod length can vary significantly depending on the size of the pond. For small rivers, 1.98 or 2.10 m is enough, but if we are talking about a large river, then choosing a stick 2.7 m long and larger options may be justified.
- The action is preferable to fast or ultra-fast; only rotating and oscillating spoons allow medium action forms - such fishing rods are not suitable for correct retrieving and control of other lures.
- The test is selected according to the fishing conditions. Ultralight options with dough up to 5-8 grams are ideal for perch fishing on small rivers. These fish love small, compact baits, and these spinning rods provide the best control.
- Material of manufacture. For successful use of silicone baits and twitching wobblers, graphite rods are more suitable. Spinner baits are less demanding and work well with fiberglass or composite spinning rods.
Lure
Animal food should be added to spring bait. Bloodworm is affordable and popular.
Read! Spinning fishing in winter
Possible recipe
Homemade dry white bread is used as a base. The bloodworm awaits its fate in a cool place. It is not recommended to use a refrigerator due to the specific smell of larvae. The bread is pre-ground on a grater. Add an attractant. Bread and “meat” are delivered to the place of use separately from each other.
Mix in the following proportion: 20% crackers, 80% bloodworms. The feed ball has good stickiness. A stable cloud forms in the water, attracting with its shape and smell.
Spring perch fishing requires knowledge of the behavioral characteristics of the fish. The correct selection of gear and lively, interested animation of the bait will guarantee you a good catch.
Suitable coils
The performance of the tackle as a whole depends on the quality of this element, therefore, you should not skimp on reels. Most often, spinning rods of 2000 and 3000 standard sizes are used, less often 4000, since light rods are usually used for perch (for ultralight spinning rods, the optimal size is 1000, less often 2000 Shimano units, weight is also important: the lighter the better). A smooth ride is desirable, for which the reel must have 5 bearings or more. When choosing, you should also pay attention to the quality of the laying, since thin cords are often used in spinning perch fishing. Sometimes small baitcasting reels are also used in perch fishing.
Bait for perch
Baits for catching perch are made from dry beef blood. To be able to form bait balls, dry blood will need to be mixed with moistened soil in a 1:1 ratio. To increase efficiency, live components are added to the bait:
- chopped worm;
- bloodworm;
- maggot.
To attract “striped fish” to the fishing site, you can use bright trout baits containing not only amino acids and flavoring additives, but also sparkles that attract fish from afar.
Main line and leaders
Braid is more suitable as the main line for most perch lures. Having minimal stretch, the braided cord provides not only correct wiring (it is extremely difficult to twitch a wobbler on monofilament), but also better sensitivity. Ordinary fishing line is only suitable for rotating and oscillating spinners.
If we talk specifically about perch, then the optimal material for making leashes would be fluorocarbon, since, having quite sufficient strength, it is hardly noticeable in the water due to the close values of the light refractive index. However, in many places, along with perch, pike is also caught using the same baits. In such situations, it is necessary to use metal leashes with the smallest possible diameter.
Spinning equipment and fishing methods
Fishing in the spring months is characterized by different fishing methods and equipment used. The main differences between spring fishing and summer fishing are the predator’s preference for small-sized baits. In addition, it is better to avoid surface baits such as poppers or walkers.
In March
For March fishing for perch, the following leash rigs are used:
- Carolina rig - consists of a bullet sinker moving freely along the braided main line, a stopper bead and a long leash made of monofilament or fluorocarbon fishing line with a tied silicone bait on an offset hook;
- Retractable leash is a leash rig consisting of a triple swivel, to which is attached a piece of fishing line with a pear-shaped or stick-shaped sinker, a leash made of monofilament or fluorocarbon fishing line with a cross-section of 0.18-0.20 mm with a small silicone bait attached to the end, mounted on an offset hook.
The length of the leash in these rigs ranges from 80 to 120-130 cm and depends on the activity of the predator. When the activity of the perch is low, it is increased to 100-120 cm, but if the perch greedily grabs the bait on almost every cast, it is reduced to 70-80 cm.
