Not that it's quite my biggest perch ever, but for all the best reasons it will swim bold and bright in my memory for many seasons to come...
In my career I have on occasion worked alongside the odd tv celebrity and it always feels slightly surreal meeting someone with a well known media persona. Their face may be familiar to you, the dulcet tones of their voice may be instantly recognisable. You may believe you have something in common and would get on like a house on fire. You might even feel, on some level, as if you actually know them (which is of course ridiculous).
And so it is as I travel down to Somerset to join Dominic Garnett's 'Fly for Coarse' summer fly fest. Perhaps not quite a household name (yet) but Dominic is a respected angling writer, broadcaster, guide and innovator here in the UK and certainly a familiar personality in our fishy media. I've read and gained inspiration from his books and articles and followed his blogs with interest.
As I pull into the car park and meeting place for the event I can't help but feel a just little daunted to be fishing in such an accomplished presence. What if I have one of those days of botched casts, flies in the back of the head and infernal tangles? What if I prove to be the only angler in the party capable of producing a blank? What if, in short, I make a bit of a tit of myself? I needn't worry as Dominic is one of those generous souls that instantly allows one to feel at ease, while his obvious angling talents reassure me that we are all in for a good day.
In truth, I haven't made life very easy for myself by setting my stall out early on. I had blithely stated that I was only really interested in catching big perch on the first day of the event. And as my fellow anglers begin catching some lovely rudd and roach my vision of big perch seems to fade slightly.
Very welcome then when Dominic sights a good sized perch in the middle track of the canal. The water is absolutely gin clear and I don't want to risk spooking the fish by 'lining' it. A cautious cast is flicked out with the streamer falling perhaps a dozen feet short. With the perch cruising I feel that I have only one good chance to show the fly. I hope that the plop and a few twitches will be enough to pull the fish over and close the distance. My ploy works but we hadn't spotted its three shoal mates and now four good perch are approaching my streamer with ill intent!
The biggest perch shoulders its way to the front of the pod which is now closing on my streamer in a wedge formation. In the crystal water this is visual fishing at its finest and the scene seems to play out in slow motion. I hold my breath and tweak and pause the fly to try to induce that final take. I think I can hear my heart beating. Still several feet off, the big perch makes a sudden bucket-mouthed rush, all flaring gills and gaping jaws. A solid connection is signaled by a heavy thumping and thrashing and Dominic grabs the landing net. "I'm going to bully him straight in!" exclaim I, anxious to complete the transaction, and maybe twenty seconds later Dominic is sliding the net under the fabulous beastie.
Numbers aren't really important, but on the other hand it is always nice to catch a notable fish. For this water, at an ounce over two pounds my perch is a good specimen and a real battle-scarred old bruiser. I feel privileged to have witnessed these magnificent predators hunting at such close quarters. But most of all I have enjoyed catching by team work and chuffed to have produced a good fish for the 'Fly for Coarse' event. It's not often that the opportunity comes along to stalk and sight-fish for perch. To do so with a fly rod is for me about as exciting as fishing gets!
