A question of EPs

[Troy McLure]

Quick question for those on here who chase Estuary Perch. Most blokes I talk to about EPs tell me how hard they fight it I’m finding it to be the opposite most of the time. I caught a decent one this morning hand he basically gave up the second I hooked him which seems to be the norm. A few have provided plenty of action but they’re few and far between. I fish light gear( 3-4kgs), soft plastics or hardbody lures and always very early morning in darkness. Question is are they more aggressive at other times or does anyone have another explanation?

[mazman]

I have had hugely different experiences with eps everything from absolute wet socks to bricking me on light snapper gear. Generally the fish in the snags pull hard, fish schooled deep don't and on the flats is a massive mixed bag, probably slightly more than half going hard, but like all general rules this doesn't hold up all the time

[rb85]

Not every individual fish fights the same I caught a kingie today that barely threw a punch...

[Troy McLure]

I know that there is no hard and fast rule with this but it seems their reputation might be inflated from my little experience with them. In saying that, I really enjoy working them out and also like fishing the environment they’re found in and will be happy to be proved wrong.

[rb85]

I know that there is no hard and fast rule with this but it seems their reputation might be inflated from my little experience with them. In saying that, I really enjoy working them out and also like fishing the environment they’re found in and will be happy to be proved wrong.

Think they are a great fish in the wild.

[Seniorfisho]

Quick question for those on here who chase Estuary Perch. Most blokes I talk to about EPs tell me how hard they fight it I’m finding it to be the opposite most of the time. I caught a decent one this morning hand he basically gave up the second I hooked him which seems to be the norm. A few have provided plenty of action but they’re few and far between. I fish light gear( 3-4kgs), soft plastics or hardbody lures and always very early morning in darkness. Question is are they more aggressive at other times or does anyone have another explanation?

Can I ask what size the fish are you are catching? Once they get over 35cm and especially 40 plus cm, on light line they go like the clappers, 4kg or 8lb line is overs for me. I do think that the smaller ones can go hard or go soft sometimes

[Troy McLure]

Most are 35 to 40 with a few larger ones in there. If anything I find the smaller ones fight a lot more than the larger models. Going down in breaking strain is an option but that affects the way I fight the fish more than the fish fighting me I’d reckon.

[Sebb]

Good question.
I've caught metro EPs ranging from 15cm to around 30'ish cm.
The 30ish cm from the Nong fought so hard and the ones from yarra didn't fight as hard. Mostly around bridges and pontoons.
And often the smaller ones I caught fought the hardest (pound for pound).
Guess yeah, no fish fight the same, too many factors to be the possible reasons.

[Troy McLure]

I’ll hold off on judging them just now, I need to catch plenty more before I decide either way. The rate I’m going it could take some years.