The weight of the sinker is selected taking into account the depth at the fishing site and the strength of the current:
- For shallow reservoirs with depths of no more than 3 meters, the rigs are equipped with weights weighing from 6 to 8 g.
- For medium depths and small currents, sinkers weighing 10-12 g are used;
- At great depths or strong currents, sinkers weighing 12-15 g are used;
We recommend reading: How to catch a large crucian carp: ways to cut off small fish
They catch perch with spaced-out rigs in March at the exits of pits, at the border of clear water and snags. You need to try in small local depressions.
A variety of wiring is used:
- a regular jig “step”;
- dragging along the bottom with sharp twitching and tossing;
- "for demolition";
- uniform;
- uniformly accelerated.
The bait is usually placed at the very bottom or not high above it.
For fishing with such equipment, light rods with a test weight of up to 15-17 g are used. The length of the blank is 210-240 cm. The reel for such equipment is small, 2000-2500 in size, with a front friction brake and 3-5 bearings. A thin 8-core braided cord with a cross-section of 0.1 mm is used as the main fishing line.
In April
In addition to lead rigs, in April perch is quite actively caught using microjigs.
To do this, use a light, fast-action “light” rod with a length of 210-240 cm with a sensitive glued-in tip of a bright color, a test of 0.5-5 years. This spinning rod is equipped with a small spinning reel measuring 500-1000.
A thin braided cord with a cross section of 0.06-0.08 mm is used as equipment. Also suitable is monofilament with a thickness of 0.14-0.16 mm, a leash made of durable transparent fluorocarbon with a micro-fastener at the end.
The wiring technique for micro and nanojigs differs little from conventional jigs.
For lead rigs and wobblers, a stiffer and less sensitive fishing rod is used. It is better to take a test up to 15 grams.
In May
Throughout May, small and medium-sized wobblers and spinners can be used for perch fishing.
They catch it at this time near the coastline on the border of clear water and thickets of young reeds, coastal snags, flooded trees or bushes. In this case, more rigid spinning rods are suitable, not only classic jigging rods, but also twitching rods.
At this time, the pike also begins to actively bite. In places where it is found in large quantities, a thin tungsten leader is added to the equipment.
Silicone baits
Catching perch in early spring with a spinning rod is, first of all, fishing with silicone, since it is precisely such baits that allow you to most effectively fish the bottom layers, where the predator mainly stays in cold water. Mostly small models are used, from 1 to 2 or less than 2.5 inches long. They can have a wide variety of forms:
- twisters;
- vibrotails;
- worms and slugs;
- imitation insect larvae and much more.
Important! It is worth giving preference to edible silicone - when biting on such bait, the perch feels the taste and smell, and does not try to immediately spit out the bait, but, on the contrary, continues to swallow it.
The color is selected as you go fishing. Since in the spring they most often start with bright options, since most often the water is cloudy due to spring floods, and the bait simply needs to be highlighted at the bottom. However, this approach does not always work; if the bite is bad, it is worth trying darker and more natural color options. You should also actively experiment with the body shape of the bait - when the perch is sufficiently active, they usually use options with pronounced active play, such as twisters and vibrating tails, but when the fish are sluggish, passive baits, such as worms, slugs or imitations of aquatic insects and their larvae, are more suitable.
Perch on a float rod
In spring, the tackle on the float rod should be thin and neat so that the fish do not get scared. For fishing with a fishing rod, many anglers use a small hook or jig. When fishing with a jig, the perch swallows the bait deep into its mouth; sometimes, in order to pull the hook out of its mouth, you have to use an extractor.
For spring fishing, a copious amount of bloodworms is put on the hook, but sometimes even such bait is not of interest to the fish, and in such cases, experienced fishermen use a tricky technique: bloodworms with fly larvae (maggots) are put on the hook, this in most cases improves the bite and, consequently, the fisherman’s catch .
