Been to Mclaren falls thousands of time summer and winter and not seen any perch in the actual river pools.
Went there for a swim yesterday and a very large perch was swimming around in the sandy area of the pool when i arrived.
Was at least 25-30 cm.
Ive fished this river extensively and caught many trout and eels but never seen a perch yet. And knowing what the upriver is like and downstream is also a no go, i am assuming someone has recently released it !
Luckily i am staying over in tauranga from 13th to 24th and so will have plenty of time inbetween hunting and seas fishing to catch it.
Anyone wanting to know where it is, go to the falls bridge, walk upriver ten mins to the large pool just around the first bend and i saw it 5 times hanging around the sandy area just to the true right of the entry channel.
It seemed pretty damn hungry from its behaviour, between it and the 4 decent sized eels that are a resident of that pool there wont be that much food in there for it. Probably why the eels are tame enough to come to be fed when i call them by tapping on a rock.
If you think you are too small to make a difference,try sleeping with a mosquito in your tent.