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Pike-perch fishing from the shore
Today, more and more anglers agree that pike-perch can be caught efficiently from a boat.
Some people can no longer do without electronic echo sounders to locate structures or even fish directly.
Fishing from a boat is also a precise way of presenting a pike-perch lure slowly, very close to the bottom. Nevertheless, pike-perch is still a fish that should be fished from the bank, even if the plethora of articles on the subject mention or imply fishing from a boat in almost 90% of cases.
From shore, you'll need to "relearn" a few basics to find the right sectors and regulate your catches. What's more, fishing from the shore is particularly relevant in winter, when predators such as pike-perch move almost mechanically closer to the banks.
We'll be fishing with linear soft lures, which require quite a bit of perseverance, especially when it comes to finding the right sectors.
The first few outings often end in empty shells. But experience and knowledge of the spots pay off in the end, and the efforts of "long-term" fishing are often rewarded handsomely!
Why from the shore?
Autumn and winter are some of the best times to go pike-perch stalking. As the old-timers know, this is often when they "go out" to fish for predators.
The cold has spread to the whole of France, and the temperature of the waters, which are generally in flood, is barely above 5 degrees Celsius...
Despite the hostile weather conditions, pike-perch are in full swing. Forage fish (bleak, roach, bream, etc.) congregate in large numbers in pools and areas where the current is less strong. The fish then make little effort to overcome the power of the current and can feed without too much difficulty.
Predators, such as pike-perch, are on the lookout for this food manna and are very active during this period. Their activity is not constant, and peaks are often observed.
It's not uncommon to hit several pike-perch in a very short space of time, when you've previously spent several hours scratching the area without getting a hit... Why from the shore, you may ask? Because most of the areas where fish retreat during winter floods are close to the banks, in the sheet piles, in the eddies, counter-currents and calms formed by the structures and shape of the bank.
This type of fishing is also in line with the modern philosophy of "street fishing", since urban structures, quays, harbours, marinas and other locks and canals are ideal spots. Flooding is a key period, and shore anglers would be wrong to miss out, especially as good catches are not uncommon.
What's more, the floods are not very comfortable for taking the boat out...
Finding the right job
While pike-perch come close to the edge (or should I say baits) in winter, finding a good spot is still a tedious job.
One of the biggest difficulties when fishing for pike-perch from shore lies in finding the right spots. This is one of the keys to success.
The need for good timing combined with perfect knowledge of the area explains, in part, why pike-perch are so little sought-after in street fishing competitions. From the shore, it takes more time than from a boat (with electronics) to get a good feel for the pike-perch holding areas. Still on the subject of the importance of the position for pike-perch fishing, it's not uncommon to hear from some anglers (surely a little jealous) that pike-perch specialists on board are so because they know good positions and not because they are fine technicians...
There's probably some truth in this, as pike-perch have a strong propensity to congregate in restricted areas in winter, but technique is not a point to be neglected. From the shore, locating a good sector is admittedly more tedious than from a boat, but with a little perseverance it's quite possible to find an area that will allow you to catch fish all winter long, at least until closing time.
First of all, avoid areas with too much current. Apart from the fact that they often "hold" few fish, these areas are either un-fishable or very difficult to fish. The aim is to present your soft lure as close to the bottom as possible. If the current is too strong, this will be mission impossible, even with a heavy-weight lead head. Start with the most pronounced structures.
Focus your research on the eddies and dampening caused by the presence of structures (dolphins, docks, islands, etc.) and the shape of the shoreline. The entrance to a dock, for example, is a prime location in winter. Using the internet (google maps and geoportail), you can easily locate this type of position.
And don't hesitate to linger in an area where other anglers seem to be looking for the same thing as you... Once you've chosen a spot, you still need to fish it well and find the fish. To do this, I believe it's essential to have the right rod and reel set to tackle pike-perch from the shore.
In all cases, time and experience are the best guarantees of success in this long-term fishery. Knowledge of the position is the most important factor in this approach. However, you mustn't neglect the technical and material aspects, and your rod will be one of the key tools for your success...
Choice of equipment
While a relatively short rod is sufficient for boat fishing, a rod between 2.10 m and 2.70 m long is required for shore fishing. The length of the rod is very important.
It will give you correct casting distances, but also and above all, better control of the streamer and therefore of your lure. The rod's length allows you to have less of the streamer caught in the current and therefore a more direct link with your lure.
Less slack banner also means less difficulty in making a strong shoe. But let's get back to the tactile aspect. Your rod and jig head must be able to transmit the bottom's configuration perfectly. This will enable you to validate your position and insist more confidently. In fact, if at first sight you're fishing a promising eddy, but it's muddy and has very little bottom, there's little chance of a pike-perch being posted there! In this case, the lead head also acts as a probe.
It is a sort of rustic replacement for an echo sounder... The lead head should enable you to determine the depth of the position, its topography, the nature of the substrate, whether or not there's a undercurrent, whether structures are present... In the latter case, it's often "necessary" to leave several lead heads and lures on the bottom before you've mentally grasped the position of the structure.
