What follows is a review of my three recommended lures for Perch, lifted from the now defunct Luretour.com:
Adam was one of the stars of this years British Lure Angling Championship and seemed to win or at least podium in every qualifier he entered. He specialised in catching big bags of small perch and surprised a lot of people by winning the Exeter Canal qualifier without ever bothering to target the pike that the venue is famous for. Adam struggled a little to start with in the Final on Chew, where he had to adapt his usual techniques due to the 4-inch lure minimum and wire trace rule, but you can’t keep a good man down and Adam bagged up with multiple 3lb+ perch in the second half of the event and very nearly made the top 10 with his late run of big stripeys.
Adam’s choices
Ecogear Power Shirasu
| Lure Name | Power Shirasu |
| Manufacturer | Ecogear |
| Length | 2-inch |
| How many in a pack | 10 |
| Fave colour choice | Pearl Glow |
| Price | £3.99 |
A lure that played a part in my qualifying rounds of the British Lure Angling Championships. ‘Shirasu’ means whitebait in Japanese. A tiny fish. I like the Shirasu because I think a few people fail to see its properties. It’s different. If that was a paddle on the tail and not a ball, I think it would be more popular – but that’s not the point. The Shirasu works just fine. Ultra thin profile. Super soft. Folds up lovely on the inhale. Tail beats subtlety, but I think the density of the ball makes it’s tiny presence felt. I’m a big fan of Jighead, but the Shirasu works on Drop Shot too – just turn the tail 90 degrees so it’s flat (eyes facing up and down).
Reins Bubbling Shad
| Lure Name | Bubbling Shad |
| Manufacturer | Reins |
| Length | 3-inch |
| How many in a pack | 8 |
| Fave colour choice | Bait Fish |
| Price | £7.45 |
Along with Ecogear, Reins is the other brand that continually gets me excited. They’re just cool and there’s no denying that French Touch Fishing have actively sent that coolness into overdrive, with all the stuff they’ve been doing over in France. I could have picked any number of lures but the Bubbling Shad stands out as it taught me a few things about ribbed lures. The paddle on the 3-inch BS is fine. Not the best, but adequate. The magic is in the ribs. Profile is an important factor for me. Often, I’m sure Perch will only move on a sizeable meal. There’s plenty of chubby lures around but the usual problem is that they become rigid due to the extra bulk. Not so with a ribbed lure. The core of the lure remains slim while the ribs give the appearance of a much bigger lure. Best of both worlds. I also believe that ribbed lures shift more water and make more disturbance. All those little flat surfaces sticking out and grabbing the water. I can’t prove it, but it gives me confidence.
Keitech Swing Impact
| Lure Name | Swing Impact |
| Manufacturer | Keitech |
| Length | 3-inch |
| How many in a pack | 10 |
| Fave colour choice | yellow glow |
| Price | £7.50 |
One of my all time favourites. I believe these were made for the French / European markets by Japanese firm, Keitech. Purchased on one of our annual trips to the Nantes tackle show. Had an immediate effect on my Perch fishing – especially when the water clarity was poor in the canal. There’s no denying these lures work extremely well, but I think it’s the colour that was the secret here. More yellow than chartreuse, with added sparkle and UV. Down to my last two! :0(