Best Perch Lures

Shaped around a common minnow, the Savage Gear Fat Minnow T-Tail RTF is a sinking soft lure sold as four lures with four jig heads. The 7.5cm (5g) and 9cm (7g) lures ride 7.5g heads with 1/0 and 2/0 hooks, and the 13cm (20g) gets a 12.5g head with a 5/0.

The T-tail kicks and rolls, and the belly carries a rattle. Ball heads use fine-wire carbon-steel hooks with Pro Peg body holders, and the body fits stand-up heads too. The scented colours come as a Clearwater mix in all three sizes and Darkwater in 7.5cm and 13cm.

It's made for perch, zander, pike and other predators, and the 7.5cm and 9cm sizes suit perch. Next to the Berkley Sick Swimmer 9cm Pre-Rigged, you get three sizes and stated head weights rather than one 9cm size.

To be fair, the 13cm on a 5/0 hook is more for zander and pike than perch. For perch, though, I think the 7.5cm or 9cm pack is the lure I'd start with.

Four 9cm Sick Swimmer softbaits make up this Berkley pack, and each comes fitted to a bismuth jig head, so it's ready to fish straight from the pack. Every bait carries PowerBait scent.

The colours are a selection of favourites from the Sick softbait range, each one picked by Berkley's professional anglers. There's no rigging to do: no heads to match and no bodies to thread, so you can tie on and cast.

It suits anyone who wants a scented soft lure in the water with no fuss. Next to the Savage Gear Fat Minnow T-Tail RTF, it offers one size rather than three, and next to the Westin Stanley the Stickleback Shadtail, which comes unrigged, it saves buying heads.

To be fair, 9cm is the only size, which is at the top end of what perch take, and the head weight isn't given. For a quick, rigged start with scented soft lures, though, I think it's a sound pack to keep in the bag.

Built from a 3D scan of a real stickleback, the Westin Stanley the Stickleback Shadtail is a soft paddle-tail lure in two sizes. The 5.5cm version weighs 1.5g and comes six to a pack, and the 9cm weighs 7g and comes five to a pack.

The super-soft, flexible body has an easy-action paddle tail, an erratic swimming action, active eyes and hand-painted colour details. You can fish it on a light traditional jighead or a dropshot rig, in freshwater or saltwater, and it comes in Clear Water Mix or Dark Water Mix.

Both sizes sit within the small-lure range perch take. Next to the Berkley Sick Swimmer 9cm Pre-Rigged, it adds a smaller size, and next to the Fox Rage Mini Tiddler, it's a stickleback shape rather than a slim baitfish.

To be fair, it comes without heads or hooks, so you'll rig it yourself. For a stickleback imitation on a light jighead or dropshot, though, I think it's a lure worth carrying in both sizes.

At 8cm, the Fox Rage Mini Tiddler is a slim, baitfish-profile soft lure aimed at perch and other predators. Each pack holds four lures in four UV-enhanced colours: UV Natural Perch, UV Wakasagi, UV Electric Flash and UV Lemon Tiger.

The SuperSoft body gives a lifelike movement in the water, and the tail keeps working at slow speeds with light weights, a detail intended for tough conditions. The slim shape suits dropshot rigs and jig heads alike.

It suits perch anglers who fish slowly and light, whether on a dropshot or a jig head. Next to the Westin Stanley the Stickleback Shadtail, it's a single 8cm size in a slimmer baitfish shape, and next to the Fox Rage Drop Shot Mini Ready Rig, it leaves the rigging to you.

To be fair, four lures in one size isn't many, and heads or hooks are extra. For slow, light presentations for perch in tough conditions, though, I think it's a soft lure that earns its place.

Rig tying comes out of drop shot with the Fox Rage Drop Shot Mini Ready Rig, which arrives pre-tied and ready to fish from the pack. There are three rigs per pack, and the Mini version comes with a size 2 or size 4 hook.

Each rig brings together a Strike Point Drop Shot Hook, Drop and Jig Fluorocarbon, a drop-shot weight and a Micro or Mini lure, with the lure presented above the weight. It's one of four kits covering drop-shot situations, and it comes in recyclable cardboard packaging.

It suits anglers of any experience who want to try drop shot without tying a knot. Next to the Fox Rage Mini Tiddler, which you rig yourself, the work is done for you, and next to the Westin BloodTeez Worm, it saves sourcing hooks, line and weights.

