A weekend’s barbel fishing on the River Severn turned into a perch session of a lifetime for Chris Hunter.

After spotting small prey fish scattering on the surface in the margins Chris decided to change his approach. Using his drop shot rod to work a small shad pattern in 9ft of water at the end of an overhanging tree. Managing to tempt four perch to 2lb, just before the light faded. He planned to return the next day to target the perch once again.

“Casting to the same spot, the small shads were getting smashed every cast. In the afternoon a shoal of bigger fish seemed to move into the swim. My friend Alex Crowe managed to beat his personal best twice with a fish of 3lb, which was followed by a fish of 3lb 5oz. I rounded off the day with an impressive 4lb 1oz perch. It was a fish a chuck, and a real red letter day!”

All of the perch were taken on small shads and curly grubs, using 8lb Feeder Braid and a 6lb fluorocarbon leader.

This capture was awarded a weekly Drennan Cup in Angling Times on the 28th of October.