SPECIES AND CLUB RECORDS
Barbel (Barbus barbus) Club Record, n/a
Description: The best place to find this species is in fast stretches of rivers. They usually feed on bottom invertebrates and shoal over hard beds. The best way to recgonise them is by the long body and prominent snout. The ventral mouth is flanked by two pairs of barbules. The barbel spawn from April to July and often migrate upstream to gravelly shallows. Their eggs stick to stones or lodge into crevices and hatch after approximately 2 weeks.
Fishing Methods: These are varied from casual feeding with the use of swimfeeders and legered baits, sitting and waiting for that rod-bending bite to stalking; stealthily walking the bank, gazing through the water with Polaroid's and a selection of baits to hand. Whilst some results can be had with the first method, it can also be a hit and miss affair. The better catches coming from steady, consistent feeding and careful selection of the swim - long gravelly glides fringed by beds of flowing weed. Strong tackle being the order of the day. The second method is the favored one especially if the larger, specimen is the target. Careful observation can pick out the Barbel in between weed beds sometimes accompanied by one or two others. Again strong tackle is required. A bait, dropped ahead of the fish with a small leger and allowed to be carried into the Barbel's feeding area, can have some heart-stopping results. Prebait a swim with particle baits, seed, corn, diced luncheon meat, and then return to fish similar over the chosen area. Keep a low profile and try not to disturb the water too much. Wait and watch, the bite may start with a twitch of the rod tip or line, and if the Barbel is confident, result in your rod being wrenched from it's rest or hand. Once hooked.......
Tip: A good bait for Barbel in any location is caster fished over a bed of hemp seed. This usually accounts for quite a few Barbel. However, if the fishery you are fishing is stocked with small silver fish it may be worthwhile switching to a large chunk of luncheon meat flavoured with chilli or curry powder at this time of year.
Bream (common-bronze) (Abramis brama)
Club Record, 9lb 6oz / Holder unknown
Description: You will find that this species is common in slow rivers and lakes. They usually move in shoals near the weedbeds and feed on plant materials and invertebrates. They have a protective covering of slime, a deep laterally compressed body and a long anal fin (in comparison with the dorsal fin). They have a forked tail and a relatively small head and mouth. While Bream are young (skimmers), the are silver but turn a darker bronze colour as they mature. During spawning, from May to June, the male acquires white tubercles over his head and upper body. At this time he will defend his territory in marginal weedbeds with a lot of splashing. When they live in a mixed community the roach will often interbreed with other species. This has created hybrids such as the roach-bream hybrid. A smaller species is also found in the United Kingdom, the Silver Bream (Blicca bjoerkna). These tend to be smaller than the common or bronze bream and are silver in colour with red anal and pectoral fins.
Fishing Methods: Predominantly feeding on the soft bottom of ponds, lakes and the lower reaches of rivers, the Bream can be caught with legered baits or laying on with a waggler. Bream tend to shoal and move casually around looking for food. Large catches result from heavy feeding, effectively laying down a carpet of bait and groundbait whereupon the shoal once finding the food will stay either till disturbed or having 'mopped up' the food when they will move on. Baits such as Redworm and Castor can be used together quite successfully. Maggots, pinkies and chopped worm mixed in with Groundbait used liberally can provide a feeding ground for the shoal.The Bream has not got a reputation though as a fighting fish, generally coming to the net with little resistance.Once a shoal starts to feed, any fish hooked needs to be pulled away from the remainder quickly, otherwise the shoal will be spooked and will move on. Large weights can be caught provided the shoal stays over the feeding ground. A fairly consistent method is an open-end feeder filled with a groundbait mix combined with a hook length of 18 - 24 inches. Once cast in and the feeder reaches the bottom, take up the slack in the line and then pull the rod a further 18 inches or so. This will place the hook over the groundbait.
Tip: A real favourite bait to use is to add chopped worm to your groundbait mix. It is essential to keep your casting accurate, makes sure your bait is going into a small area.
Leather Common Mirror
Carp (Cyprinus carpio)
Club Records:
Mirror Carp=32lb 2oz / Holder unknown??
Common Carp=31lb / Holder Phil Baker April 2004
Leather Carp=26lb 4oz
Grass Carp= 17lb
Description: The Carp was introduced into the United Kingdom by the Romans and is now common in slow rivers, lakes and canals. They feed on bottom living invertebrates and plant materials. The Carp have a deep body with a long dorsal fin and a pair of barbules. All carp and related fish possess a toothless mouth and have pharyngeal teeth at the beginning of the gullet to make grinding food into more digestible sized pieces easier.