To be fair, three rigs won't last long if you lose a few to snags, and the lure size and sinker weight aren't given. For a first go at drop shot, though, I think it's the simplest way in.

Modelled on the bloodworm, a staple food for many fish, the Westin BloodTeez Worm is a small soft lure for finesse fishing. The Secret UV version measures 7.5cm, weighs 1g and comes six to a pack.

Antennas and several body segments add movement, and the lure suspends properly on a single hook. The lifelike, flexible body is made more durable than a real bloodworm, so it can be fished for longer. Rig it nose-hooked on a dropshot, wacky style, or on a micro jighead.

It suits finesse anglers who want a small, subtle worm with a natural look. Next to the Fox Rage Drop Shot Mini Ready Rig, you supply the hook, line and weight yourself, and next to the Rapala CrushCity Ned's BLT, it suspends on a dropshot rather than standing up on a Ned jig.

To be fair, at 1g it needs a dropshot weight or micro jighead to fish, and no hooks come with it. For subtle dropshot and wacky work, though, I think it's a worm well worth packing.

Every detail of the Rapala CrushCity Ned's BLT is designed for the Ned rig. It's a 7.5cm TPE worm with a very buoyant body, so it stands up on a 7g VMC Ned Rig Jig, holding the worm up off the bottom.

The TPE plastic is very responsive and super durable, and it stays soft and elastic even in very low temperatures. The body is made with Smart Injection Technology, and the colours are Albino Pearl, Bama Craw, Bubble Gum, Black Blue Flake, Coppertreuse, Perch, Watermelon Red and Goby.

It suits Ned rig anglers, cold days included, since the plastic stays supple when temperatures drop. Next to the Westin BloodTeez Worm, it stands up on a Ned jig rather than suspending on a dropshot, and next to the Blue Fox Vibrax Original, it's a slow bottom presentation rather than a lure you wind back.

To be fair, the jig head is extra and the number of worms per pack isn't given. For Ned rig fishing, though, I think it's a tough, buoyant worm that deserves a try.

A 45-degree mid-depth blade drives the Blue Fox Vibrax Original Spinner, which runs at 0.6 to 1.2 metres. The full range goes from size 0 at 3g to size 5 at 13g, and the Copper, Gold and Silver versions come in 4g and 8g.

Its patented two-part, machined-brass body virtually eliminates line twist and produces low-frequency sound and vibration, intended to trigger a strike. Finishes take in raw brass, silver-plated and copper-plated versions, alongside painted and printed ones.

It's made for still-water perch and chub, as well as trout and salmon in fast-moving rivers. Next to the Rapala CrushCity Ned's BLT, it's a lure you cast and wind rather than work slowly along the bottom, and next to the Savage Gear Rotex Spinner #3, it adds a lighter 4g option.

To be fair, the Copper, Gold and Silver versions come in only two weights, and its 0.6 to 1.2 metre running depth keeps it out of deep water. For still-water perch, though, I think it's a spinner worth clipping on.

One hand-painted, tank-tested spinner comes in each pack of the Savage Gear Rotex Spinner #3. It weighs 8g, sinks, and is fitted with a customised Japanese treble hook.

The blade starts turning as soon as it enters the water and keeps rotating at slow speeds, in rivers, streams and stillwater alike. The Rotex brings quality components and colours to a traditional spinner, with two sinking finishes on offer: Dirty Silver and Firetiger.

It's made for trout, salmon and other predators, so perch anglers on rivers and stillwaters can put it to work, with 8g of casting weight for range. Next to the Blue Fox Vibrax Original, it's one weight and two finishes against a wider choice, and next to the Rapala Rap-V Perch Bladed Jig, it's a straight spinner rather than a skirted hybrid.

To be fair, there's only one spinner in the pack and just two finishes. For slow retrieves for perch in rivers or stillwater, though, I think it's a spinner that works from the first turn of the handle.

Part jig, part spinnerbait and part spinner, the Rapala Rap-V Perch Bladed Jig is a sinking lure that measures 80mm and weighs 10g. It carries a black nickel VMC 7250 hook in No. 3/0.