Perch on a float rod with live bait video
Wobblers for perch
This type of spinning bait also works well for perch. The sizes should be selected based on the dimensions of the striped predator - it, of course, can also attack 130 pike wobblers, but rather as an exception. First of all, you should pay attention to models with a rounded body shape - miniature shads, fats and cranks often have a high-frequency game of their own, which is so attractive to perch.
As in the case of silicone baits, in muddy spring waters it is better to start with bright models that are visible from afar. Natural coloring is more suitable either for the beginning of the ice melting, or closer to summer. However, do not be afraid to experiment; often this pattern does not work, and even on cloudy days in muddy water, the best results are brought by dim and inconspicuous bait color options.
The buoyancy of wobblers also varies. Most often you can see floating or suspending ones on sale, somewhat less often – sinking ones. All of them are used for certain conditions and transactions. Sinking options allow you to fish the deepest sections of the riverbed - it is advisable to use them immediately after the ice melts, while the water is still cold. Suspenders, depending on the depth, wobblers are universal, their ability to hang in the water column makes the bait more attractive during a pause during retrieval. Pop-up models are distinguished by the ability to move them over flooded vegetation, snags or algae thickets. Their turn comes closer to summer.
These baits differ not only in weight, color and body shape, but also in depth. Depending on the specific body of cold water, it is better to use deeper models, with a depth of 3-4 meters or more. As the water temperature rises, the perch begins to hunt in the thickness and in the near-surface layers, and, therefore, less depth will be needed.
Closer to summer, when the water is already quite warm, perch can be caught well using purely surface wobblers like poppers or walkers.
Catching perch in the spring with a spinning rod
Many fishermen will agree: catching perch in the spring with a spinning rod provides a lot of reasons for excitement - to rack your brains about bait, about choosing a hunting location and the type of gear. Therefore, the number of fans of this particular type of fishing is quite large. This is where the spring season most often begins. As for zander and pike, perch fishermen leave them for “later”.
So, friends. Why does this situation occur? It turns out that when catching perch in the spring with a spinning rod, the fisherman almost has to track down the prey, adapting to the capricious nature of the humpback whale - if the bait (and/or wiring) is not to his liking, he is guaranteed to turn around and leave, waving his tail goodbye. You shouldn’t be deceived by the imaginary simplicity of the process: it’s easy to meet only a random fool when biting.
In general, somewhere around mid-April the first perch bite begins. Well, and, accordingly, with earlier warming, catching perch in the spring with a spinning rod is quite advisable from the beginning of the month. It’s time to get down to business as soon as small, medium-sized rivers begin to awaken from their slumber. Start looking for fish based on the likelihood of you meeting them. Experience shows: the chances are high at medium depths, the chances are average in shallows, and there is a very minimal chance of luck in the holes (save them for the summer and autumn seasons).
Catching perch in the spring with a spinning rod
Fact: many perch bites occur away from the main current, and not next to it. Although large individuals are ready to take bait directly on the stream itself. True, the humpback will certainly figure out to hide behind some kind of cover. But such places (a snag on the bottom or a dense grassy island, or maybe a transverse edge) are easily visible from the shore: different speeds and directions of the jets will help the fisherman orientate himself. Alas, you can’t count on a solid catch here: either a single wandering perch or, at most, a small flock is playing hide and seek.
Near the mouth of a large stream you can find a small bay - here you can easily enrich yourself with a couple of very decent humpback whales. The depth of such a bay must be significant; focus your attention on the boundary between the “slow water” and the current (the ideal option is the place of a sharp drop going deeper).
Many questions are raised about catching perch in the spring with a spinning rod in places where underwater algae have survived from last year - along the edges of the vegetation. An interesting question: what attracts fish there? Perhaps it would be handy for him to hunt fry there. Or just stand up.
Be that as it may, it makes sense to look for the ubiquitous striped comrade everywhere - spring perch scurry everywhere. When deciding on the scope of your search for perch sites, you should prefer a hard, clean bottom (avoid a muddy, slightly silty bottom). It’s even better if there are small algal islands, there is sand, but not clay. The perch does not want to give you a bite on the clay bottom. Its bites are quite regular where low bottom vegetation grows (directly above it).