They usually spawn in reed beds around May and June and lay hundreds of thousands of tiny eggs. Over the years, many different varieties of carp have bred since they were originally introduced to the United Kingdom. The original wild carp have become more rare than the newer crossbred variety. The different varieties of carp found in the United Kingdom waters include:- The Common Carp: these are dark bronze and fully scaled. The Mirror Carp: these have large irregular shaped scales. Linear Mirror Carp: these have scales present only in lateral lines. Ghost Carp: these are a white version of the common or mirror Carp. Koi Carp: these are an ornamental fish that comes in a variety of combinations of colour, usually red, orange, black and white.
Fishing Methods: Can be caught in any depth of water all year round. Methods to catch this much sort after fish can range from float fishing in the margins to swing tips, quivers, feeder fishing, floaters on top and then the typical carp fishing armoury set ups. Baits range from just about everything from sweets, meat baits, paticles right through to the latest boilie range.
Tip: Look for natural cover such as overhanging trees or lilies and target the margins. Always look for visible signs of fish moving around. Usually bubbles or silt rising as the carp disturb the bottom whilst routing for food will be the most obvious signs.
Chub (Leuciscus cephalus) Club Record= n/a
Description: The Chub is most commonly found in steady flowing rivers. They usually shoal in the upper middle reaches and are also stocked by many commercial stillwater fisheries throughout the United Kingdom. They feed on insects, invertebrates and plant materials.
However, larger, more solitary Chub will also eat smaller fish as part of their normal diet. The Chub has a darker edge to its scales, rounded fins and a chunky body with a large mouth. During their spawning from May to June, the male develops white tubercles over his head and upper body.
Fishing Methods: Float fished baits tend to have the better results as Chub prefer a moving bait to a fixed. A stick float used in experienced hands can be deadly, hold back slightly and allowing the bait to be carried through the swim mid-water to just above or trundling along the bottom. Legered baits can and often work well especially in the winter months when the fish are more reluctant to chase food, even then the Chub is still active and some good results can be had. Fish in open, gravel runs sided by weed or close to even under overhanging trees using maggots, worms, bread, corn, castors or small cubes of luncheon meat with steady feeding of loose samples. For the large specimens try a small deadbait such as a minnow or large bread-flake.
Tip: It is always a good idea to look for natural features such as overhanging trees and if necessary, walk out into the river and fish back towards the bank. Don't move around too much in the water, remember that big Chub can also be caught inches from the bank. To attract the greedy Chub from upstream, keep the loose feed going.
Crucian Carp (Carassius carassius) Club Record= n/a
Description: The Crucian Carp is very tolerant of pollution and low oxygen levels and is common in stillwaters. They feed on insects, invertebrates and plant materials. They are similar in appearance to the Common Carp but have no barbules and a flatter body. The have a long dorsal fin, prominent lateral line, red colouring visible in the pelvic and anal fins and are bronze in colour. They spawn from May to June and the female lays pale reddish eggs, up to as many as 300,000.
Fishing Methods: Light tackle fished on or just off the bottom or around surface plants tends to be productive. Baits such as maggot, bread, bloodworm and small pieces of diced luncheon meat are effective. During the summer months try a small float fished on the drop.
Tip: Keep in to the side and look for features such as lily pads. Using the lift method, fish a float with is sensitive to bites from this species of fish.
Eel (Anguilla anguilla) Club Record= Believed to be about 9lb
Description: The Eel is one of the most mysterious fish, a subject of mystic and folklore over the centuries. Having a long serpentine body, almost round in cross section, it is mainly a bottom dweller living in ponds, lakes and rivers. The males of the species rarely exceeding 50cms in length whereupon the female can reach 150cms and exceptionally reach weights of 6kg plus. The staple diet of the smaller fish tends to be insect larvae and worms, the larger specimens feeding also on small fish.
Much of the Eel's mysticism surround it's spawning habits. The mature Eel migrates downstream heading to the Sargasso Sea in the Atlantic, off the east coast of America north of the Bermudas. Moving on dark moonless nights, undertaking a journey of some eighteen months where once their spawning ground is reached, they spawn and then die. During this period their eyes grow strikingly large. The resultant larvae drift with the Gulf Stream towards the coast of Europe, reaching it in about three years. During the period October to April, these Elvers measuring approximately 15cms, migrate upstream in huge masses until they find a place to settle whereupon they can remain for 13 - 16 years before they too start their migration to the spawning ground.
