Some Fish Are Different. Some Fish Are Special.

Some fish are different. Some fish are special. And every now and then, a fish comes along that turns an ordinary fishing session into a memory that everyone involved will carry with them for a very long time. This was one of those days.

While visiting my hometown in Germany, I had the chance to take three young lads out fishing. The plan wasn't complicated. We weren't chasing monsters or travelling to some famous venue. We were simply going to spend a few hours by the river, learn some basic fishing skills, catch some perch and, most importantly, have a good time together. And that's exactly what we did.

Teaching the Basics of Lure Fishing

The session was really about introducing the youngsters to some of the basics of lure fishing. We went through simple knots, how to put together straightforward rigs and, of course, how to cast and work small lures properly. The target was city-dwelling river perch, and there is something particularly enjoyable about fishing for them in urban rivers. You don't necessarily need complicated equipment or a huge selection of tackle. A light setup, a few small lures and an understanding of where the fish might be holding can be enough to have a brilliant session.

And the lads certainly got stuck in. Everyone had the opportunity to try different methods and presentations, and before long we were catching plenty of perch, with fish up to around 30 cm coming to the net. There was plenty of excitement, plenty of casting and, naturally, plenty of banter.

For me, that's what fishing should be about. It's not always about the biggest fish. Sometimes it's about watching someone experience that first proper bite, seeing the excitement when a fish follows the lure, or helping someone land their first perch on a method they have just learned.

Then I Wandered Off...

Towards the end of the session, the three lads had become completely occupied with a shoal of perch right in front of them. There were fish everywhere, and they were having a great time, so I decided to wander a few metres away and have a look at a deeper river seam. It was one of those pieces of water that just looked different. Rather than fishing the visible shoal, I wanted to explore the slightly deeper water and see whether there was anything else sitting away from the obvious fish.

I set up a light Carolina Rig using:

• Fishing Tungsten 5.3g Bullet Weight
• BKK DSS Worm Hook (SS)
• Rapala Crush City "The Stingman" – 7.5 cm, Ayu

I fished it fairly actively. I'd give it two or three twitches, allow the weight to reach the bottom, and then leave a longer pause before repeating the process. It was a presentation I felt was well suited to searching that deeper seam while still keeping the small soft plastic moving naturally.

The Take

And then, at full casting distance, something happened. I felt a light pull and, at the same time, noticed the line wander very slightly. It wasn't a huge, violent bite, but it was just enough. I lifted the rod and immediately knew I needed to be careful. The Stingman was nose-hooked, and I was fishing an extremely sharp hook, so there was no reason to smash the strike. I simply gave it a light strike.

The response was incredible. The fish immediately powered away, shaking its head heavily in the deeper water, and my first thought was: Zander. And not a small one. The way the fish was fighting had me convinced that I had just hooked a very decent Zander, something in the region of 65–70 cm. I opened the drag slightly and concentrated on keeping everything under control, while my little brother grabbed the landing net and got ready.

By now the situation had changed completely. The three lads who had been happily fishing their perch a few metres away had noticed what was happening, and within seconds they were all gathered around me, everyone wanting to know what was on the end of the line. "That's a Big Zander!"

The fish continued to fight hard. I worked it closer, slowly gaining line and trying not to put too much pressure on the light tackle. Halfway through the fight, something started to change. The head shakes became different, and there was something about them that suddenly felt very perch-like. But I still wasn't convinced. Surely this was a good-sized Zander? The fish was still deep, still fighting hard, and there was no clear view of what was actually attached to the other end of my line. The lads were getting increasingly excited, my brother was standing there with the net, and I was still thinking I was about to see a decent-sized Zander break the surface.

Then, about two metres from the net, the fish came up, and everything changed. MENTAL. The first glimpse told us exactly what it was: a big perch. A proper river perch had been patrolling that deeper seam and had decided to pick up my tiny 7.5 cm soft plastic.

The reaction was instant. The teenagers absolutely went MENTAL and, if I'm being completely honest, so did I. This was exactly what I had hoped might happen when I walked away from the shoal of smaller perch. Not because I needed to catch a big fish, but because I knew what it would mean for everyone watching. A fish like this, appearing completely unexpectedly in the middle of an ordinary city-river fishing session, is something you don't forget.

My brother made the decisive move with the net: one quick slide over the mesh, one lift, and there it was. A proper, beautiful big perch.

A Core Memory for Everyone

What happened next is probably my favourite part of the entire story. While the fish was safely in the net, several rather enthusiastic joy dances were performed. There were smiles everywhere, and everyone wanted to get a closer look. What had started as a simple session teaching three young anglers how to tie knots, fish basic rigs and catch small perch had suddenly turned into something much bigger. We took a few photos and then released the fish.

Watching it swim away was just as important as catching it. The fish had given everyone a story, a moment, a memory, and that's worth far more than simply adding another fish to a list.

This Is Why I Go Fishing

There are plenty of reasons to go fishing: the challenge, the outdoors, learning new techniques, exploring new water, testing tackle, trying to understand fish behaviour. But for me, one of the biggest reasons is moments like this. The ones you can't plan, that happen when you least expect them and suddenly bring everyone together.

You can spend weeks planning a fishing trip, studying maps, choosing tackle and deciding exactly what species you want to catch, and then the best memory might come from a completely ordinary afternoon on a city river: three young lads fishing for perch, a deeper river seam, a small soft plastic, a light Carolina Rig, one subtle pull and a big perch that nobody expected.

Passing Fishing On

There is also something particularly rewarding about taking younger people fishing. Fishing is something that has been passed from generation to generation for centuries. Someone teaches you how to tie a knot, shows you how to hold a rod, explains why fish might be sitting behind a current break, and teaches you how to release a fish properly. And eventually, you get the opportunity to pass those things on yourself.

It doesn't have to be complicated. You don't need an expensive boat or a huge tackle collection. Sometimes all you need is a few lures, a light rod, some patience and a willingness to spend a few hours together. The rest takes care of itself, and if you're lucky, you might even get a surprise like this one.

The Tackle

For anyone interested in the setup that produced the fish, the rig was deliberately simple:

Carolina Rig

• 5.3g Fishing Tungsten Bullet Weight
• BKK DSS Worm Hook (SS)
• Rapala Crush City The Stingman
• 7.5 cm
• Ayu colour

The lure was nose-hooked and worked actively through the deeper river seam, with two or three twitches followed by a longer pause after the tungsten weight reached the bottom. The bite itself was subtle. The fight certainly wasn't.

Some Fish Are Different. Some Fish Are Special.

The perch wasn't the biggest fish I've ever caught, and it probably wasn't even the biggest fish I've caught from a river. But that's not what made it special. It was the situation: the people around me, the surprise, the excitement. Three young anglers got to see, first-hand, that you never really know what is going to happen when you cast a lure into moving water.

And hopefully, somewhere along the way, they learned something else too: fishing isn't just about catching fish. It's about spending time together, learning, sharing knowledge and being outside. And sometimes, it's about watching a completely unexpected fish turn an ordinary afternoon into a memory that stays with you forever.

Petri, tight lines and bonne pêche!