Hi Stu
I enjoy flyaking a great deal and usually target Pike.
I have caught some nice perch on smaller pike flies when after
jacks with smaller flies about 4 inches long , deer hair and marabou
perch patterns work well. Wire trace doesn't seem to put them off.
When I target perch I do well using #6 gear, fast sink line and
black booby type fly with a sqirrel hair thorax and green tail
White and red is also good. Fish this hard on the bottom.
For smaller fish in a different water natural nymph patterns tied
on a gold head do well fished on a floating or intermediate line.
In June/July I often have my lighter fly rod set up ready while
I am using my Pike fly gear, because sometimes good Perch suddenly
show chasing fry in the margins ( like hungry mackerel ) if you get
your fly in there amongst them quickly before they disappear you always
get a hook up and they are usually 1 lb plus fish, these small shoals
of better sized perch really hit the fly hard - they are fry feeding and
chase anything that moves but I favour a fly about 3 inches long with
plenty of silver and strip the fly quickly.
They completely disappear again though as quickly as they appeared !
Perch fly fishing for me is always consistently inconsistent
One day fantastic sport the next nothing !
Great fish Perch , I love 'em