Fishing Methods: The smaller Eel can be caught with worm or maggot, generally when fishing for another species. Leger tactics are favoured as the Eel is a bottom dweller. The larger specimen can be caught with freshwater dead-baits in the 4 - 6 cm size range, legered over a pre-baited area. The groundbait can consist of minced fish and offal which has some excellent results especially if used prior to fishing. The Eel will as a rule run with the bait initially prior to swallowing it. Allow the fish time to run but from the point of striking, keep the line taught at all times. It can also be advantageous to use a swivel between the hook length and main line. Strong tackle is highly recommended.
Tip: You'll find that a nice whole juicy lobworm ledgered with 10lb line through to a 10 lb hooklink works excellently fished at night on the rivers. When on the bank lay the fish on its back to calm it and try not to take off the slime as it helps prevent disease to the fish. Once unhooked ALWAYS return your fish carefully.
Roach (Rutilus rutilus) Club Record=2lb 8oz
Description: The Roach is a member of the Carp family with relatively large scales firmly embedded in it's skin. It has a dark brown or grey back with a bluish or greenish lustre, silvery white sides and a white belly. The Roach is one of the commonest fish in UK waters and can be found in stillwaters, canals and rivers, where it feeds on crustaceans, aquatic plants and detritus. The Roach is generally found living in shoals and often feeds at all levels.
Fishing Methods: Float fished and legered baits will catch Roach. Steady loose feeding will tempt the shoal to feed and become confident. Popular baits are maggot, castors, small redworms and bread either punch or flake. Other baits that can be used are hempseed, tares, sweetcorn and bloodworm. A float such as a waggler with small shot (no.6 or 8) spread evenly down the line and plumbed to allow the hook to sit on or just off the bottom, will allow the bait to fall gradually with loose feed through the water. Initially bites may well come once the bait has settled but as the Roach starts to feed often bites start to be taken whilst on the drop. Once this happens keep up with the loose feed, little and often, but shorten the depth of the main line. Be prepared to have to return it to it's original setting though should the shoal become spooked. Groundbait used sparingly can also tempt a wary shoal into feeding.Stick floats work equally well in flowing water, again with a similar set-up. Legered baits also need loose fed samples around the hook-bait, this is where swimfeeders come into their own. Either a closed feeder for maggots or an open ended feeder with a mix of groundbait and samples of hook-bait, cast repeatedly into the same area is an effective method. Roach initially tend to be shy and the bites may often appear as little more than a knock or dip of the float but once they become confident the bites will become more positive. Pole fishing is particularly effective, again with a float set as above.Fast, sucked out maggot, roach bites can be turned into fish in the net by simply side-hooking the maggot instead of through the blunt end as we normally do. As the fish possibly gain confidence through loose-feeding, they compete more and take quicker leading to positive but hard to hit bites. Experiment and see if it works for you.
Tips: When fishing for Roach feed the swim heavily before fishing. For hook bait use a cocktail of one maggot and one caster, and you will be catching both rudd and roach all day long. Though you must keep baiting the swim.
Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) Club Record= 2lb 4oz
Description: The Rudd is a smilar species to the Roach. It often favours the middle to the upper layers of water. Commonly found in rivers and lakes, it feeds on invertebrates and plant materials, but also on surface insects. It also has red fins like the Roach but it is distinguishable by its golden tint and the fact that while the Roach's dorsal and pelvic fins are in line with each other, the Rudds dorsal fin rises behind its pelvic fin.
When living in a mixed community, the Rudd will often interbreed with other species like Roach and Bream hybrids.
Fishing Methods: The most favoured method is float fishing on the drop. A small waggler fished with little or no weight on the main line which should be about 1m in length. Maggot, castor or bread either punched or a small flake allowed to sink slowly through the water, with loose fed samples of the same, will tempt the Rudd to feed. One method that can be exceptional is punched bread used with a bread and water loose feed. The bread should be allowed to soak in water until it literally becomes a sloppy mix. Mash the bread into small particles and then drain off the excess water. Fed loosely with punched bread on the hook it will tempt even the most reluctant fish.
Essentially the Rudd is a shy feeder, therefore tackle should be kept light and every effort must be made not to spook the shoal once one of it's members have been caught. A hooked fish needs to be guided away from the shoal quickly. This can be done by lowering the rod level to the bank after striking and at the same time draw the rod backwards reeling in any loose line.
Tips: To target this species, it is best to use the floating caster and maggots.
