Big perch go on the rampage as autumn's nights turn cold

Autumn has arrived with a run of cool-nights '“ and big perch have gone on the chomp with a vengeance!
Alan TitmusAlan Titmus
Alan Titmus

The local canal, in particular, seems to be on a real roll with a flush of two-pounders – and even I managed a 2-4 on a worm fragment during a Friday-evening session on DATS' section.

'Somewhere' on MKAA's 9.5 miles of Grand Union MK Piker, as he calls himself, bagged a 2-8. Then he went on a lure outing, catching a shoal of smaller perch and – in one of those once in a lifetime moments – a four ounce ROACH fairly hooked on a small silver lure!

Big Ouse perch are moving, too, with Paul Hodgson getting a 3-6 at Olney (where Paul Andrews also had a 5-1 chub) and Andy Larwill a 3-8 perch from an undisclosed length.

Maybe there is no time like the present apart from, perhaps, early March, to get out after them?

Despite falling water temperatures good carp are still being caught from Furzton and Willen while – on Rocla – Alan Titmus, reporting through Waters Edge, was on a high with a 32lb PB common.

At the other end of the scale, Ashlands' 'mini carp' (some are now going 5lb) are still feeding with gusto. Shaun Taylor had 33 for an estimated 100lb+ over the weekend. Winter prices have kicked in with MKAA members £2 a day and non-members £5.

This winter could be a treat for Ouzel fans – with lots of freshly re-opened swims – as the Environment Agency is using a mechanical rake/digger to clear masses of channel-clogging rushes from Caldecotte through to Willen.

Funded by the Ouzel Internal Drainage Board in the interests of reducing flood risk, the work is overseen by the EA's operations arm and its fisheries team.

As a by-product, scores of once tasty trotting swims are being brought back into being for those with the skill to work a float down them.

Newport Ouse open, back of the pits, saw roach, dace and perch feeding well. Steve Wright won with 8-12 followed by Paul Abbott 8-9, Steve Chilton 7-11 and Graham Martin 7-4.

Linford had a bad-hair day on Giffard Park cut as Roy Hefferon won with 0-15 ahead of Steve Funnell 0-12 and Nick Barker 0-8.

Cliff Parker-Kitchener pike session on Pitsford Reservoir saw his pike lure grabbed by his first-ever rainbow, a three-pounder. Top opening week pike went 30lb!

FIXTURES: Tues Oct 11 & Sun 16th, Olney Ouse opens, 01234 240061; Oct 16, Towcester open, Castlethorpe cut, 01908 56563617 (evenings).