Finding perch sites should be given top priority. After all, no matter how wonderful your silicone baits for perch are, you can’t catch anything where there are no fish. And then, when you managed to find the parking lot, you have the next step: correctly solving the wiring issue. It will only peck from the bottom, so leave all the summer flutters in mid-water for the summer.
Yes, it happened to someone, and it worked, but don’t be fooled: don’t confuse a rare exception with a regular rule. And here's another thing. Note that in mid-April, schools of perch are happy to pull out a deceptive trick - chasing the fry on top, munching as if summer is just around the corner. Again, attention: fishing is carried out only from the day, and nothing else!
Now let's talk about what silicone baits for perch should be prepared, for what and why. Firstly, it is important to take into account: your desired captive or pre-spawning one will be the one who has taken the day off. The habits are different.
Silicone baits for perch
In the second case, the “mother” perches and the “daddy” perches will literally be bursting with certain “products” characteristic of this difficult time for the humpback fish. Consequently, nothing will fit in them, and therefore the fish will only be able to “butt” an overly large bait slightly, and most likely will simply turn away from it. Advice from experienced ones: stock up on rubber “babies” - baits no more than 2–5 cm long. Many experienced spinning anglers consider them the best option (including for large fish).
Having completed the spawning mission, a large humpback whale rushes ashore to take a break from mating worries. However, as a dish, they are already willing to consider bait larger than 7 cm, and preferably bright. Silicone baits for perch with a fluorescent head (color - yellow, red), with obvious large sparkles and very “noticeable” eyes are welcome. Again, no one has yet solved this mystery - why is this happening? It seems that there is a version that behind the brightness of the color the perch sees a threat to its unhatched offspring...
Spring is a special season that turns a lot of things upside down. Wiring speed was no exception. On a warm sunny day, an active, fast, almost sharp game with bait will work better. It got a little colder, the weather worsened - and the humpback slows down, reacts better to smooth driving, only short jerks are appropriate.
Start your search for perch using classic fishing. See what the result will be, draw conclusions. How to proceed: cast; the spinning rod froze; As soon as the bait touches the surface of the water, quickly pick up the slack in the fishing line (do not forget that the moment of biting at shallow depths is immediately after the bait falls). Next: we felt a “teal” on the bottom; twist the coil 2-3-4 turns. Next, be sure to raise the bait above the bottom. Then take a break for a couple of seconds, and - just what you need: the bait floated to the bottom.
Jig baits for perch
It is precisely at these moments that a large fish will probably show itself. If this does not happen, lead the jig all the way to the shore in the same spirit - “stepping”. Watch your weight. If necessary, replace with a bait with a different head (lighter or heavier weight). So how is it? After several trips there are no bites? Calm down, guys, everything is fine: you are extremely lucky if you notice an interesting difference in depth, grass, snags. Continue your search carefully. Vary the direction of the wiring at different angles relative to the jet.
When there is a perch, it will definitely show itself by poking or coming out to the bait. Knocking alone is clearly not enough, and if no other body movements are observed, feel free to move on to the “sleepy fly.” Actually, the wiring will remain the same, but the head should be quite light (although it should be able to help you control the bottom in the area). You will have to wait until the head hits the bottom - a signal to extend the pause from 1-2 to 4-6 seconds. As a rule, immediately after a pause or within pauses, bites will occur.
Life has proven more than once: it is easy to lure a perch out of grass thickets, from behind snags, with the help of a “sleepy fly.” True, light jig baits for perch require constant concentration, increased attention, patience and a methodical approach. In other words, fishing turns out to be “abstruse” and slow, and then tedious for most fishermen. God forbid a strong side wind blows. Then consider the wiring control completely lost. You will have to switch to a spinner and change the fishing location.
What about the turntable? Leave it for May, it’s not time for April yet. Perhaps just to check the aggressive perch fraternity for activity. Another thing is the oscillator. It will certainly help you out if there is a strong side wind. And most likely, it is always at your fingertips.