Tench(Tinca tinca) Club Record= 8lb 12oz- June 2005
Description: The Tench is a bronze or olive green fish. It has rounded fins and small slimy scales. It is found at the bottom of stagnant still waters and is often in the mud. Tench can survive in waters with low oxygen levels. An ornamental variety of Tench is also found in United Kingdom waters, the golden Tench. It is usally bright orange with dark coloured spots. 7lb is considered to be a specimen. Tench spawn from May to July and the females grow considerably larger than the males and can lay up to 900,000 small green aggs.
Fishing Methods: One of the best baits to use for Tench is small red-worm or red maggopts. These can be fished with the float methods ideally 'laying on'. The float needs to be set about 10cm over depth so that the bait is actually resting on the bottom. The bulk of the shots needs to be around the float, a waggler with a cane antennae and a single number 4 positioned 8cm from the hook. Fish over loose fed maggots or chopped worms close to weed beds, lily pads or bank-sides. Tench tend to be cautious feeders and often play with the bait before confidently taking it. This is reflected in the bite. The float will often bob a few times before lifting slightly and then gliding away. Many bites are missed by anxious anglers striking to early and it is advisable to wait for the float to glide away before striking. Once the Tench loses it's inhibitions it will rise to intercept feed and bites can sometimes be had as the bait is falling through the water. If this is the case, replace the number 4 shot with a number 6 and move it further up the line so that the last 50cms falls freely. The Tench once hooked can present the angler with quite an energetic fight, often diving for available cover and snags therefore tackle needs to be fairly strong. Tench are a early morning species, so try for them at the crack of dawn or at dust. A simple cage feeder with sweetcorn as bait is sometimes all that is need to temp an hungry Tench.
Tip: Tench activity is usually signaled by small bubbles rising, particularly near lily pads.
Perch (Perca fluviatilis) Club Record= 3lb 9oz
Description: These are common in slow reaches of rivers, ponds and lakes. The feed on invertebrates whilst they are young and when they mature they feed on other fish. They are instantly recgonisable by their separate spiny dorsal fins, red pelvic and anal fins and their olive green stripes (nicknamed "Stripies"). Each female, during their spawning, usually lays up to 300,000 eggs in strands over plants. This is during April and it is common for Perch to mature in under a year.
Fishing Methods: There are various ways of catching Perch. Float fished or legered worm or maggot will always tempt the fish especially if close to an obstacle or an overhanging tree . Spinning in shallow water or close to moored boats can equally tempt the Perch. The larger specimens are harder to find because of their solitary existence. A well place legered minnow or large worm can often tempt the older Perch. Some knowledge of the fishery can be helpful such as the location of sunken tree stumps and obstacles.
Tip: To target the better fish use a whole lobworm.
Pike (Esox lucius) Club Record= 26lb 8oz
Description: The Pike is common in slow reaches of rivers, ponds, canals and lakes. Its appearance is unmistakable with its powerful jaws, strong teeth and flattened head. It has a long torpedo shaped body and the dorsal fin is set at the rear. Its colouring allows it to camouflage itself amongst the plants and reeds and dart out to take its prey. They feed mainly on other fish but have been known to eat amphibians and even ducklings.
During the spawning, between February and May, the female grows considerably larger than the male and lays up to 500,000 eggs. These are scattered over the plants. They usually hatch in around two weeks and the tiny larva stick to the plants until the fry are fully formed.
Fishing Methods: There are three main methods to tempt and catch Pike. Spinning, Lures and Baits. Of the three, the latter is the most popular. The bait can be a live-bait, a freshwater fish used with either a float or paternoster arrangement; this method is frowned upon in most circles. Alternatively, a dead-bait, a recently deceased freshwater fish or sea fish (whole or part) such as mackerel, herring or sprat presented on either a float, paternoster or leger set-up. When fished with floats or paternoster the bait should ideally be presented in a 'natural' position. A hook arrangement consisting of two trebles to a wire-trace hook link, positioned with the leading treble in the body to the rear of the gills or in the root of the pectoral fin, the second treble in the root of the dorsal fin. Legered baits can be hooked with the second hook in the tail, the first hook into the body. If fished at distance, the bait can also be bound to the trace to prevent loss. Some knowledge of the fishery is helpful in locating the Pike as it favours weed-beds, obstacles and underwater ledges or gullies. Strong tackle is highly recommended.
Tip: To stimulate a fish in the last throws of life, twitch your dead bait occasionally. Pike often target weak, ailing prey.