Because yes, if the bottom is rocky or crowded, you'll need to see a good supply of leaded heads. This is one of the reasons why I use lead heads instead of tungsten. On paper, tungsten is technically better suited (less polluting, more resonant, denser and more compact) but the price is too high given the large number of lures left on the bottom... As for the rod, in addition to its length, you'll need one with an extra-fast action and high sensitivity.
As far as reels and ratios are concerned, I'm tempted to say that a medium ratio is best. In eddies, there's no need to animate quickly, the reel is just used to retrieve the banner, keep the line taut and your soft lure on a sinker in contact with the bottom. The advantage of low-capacity reels is that you can use braid without using backing or wasting a 500 m spool. This is all the more true given the need to use fine braid, from 12/100 to 18/100... The finer the braid, the less it will catch in the current. For me, braid is indispensable when fishing for pike-perch. Its low elasticity makes it very sensitive, and its smaller diameter, with the same resistance as monofilament, enables it to split the water better. The mechanical result is better sensations and better work from your soft lure.
As always, when it comes to braid, opt for bright colors (yellow, pink...) which are highly visible and allow you to follow your drift with your eyes, or even visualize a touch. As a leader, I use a single-strand fluorocarbon line of 20/100 to 30/100. I modulate the length and diameter of the leader according to the size of the fishing area.
And the decoy in all this...
For effective linear prospecting, nothing beats a shad. These lures have the advantage of moving with the force of the current. The vibrations they emit are indispensable for stimulating the attention of pike-perch, who then hunt very little by sight. In fact, it's common practice to use flashy coloris in murky waters and low light conditions, in the belief that pike-perch will spot them better. There's some truth in this, but don't forget natural colors, which also give very good results.
Flashy colors trigger the aggressiveness of fish in search of food, while natural colors seduce the most wary pike-perch...
Don't underestimate the ability of pike-perch (and carnivores in general) to spot prey or lures. I had an interesting experience in Rotterdam, where night fishing is allowed: even though the water was turbid and the night very dark, I got far more hits with an almost invisible ghost color than my colleagues fishing with fluorescent colors. Proof that you don't have to use only visible colors to be successful, and that you shouldn't neglect natural colors.
You'll often have to change lure color to get regular hits. As far as lure size is concerned, I confess to restricting my choices by only fishing with 4" and 5" lures (i.e. 10 and 12.5 cm). These are the all-purpose sizes for pike-perch, which focus on bleak and small whitefish.
When it comes to lead heads, I use soccer lead heads a lot. They offer many advantages.
TP footballs increase attractiveness by inducing rolling. The soft lure is presented in a more stable way in the current and clings less to the bottom, because unlike a round lead head, the lure "lies" less. Weight is another important point. You need to fish as light as possible and still feel the lure settle perfectly on the bottom.
If you fish too heavy, the lure's swimming action will be affected and you'll get fewer bites. If you fish too heavy and still get a few hits, you'll have more misfires because the pike-perch will find it more difficult to engorge the lure correctly.
If you fish too lightly, you'll never "feel" the bottom and the lure will drift too quickly...
Lure animation and fishing
The fishing action is fairly simple and mechanical. Cast slightly upstream so that the lure makes contact with the bottom in front of you.
Once you've made contact with the bottom, lift off the lure using only the reel and not the rod tip. The reel allows you to retrieve the lure almost constantly and to animate.
This keeps the lure as close as possible to the bottom (where the pike-perch are wedged) when drifting and ensures that you always have the right angle (around 60°) to make the best strike. Pike-perch have the particularity of striking short and it would be a pity to miss the few bites of the day because of an inappropriate rod angle. Avoid casting too abruptly, so as to keep the lure as close as possible to the pike-perch, which are glued to the bottom at this time of year.
The lure should be moved slowly and as naturally as possible. You'll find that many of your catches will have damaged ventral fins and annals and small benthic invertebrates attesting to their position close to the substrate. This slow, subtle fishing technique is no less technical.
You need to repeat the drifts on the sector, combing the area as much as possible. Most of the time, therefore, you'll remain fairly static, and you mustn't neglect low temperatures to avoid discomfort during winter sessions.
Winter logistics
To make the most of these outings, you mustn't neglect the cold, the wind or even the rain. It's imperative to be warmly and appropriately covered. There's no point in having the best rod in the world if you haven't prepared your outfit... So pack a hat, gloves, several layers of clothing and a windbreaker.
Woolen socks are also very comfortable. Cold weather is also an opportunity to share a good cup of coffee with other pike-perch anglers... Finally, don't forget a landing net with a large handle. You'll be able to dry a nice pike-perch without hesitation or unnecessary acrobatics.
It's up to you!
Pike-perch fishing from the shore is an exciting sport. The first few days are tedious to get to grips with the spots and get to know them inside out, but once you've got the hang of it, sometimes very quickly, the fish are there. The cold and the long hours of waiting are then magically forgotten.