Let's leave jig baits for perch aside for a moment and look at the so-called “pike” spoons. Among them, a certain “Atom” is known. It allows you to imitate a wounded fish - it acts like a magnet on the perch. After all, he just wants to devour, just to tease and play with his exhausted victim. You will almost certainly be expected to be grabbed by the eye, as well as by the fin or belly.
Lure for perch atom
What are the benefits of spinner baits? They are easy to throw over long distances, thus exploring large areas around you. 5-centimeter spinners are more common; in some cases, only a decent speed of moving only a large spoon will help. By the way, when retrieving, pauses are useful, during which the bait moves in a zigzag. Each stop is a potential moment of a bite, while the bait smoothly sinks to the bottom.
Let's reveal another practical secret about the usefulness of the vibrator. When catching perch in the spring with a spinning rod during the day, the result can be extremely low, but in the late evening hours (just before sunset) the fish are literally attacked by a wild zhor for as much as a quarter of an hour, or maybe ten minutes. This is where she, my dear vibrator, comes in handy. An important nuance: for some reason it is better to catch it with a dark color, despite the fact that it is less visible against the background of algae and the bottom.
Let's return to jig fishing. There are masters who have become adept at hunting with the help of a small twister. It has a long tail and high efficiency at any depth. The main thing is to be able to select the desired weight of the head (most often, a set of weights is used in the range of 3–8 grams of weight).
Perch respond well to black and brown longtails, as well as dark green ones. However, on the river “suddenly” an unexpected color can work - as they say, nothing predicted, but here’s a bite for you. It is difficult to foresee all possible situations, but most fishermen will still call Coca-Cola (its color is dark brown) a universal option.
Dark longtails clearly do not look like living fish. But an aquatic insect or something similar to a worm is dismissed as a sweet soul. The perch “grabs” such prey without cutesy thinking. But only if the wiring is good - slow, without fuss. Otherwise, the longtail will straighten up, and there will be no play (especially against the river flow).
Perch fishing in spring
What is the best long-tail twister wiring? Without a doubt, short stretches. Here's how to proceed. We made a cast, let it reach the bottom, and with the reel stationary, use the rod to make even pulls of 10 centimeters - slowly, with second pauses. As soon as the rod has moved as far as possible (either up or to the side if there is lateral tightness), immediately return it to its original position, not forgetting to pick up the slack line with the reel. Continue wiring. Very often the bite brings excellent specimens, although the perch remained absolutely indifferent to other postings.
This is not to say that this wiring is simple - heads that are too small will not work, because within just a second you need to have time to clearly strike the bottom after each pull. Try it, get used to it, and you will succeed. Maintain the rhythm, do not change the distance and duration of breaks between stretches. Even if the bites are not pronounced, hooking is needed at every “suspicion”, but believe me: it is the monotony that will “zombify” the perch, and it is yours.
There is another interesting way in which catching perch in the spring with a spinning rod brings good results. Take natural bait (medium-sized black leech or regular worm) and attach it to the jig head. It will go with a bang, especially if the perch refused your rubber treats. And complete freedom during wiring with the same worm is a well-known thing. There is a high probability that the perch will swallow it altogether during a long pause. True, the worm can lure a roach or ide, or even undergrowth, but don’t be distracted (this clearly smells like a donkey, if necessary, we’ll talk about it another time).
A few words about jig heads. The classics of the genre - “boots”, “Cheburashkas” - are perceived by perch extremely positively. Plant it, you won't go wrong. True, there are avid perch lovers who convert large flat jigs into jig heads. How? And it's very simple. Solder the hook into a longer and larger hook (as for the elastic, it is placed on glue). Such “peredelkin jigs” play beautifully, glide to the bottom, wobble when pulled (let’s say, more precisely, they yaw).
