Features: 
The body is quite high and flattened on the sides. Its mouth reaches up to the eyes in an inclined line and is full of tiny teeth. As with all representatives of the peach family its gill covers end in sharp angle with a bony spine. Peach has strong together grown scales that are jagged on the end. It has a doubled dorsal fin. While the parts on the first one are spine like the parts on the second are soft with the exception of the first three ones. At the end of the first dorsal fin there is a black blue spot. The back is from dark green to dark brown colour with 6-9 darker stripes going form the back to the belly. The sides are in the same cast but slightly lighter with dirty white belly. While dorsal, caudal and pectoral fins are dirty grey with yellow reflection pelvic and anal fins are reddish. It can grow over 30 cm. In Lake Cerknica there are specimens up to 40 cm big.

Spawning:
It spawns from mid March to June, mostly in April and May. The females lay their sticky roes in long stripes on water vegetation, sunken branches and stones. Then the males come and fertilize the eggs.

Habitat: 
It can be found in numerous European still and slow running waters and also in the waters deep into Asia. You won’t find it in Spain, Dalmatia, Greece, on the Apennine peninsula and on the high north. Peach is a social fish and lives in groups. It is a distinctive carnivore and will attack quite big prey regardless to the species. The fish was brought into Lake Cerknica in 1990´s and its numbers have multiplied dramatically and the population is comparable with the population of the Red Eye.

Fishing technique: 
Because of its big appetite and numerous population it is very interesting fish. You can spin fish, fly fish or float fish (usually with a buoy). Pearch will eagerly grab even big spinner, especially the ones that moves. It will also grab underwater fly, white or red streamer, sometimes even dry fly. On Lake Cerknica it is allowed to fish for perch with natural bait like pieces of fish or intestines (liver). It grasps the bait very eagerly and swallows it quite deep. When caught on the hook it offers quite powerful resistance bigger fish especially. It can be found in all areas of the lake while the biggest specimens are swimming in deeper water of the Stržen Creek.

Its flesh is very tasty with almost none fish bones. The first step in preparing the fish is taking of his thick skin with strong grown scales. Especially delicious are Peach fillets. You can find some recipes in ourcolumn Recipes.