A welded silicone skirt works with the printed, snag-reducing blade to give flash and vibration. A trailer keeper lets you add a trailer for extra volume, and the lead-free build includes a Rap-V 3D holographic eye. Finishes are Live Roach and Silver Fluorescent Chartreuse.

It's easy to fish and works across different situations, which suits perch anglers wanting one versatile lure. Next to the Savage Gear Rotex Spinner #3, it adds a skirt and a trailer option, and next to the Rapala X-Light Crank Mid Runner, it sinks and fishes a variable depth rather than one band.

To be fair, the 3/0 hook and 10g weight point it at bigger perch, and there are only two finishes. For flash and vibration with fewer snags, though, I think it's a clever all-in-one lure to try.

Small and light, the Rapala X-Light Crank Mid Runner is a floating 3.5cm, 4g hard lure for small freshwater predators. It runs at 1.8 to 2.1m and carries two No. 10 VMC 4651 black-nickel treble hooks.

The ultra-light build suits finesse presentations, and the weighted body casts with little effort. It swims with a tight kicking action and an internal rattle, and you can crank it, twitch it or fish a steady retrieve. Each is hand-tuned and tank-tested, with five detailed, textured finishes, including Live Perch and Live Roach.

It suits anglers after perch and other small predators holding around two metres down. Next to the Rapala Rap-V Perch Bladed Jig, it's far smaller and floats, and next to the Savage Gear Gravity Twitch SR, it runs deeper, at 1.8 to 2.1m against 0.5 to 1m.

To be fair, it's one size with a fixed depth band, so it won't fish the shallows. For perch sitting at that depth, though, I think it's a tidy little crank to clip on.

Running at 0.5 to 1m, the Savage Gear Gravity Twitch SR is a 6.7cm, 6g shallow runner built as a small prey-fish imitation for perch, pike, trout, asp, bass and salmon. Two SGY 1X BN size 8 trebles sit on forged split rings, with a stainless-steel egg snap.

A magnetic long-cast system with a sliding iron core supports longer, precise casts, and a tubular rattle chamber gives a clicking sound and vibration. It darts and kicks, wobbles on a steady retrieve, runs straight in stronger current and suspends level on longer stops.

It suits perch anglers who need distance over shallow water and like to pause a lure. Next to the Rapala X-Light Crank Mid Runner, it works higher in the water, and next to the Savage Gear Dropshot Academy Kit, it's a single hard lure rather than a soft-lure drop shot set.

To be fair, it comes in one size here and runs no deeper than 1m. For shallow perch at range, though, I think it's a twitchbait that covers that job neatly.

Thirty-six pieces make up the Savage Gear Dropshot Academy Kit, a perch kit of lures and dropshot components. There are 16 Dying Minnows, eight at 6cm and eight at 8cm, plus eight 3D Crayfish Rattling lures, four at 5.5cm and four at 6.7cm.

The minnows and crayfish each come in four colours, with Clear Motor Oil in both. For the rig, there are two 5g, three 7g and one 10g sinker, plus three Super Slide hooks in each of sizes #4 and #1.

It suits perch anglers setting up for drop shot who want a spread of lure sizes and sinker weights. Next to the Savage Gear Gravity Twitch SR, it's a whole soft-lure system rather than one hard lure, and next to the Berkley Sick Pack Perch, it's built for drop shot rather than jig heads, with far more pieces.

To be fair, there's no line in the kit, so you'll tie the rigs with your own. For building a drop shot set-up for perch from scratch, though, I think it's a well-planned kit.

Put together by top anglers to make choosing perch lures easy, the Berkley Sick Pack Perch is a ten-piece kit and one of the species packs in Berkley's Sick range.

Inside are six different Sick lures and four jig heads, split across 5g and 7g weights, which gives you two head weights to rig the six lures on. Every Sick bait in the pack carries Berkley PowerBait scent.

It suits perch anglers who want a ready-chosen selection rather than picking each lure one by one. For me, the appeal is having perch lures and heads picked for you in one pack. Next to the Savage Gear Dropshot Academy Kit, it's a smaller kit for jig heads rather than drop shot, with scented baits in place of sinkers and drop shot hooks.

To be fair, the lure sizes and styles aren't listed, and four heads for six lures means some swapping. For a simple, scented jig head kit aimed squarely at perch, though, I think it's an easy place to start.