​The lively perch with its bright green livery and vibrrant red fins is one the best loved fish species.Perch are easily identified by their olive green colour and the distinctive vertical black stripes on their flanks. The pectoral, pelvic and tail fin are reddish in colour.Perch can mature at two years of age. Spawning takes place in early April to mid May on aquatic weeds or submerged bushes or tree branches. Egg size is 2-2.5 mm. Perch are predators eating mainly fish such as fry and minnows but they also feed on aquatic insects. They can often be seen working in packs and shoals chasing shoals of fry.Average size is from 6oz - 1lb in rivers and streams but can get to bigger sizes with specimens over 2lbs caught on regular basis in the bigger rivers and lakes. perch can be caught by most methods of angling.Fishing with small soft plastic lures and bait fishing with worm or maggot are the most popular methods , but they can also be caught on the fly rod.