Simple Match Fishing Forum

Can anybody give me some advice on using chopped worm for perch on hard days !
I was fourth on a match yesterday with 10 oz for four perch but felt I could have caught more.
I was cupping in a whole Lobworm with cuts in and around 10 casters but bites completely died after 2 hours !Using a small Dendra head over the top and constantly lifting and dropping.
I lost 3 fish off as well using a size 18 B560 and no 5 elastic.
Any help would be appreciated

Welcome to the forum Simmy


Sounds like you match was a bit of a grueller Presume it was on the cut somewhere?


Feeding a whole lobworm (albeit with cuts in it) is a bit of a new take on it to me, I'd be a tad worried of any fish in the peg a) gorging on the lobbie and moving off well fed and b) leaving no 'attracting' lobbie juices/feed in the swim (other than the caster) to entice other fish into the area.

Have you tried chopping the lobbies into a mulch and feeding that?

Mind, my track record recently on the chop shows I'm no expert on the method, so hopefully one or two of the other guys on here will put you right

I personally chop the worms and casters together in the pot and feed with a bit of peat or whatever the worms come in, especially if its clear.

Fish a small section of worm over the top and keep the bait moving ie lifting or dragging side to side.

If theres any stripeys about they will home in on it.

Tight lines

I chop the lobs much finer, into 1/2" or smaller segments and generally fish a redworm on the hook, keep the worm moving,by twitching or pulling it slowly. And i would change up to a no.8 elastic as it will set the hook better resulting in less lost fish. Also if a line goes dead change to another either down the track or tight over.

Thanks for the welcome ! Just started fishing canals after getting fed up with the commercials!
Yes I was was on the Calder and Hebble canal and it was a grueller !
My reckoning was that if I fed a whole lobworm with cuts in the perch would pick at it rather than eat it ! I will try chopping up the worm smaller and up my elastic to a No 8 !
How many swims would you feed in this way ! I have been feeding just 2 down the track so as not to spread the perch all over as I understood that Perch are territorial and live in the same peg all the time or am I thinking rubbish !!

Just another thought how would you feed the worms in 5-6 foot of water if youre chopping the worm into small segments ? Would you use a small baitdropper on a crystal clear canal or would you just feed via in a cup ?

hi simmy lad what thee would is to chop worms up pretty fine add some shells use soil and put choppy into soil and form small hard balls and feed as n when ok lad or thee can use a bait dropper hope this helps ok fella

Wigan lads are the masters of worm fishing

a b560 might be too springy for perch (boney mouths).

My rule of thumb for narrow canals was always to start with 2 lobbies minced up at the deepest spot.
If you are catching - no need to re-feed.
If you catch then stop, re-feed one or two as before.
If no more bites - try a half lobbie on a big hook (10 or 12) ... if you catch a lump call yourself Geoff Ringer!!
If still no bites - start again at a different spot (at least 2m away). perch and ruffe can really ball up and not move far.

If there's no flow - potting in chopped lobbies is fine in 6ft of water.

Simmy try 2inches off bottom before you re feed if you catch and then it goes dead also pinkie over worm is a great hookbait over worm   

Some great advice on here already! Defo feed your lobbies minced and crush them casters up too so that it goes into a nice white pulp, i personally find keeping something going through the swim works well i.e. loose casters or tiny bits of your worm mix every 10 min or so, you might find this quite hard if your fishing for roach at the same time though!!! It is by far the best way to get them interested in my opinion, they like to chase baits so i think it makes sense to feed in a similar fashion. Also what mark robertson said about fishing off the bottom is great advice, i've had countless perch fishing by taking a couple of shot from the line and 'skying' a full lobbie! Looks ridiculous but it works By the sounds of things though your perch are of a far smaller stamp so i would probably stick with the red worm. I also use a no 8 elastic set pingy. Hope this helps

Thanks for the replys ! plenty of ideas to work on ! will keep on trying !