Fishing line. Every year there is the same dilemma: braided or monofilament - what to choose. What can I say, stock up on two spools. Let there be a 0.18 mm fishing line on one, and a 1.0 mm braid on the other. Changing the spool is not a problem, but you will be guaranteed to be prepared for fishing in any reservoir with its individual conditions. Of course, most often fishing will be done with braided line. After all, it allows maximum control over the wiring. And it is especially appropriate in windy weather, or if you are fishing on the current of a river - there the windage of the thinnest line is close to zero. Although, again, a lethargic, non-aggressive perch will go best with monofilament. If you place a 70-centimeter leash on a braided fishing line with a thickness of 0.18 mm, you will see for yourself the effectiveness. The option is excellent. Tackle with braid practically does not lose sensitivity.
The metal leash is very interesting. It's no secret that when fishing for perch, you often encounter pike. If fate sends you toothy “runts” weighing 350–500 g or less, get ready to say goodbye to your fishing line - they’ll gnaw on you without talking! Unlike normal “decent” pikes, who don’t do such nonsense.
And here’s another trick from the “obvious-incredible” series. It turns out that a short (literally 5–6 cm) rigid leash gives the best results. We are talking about a string or “twist”. Reliably eliminates all sorts of sawn-off edges. In short, look at the situation. If you don’t see any pike, of course, it’s better to do without a leash, which is what most bass fishermen prefer.
[ratings]
Rotating and oscillating spoons
This group of lures is the least demanding both on the rod and on the skills of the fisherman himself; it is the spinners that are most often recommended to beginners in spinning fishing as the easiest to learn. If we talk about perch, it is better to fish with relatively small baits. In the case of rotating spoons, these are numbers from 00 to 2 according to the Mepps classification; it is also better to choose smaller spoons than those used for pike fishing - from 4 to 6 centimeters will be quite enough.
Very miniature trout spoons can sometimes show good results. It’s worth experimenting with the coloring of baits. Sometimes natural colors for spinners - silver, copper - are more effective, but in other cases, acid yellow or red models catch better.
Using different types and speeds of retrieve, you can fish with rotating and oscillating spoons on almost any horizon, which makes them universal baits suitable for any conditions.
What time to catch perch?
Perch begins to be caught as soon as the water becomes clear enough after the ice melts. The water is still cold at this time and perch can be caught with varying degrees of success. When the water warms up to 7-9 degrees, perches begin spawning, which usually occurs in early to mid-April, depending on the region where they live.
In lakes, where the ice melts later than on rivers, spawning begins and ends correspondingly later. During spawning, perch, as a rule, does not bite, and it is prohibited to catch it at this time.
But the end of April and almost all of May is the best time of year for perch hunting on the lakes. On rivers where the peak of the flood occurs at this time, such fishing can be overshadowed due to muddy water.
When can you fish?
You should start fishing after the water warms up to about 10 degrees. The perch scramble into schools and then go to spawn. The fish selects small, not deep, calm areas without current for spawning. Large individuals behave much more cautiously than small ones; they try to stay at a depth of at least four meters.
Spawning occurs in more than one stage, ending with spawning; the perch is in no hurry to leave this place. After sitting for a while and gaining strength, he begins the hunt for peaceful fish. By the end of April, perch begins to catch the hooks of experienced anglers.
Which bait should you choose?
- Balance. As a rule, they choose a coloring similar to this predator. In addition to perch, pike also bite on this bait, so you need to have a small amount of balancer in stock. Using this bait, you first need to feel the bottom with it, make a sharp rise, and then lower it back into the water. After carrying out such manipulations 5 times, the perch will swim to the noise and will definitely taste the hook.
- Spoon. There are many varieties, and it is best to choose a spoon with a red tail. Of course, perch does not always bite on a spoon, but with its help you can definitely determine whether there is fish in this place, or whether you should look elsewhere.
- Jigs. The color of the jigs must be copper, and they should be baited with a worm, maggot or bloodworm. It happens that wiring is done without amplitudes, but with pauses. If the fish is not active, a reelless bait is suitable, which causes vibrations in the water, which sometimes attracts perch.
